A long-standing Bourbong Street building is set to receive much-needed roof renovations thanks to a new initiative aimed at preserving and enhancing the region’s historic structures.
Bundaberg Regional Council’s Our Stories Our Places Heritage and Character Grant Program provides a means for Council to deliver financial assistance to owners of eligible properties to undertake conservation works on local and state heritage places.
Situated at 98 Bourbong Street and currently housing Priceline Pharmacy, the key focus of the renovation is the installation of a new roof, with the current infrastructure severely rusted and leaking in multiple areas.
The local grant program awarded $10,000 towards the renovation work, which Priceline spokesperson Cassie Harradine said would assist greatly.
“We applied for the Our Stories Our Places grant as we wanted to improve the standards of the Priceline Building for our staff and customers,” she said.
“The grant has helped us afford the upgrades for this project and get organised within a set timeframe.”
Arts, Heritage and Asset Management portfolio spokesperson Cr John Learmonth said the Our Stories Our Places grant program was helping to preserve the region’s history.
“While the building itself may have undergone modernisation and change over the years this site remains significant to the region’s history as the site of Bundaberg’s first bank,” Cr Learmonth said.
“Having a national bank invest in our town and expand their services here is a recognition of the maturation of Bundaberg as a city.
“Through this grant program we are helping to ensure private building owners can continue to preserve and maintain this history on behalf of the entire community.”
Historical significance of Bourbong Street building
The Priceline building holds a significant place in Bundaberg’s history and Cassie, with the help of John Greenhalgh and Michelle Schwarzer, who are great grandchildren of FW Avenell, the founder of our local Avenell Bros store and Priceline's neighbouring shop, have been able to piece together some important milestones.
“I believe the original building on the site was constructed sometime during 1875,” she said.
“From approximately 1913 to 1938 it was occupied by Avenell Brothers Newsagents ‘sited in Bundy Daily News and Mail 24th Dec 1940'.
“After this point the building became home to the Bank of New South Wales, who purchased the site in 1938. ‘sited in Maryborough Chronicle Wed 22 June 1938.'
“The Bank of New South Wales operated from the site right up to 1982 when it was renamed to Westpac bank.”
Cassie said the bank had a long history in the region.
“They first opened in Bundaberg in a building on Quay Street in 1872,” she said.
“Originally it was thought that Quay Street would be the main street of Bundaberg, however, over time Bourbong Street became the main street which is why the bank purchased the site in 1938.
“In 1940 The Bundaberg Daily News and Mail stated that The Bank of New South Wales had remodelled the building extensively to suit their requirements.
“They removed an old awning and shop fronts, concreated the ground floor and erected a strong room with special bank fittings installed.”
Further research divulged that in 1972 the Bank of New South Wales mounted a plaque in the building to commemorate a century of continuous service by the bank of New South Wales in Bundaberg.
“When the building was remodelled for the Priceline Shop it was remounted and can be viewed on the left of the main entrance, ” Cassie said.
During the 1980's after the Bank of New South Wales was renamed to Westpac, the building underwent further renovations where the marble pillars, large window front, and awning was added to the building.
In 2019, after a long history of banking from the building, the Westpac relocated to another shop on Bourbong Street and the lower level of the building was gutted internally and refit to accommodate the needs of the Priceline Pharmacy in 2021.
Local building preservation vital
According to Cassie, the preservation of the Priceline building is seen as crucial to maintaining the charm and heritage of Bundaberg’s CBD.
“Bundaberg has so much to offer not only as a tourist destination but also as a wonderful place to live,” she said.
“Preserving and improving the streetscape is vitally important.
“The unique, charming, and memorable strip shopping experience is like taking a walk-through time, making people feel welcome and connected with their environment.”
She said once the building's renovations were complete, it would not only be safer space but also a much more functional one.
“The upgraded roof will allow the upper-level offices to be utilised once again, potentially adding new services and increasing the building’s overall utility for staff and customers,” Cassie said.
“We are very grateful for the commitment Bundaberg Regional Council has made to help historical and character buildings maintain their standards.”
Applications for Our Stories Our Places grants will be accepted on an on-going basis until 31 May 2024, while funding remains available.
Find out more here.
was it not Mr. Newman Sherridan who rode a horse from Maryborough in a hasty time after another bank had looked and walked away in 1872. (Source, the writings of Thomas Dexter collected by Nina Higgins and Merv Hopton). Spend a bit of money also and have a look at the old historical town lot titles that carry all sorts of interesting information. Quite easy to do.
GJ Young built the original building on the site of Priceline in 1879. The confusion comes because he opened his first shop in 1875 but it was one of 2 shops just west of the first School of Arts.
trevor, i have several early central town surveys of the lots. it would be good if you could put a cross on the lot you describe and then we get the original title deed. i can do that with ease. one problem, the subdividing of those central lots did start earlier than some think.