Australian Joint Stock Bank (former)

A bronze statue adjacent to this former bank building memorialises the literary achievements of Helen Lyndon Goff, who under the name PL Travers wrote the well-known Mary Poppins series of books. Her father was the manager of this bank when she was born on 9 August 1899. The bank had been built in 1883, designed by architect FDG Stanley and constructed by local builders French and Crystall. The bank first occupied rented premises in Bazaar Street from 1864. In 1866, it renovated existing premises at this site on the corner of Kent and Richmond Street. A messenger’s cottage and kitchen was at the rear; likely that the small brick building facing Richmond Street. In July 1882, Stanley called for tenders for a new building which was completed by September 1883. It was typical of a bank of that era, having two stories and a manager’s residence on the first floor. The bank continued to operate until 1901. The premises were leased to the Union Bank from 1906, which purchased the property in 1912. Following the further bank mergers in 1952, the property was sold and subsequently occupied by various offices. It was purchased by Fraser Coast Regional Council in 2015.