This writing desk was used by the Warrnambool Bank of Australasia personnel and the date associated with it (through unproven Historical Society records) is 1859. The Bank of Australasia was established in Sydney in 1835. The Warrnambool branch of the Bank of Australasia was established in 1854 in a stone cottage in Merri Street leased for two years. The bank was next located in a leased building in Timor Street with new purpose-built premises at the corner of Timor and Kepler Streets opening in 1860. In 1951 the Bank of Australasia merged with the Union Bank to form the A.N.Z. Bank Limited. In 1970 the E. S. & A. Bank and the London Bank of Australia merged with the A.N.Z. Bank forming the A.N.Z. Banking Group Limited with the business transferring to Liebig Street. The old Bank of Australasia building was purchased by the Warrnambool City Council and later sold to a private buyer. It is now a nightclub. The writing desk may have been used in both the Timor Street leased building and the bank building at the corner of Kepler and Timor Streets. William Palmer was the Bank Manager when the desk would have been first used. This is a most significant item as it comes from the Warrnambool Bank of Australasia, the first bank to be established in Warrnambool and a major banking business in Warrnambool for nearly 100 years. The desk was handed over to the Warrnambool and District Historical Society by Clarrie Kempton, the A.N.Z. Bank Manager in Warrnambool from 1964 to 1971.This is a wooden writing desk, possibly made of walnut wood. The base is rectangular with a drawer with a brass handle at the base. From the base the desk slopes up to a triangular shape with a slightly curved top. The middle of the desk has a front opening with two doors with four brass hinges with a brass lock. There are six bolts, one with a slot missing. Inside the doors are inset 10 wooden slots of different sizes to hold papers, letters, ink, dockets etc. Also inside the doors, behind a transparent material, are spaces for the day, date and month. These numbers and letters were once able to be changed according to the date. The writing desk is in good condition but a little stained. ‘Tuesday’ ‘8’ ‘November’ bank of australasia, history of warrnambool, history of warrnambool

Newly elected Nillumbik Shire Councillors Helen Coleman, Bronnie Hattam and Michael Young celebrate with re-elected Councillor Greg Johnson following the November 2004 Local Government elections.Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak GC400-8bronnie hattam, greg johnson, helen coleman, jim connor, local government elections, marg johnson, nillumbik shire council

Newly elected Nillumbik Shire Councillors Helen Coleman, Bronnie Hattam and Michael Young celebrate with re-elected Councillor Greg Johnson following the November 2004 Local Government elections.Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak GC400-8bronnie hattam, greg johnson, helen coleman, local government elections, marg johnson, nillumbik shire council, michael young

Newly elected Lenister Ward candidate, Cr. Helen ColemanRoll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak GC400-8helen coleman, local government elections, nillumbik shire council, election campaign signs, eltham, lenister ward, mike irwin

Flooding of the Diamond Creek in February 2005Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 strips Associated colour print 10 x 15 cmKodak GC400-8bridge, diamond creek (creek), eltham, eltham south, floods, main road, main road bridge

Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak GC400-8diamond creek, eltham, floods, main road bridge

Flooding of the Diamond Creek in February 2005Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 strips Associated colour print 10 x 15 cmKodak GC400-8bridge, diamond creek (creek), eltham, eltham south, floods, main road, main road bridge

Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak GC400-8diamond creek, eltham, floods, main road bridge

Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak GC400-8diamond creek, eltham, floods, main road bridge

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Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak GC400-8diamond creek, eltham, floods, wingrove park

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Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak GC400-8diamond creek, eltham, floods

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Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak GC400-8diamond creek, eltham, floods

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Interior of St Francis Xavier Catholic Church highlighting stained-glass windows by Marinus 'Rein' Slagmolen (1916-1999), a Dutch-Australian artist and sculptor.Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 4 stripsKodak GC400-8catholic church, montmorency, marinus rein slagmolen, st francis xavier

Interior of St Francis Xavier Catholic Church highlighting stained-glass windows by Marinus 'Rein' Slagmolen (1916-1999), a Dutch-Australian artist and sculptor.Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 4 stripsKodak GC400-8catholic church, montmorency, marinus rein slagmolen, st francis xavier

Interior of St Francis Xavier Catholic Church highlighting stained-glass windows by Marinus 'Rein' Slagmolen (1916-1999), a Dutch-Australian artist and sculptor.Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 4 stripsKodak GC400-8catholic church, montmorency, marinus rein slagmolen, st francis xavier

Interior of St Francis Xavier Catholic Church highlighting stained-glass windows by Marinus 'Rein' Slagmolen (1916-1999), a Dutch-Australian artist and sculptor.Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 4 stripsKodak GC400-8catholic church, montmorency, marinus rein slagmolen, st francis xavier

Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 4 stripsKodak GC400-8catholic church, montmorency, st francis xavier

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Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak GC400-8diamond creek, eltham, floods

Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak GC400-8diamond creek, eltham, floods

Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak GC400-8diamond creek, eltham, floods

Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak GC400-8diamond creek, eltham, floods

Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak GC400-8