Bank of New South Wales Invercargill

One of a trio of handsome banking institution buildings that compete for attention on 'bank corner' where the Invercargill Troopers Memorial takes centre stage.

All date from roughly the same period and are of similar proportions, but their styles vary widely, as is the case with many of Invercargill's array of Heritage Buildings. The Bank of New South Wales bought this site in 1863, in 1875 building a timber bank, which was later damaged by fire when the adjacent Bank of Australia burned down. It was repaired but by 1903 a new premises was called for. Enter C J Brodrick, the architectural godfather of a fair portion of Invercargill, along with his mentor F W Burwell, who had in the 1880s had made grand plans for this intersection. Brodrick went to town on this bank, liberally applying all of the decorative features allowed by the Italian Renaissance style. Quite a contrast to his Stripped Classical National Bank opposite.

All this decoration was executed very well and is still in good condition, making the bank a candidate for Category One Heritage Status. Until the 1990s, Westpac Bank was the tenant here, and after that the building was purchased by the charitable trust that looks after the Troopers Memorial. New Zealand Paint company Resene are so proud of the restoration work carried out here that they uphold the bank as a case study in the application of their products. The tenants are now a children's clothing retailer and the ANZ Bank now resides next door.

NZPlaces would love a picture of this historic building, it's easy to send one in.