It’s seen plenty of wool cheques cashed and pioneering ventures established and last Thursday the National Australia Bank hosted 130 clients to a cocktail party to celebrate 125 years in business in Longreach.
Established in the same year as the great shearers’ strike was at its peak, the earliest customers would have been pastoralists, but as the town got established the workforce grew and service industries looked to the bank for support as well.
NAB has been in the current building in Longreach since 1936. The offices now occupied by the agribusiness team was previously the bank manager’s residence.
According to state agribusiness manager John Avent, NAB Longreach has a long history with its customers.
“Some families have been banking for generations with NAB Longreach and some have been with us since the branch opened in 1891,” he said.
Those generations would have seen many changes as banking has evolved, particularly in the last 15 years, when the way transactions are done has altered significantly.
“These days most Australians carry a bank around in their pocket,” Mr Avent said. “Customers are increasingly managing their finances digitally, but there are times when nothing replaces good old-fashioned face-to-face customer service.
“This is why NAB has agribusiness bankers on the ground all over the country.”
Timeline
1891 – Queensland National Bank purchased their first allotment in Longreach
1936 – The current branch is built
1948 – National Bank of Australasia acquired Queensland National Bank
1981 – National Bank of Australasia and Commercial Banking Company of Sydney merged
1984 – Name is changed to National Australia Bank