It was ever necessary for banks to look reliable and unassailable; how else could you get the locals' trust? When this building was put up it was probably one of the most serious and pompous in the town. Waipu's an interesting Northland settlement; it was founded in 1853 by just over a hundred Scots who came here, via Nova Scotia, Adelaide, Melbourne and the Victorian goldfields.
When other Nova Scotians heard of the settlement nearly a further nine hundred came here, too. It's worth stopping a while in Waipu and checking up on its history - some pretty weird things happened here!
I went a bit overboard painting the bank, vide some migrating wet-in-wet watercolours! But it gives the character to the building as it was in 1987. I expect its gone by now.
© DON DONOVAN
donovan@ihug.co.nz
Dan, I missed commenting on this one earlier. The former National Bank in Waipu still stands, now the surgery and residence of a local doctor. He has maintained it in really good condition and although no longer branded as the bank it is still very much the same. It's a NZ Historic Places Trust Category II registered historic place.
ReplyDeleteStewart: Thank you for your comment. I suppose the bank is now covered in graffiti?
ReplyDeleteDON
Sorry for calling you Dan, Don! I haven't been in Waipu since the graffiti attack, but the prominence of the corner site the old bank stands on makes it likely it was a target.
ReplyDelete