Queensland National Bank (former)

Sheltered by swaying palms, this former Queensland National Bank (QN Bank) building was built in 1879, by Mr C A Ward. At that time the bank’s profits were generated from the Charters Towers and Ravenswood goldfields. The rendered brick bank opened in January 1880 and was reported as being the most substantial building in Townsville at the time. The design, by colonial architect Francis Drummond Greville Stanley, reflects the tropical climate. Verandahs to both levels of the building, feature elaborate decorative cast-iron balustrades. The manager’s residence on the upper floor comprises a large drawing room, bedrooms and a bathroom. The kitchen and dining room were at the rear of the banking chambers on the ground floor. The ground floor also included the manager’s office, strong room and stationery store. The building functioned as banking premises for 103 years; first as the QN Bank and from 1948 as the National Bank of Australasia (NBA) after the QN and NBA merged. The National Bank sold the property in 1983 and it has served a number of commercial purposes since then.