Wee Waa NAB branch building talk of town with options for replacement being discussed

The ANZ branch recently shut down, and now, the NAB has decided to pull the pin on its local branch, leaving the town with no bank ATMs, or bank branches. Only an ATM in the local IGA and pub remain.

But there is some good news from all the doom and gloom.

Narrabri Shire Council will take over ownership of the NAB building so the community can decide what they would like to see in there.

Shire mayor Ron Campbell said it was a nice building with disabled access and everything else a modern building had, so it was a good opportunity for Wee Waa.

"It'll be the Wee Waa community's decision as to what they want to do with it," Cr Campbell said.

"Council will have to approve it but whole essence was they wanted it to go to the community."

Read also:

Wee Waa Business Chamber vice president John Tully said locals wanted to try and attract another bank into the town, but NAB had put a stop to this.

"Obviously, the NAB building would be the perfect place to put it with all the infrastructure already there, but the NAB has stated in the ownership transfer it's never to be used as a financial institute," Mr Tully said.

"It doesn't do us any favours without a bank in town."

He said it had become difficult for the town's businesses, that now had to travel 40km with their daily takings.

"I understand the way the world's going cashless and everything's internet banking, but we have a decent-sized elderly community that don't have the means or the know how to use internet banking and also people who don't have the internet service to access internet banking, some of our remote townsfolk," he told the Leader.

"We've been in talks with Bendigo Bank about maybe a branch for Wee Waa but obviously you need the right building for a financial institution."

He said chamber meeting discussions had garnered many ideas for what could go in the building, with one popular idea an arts and cultural centre.

"Different groups are putting their hands up and we're going to sort through those incoming meetings to find the best option and best attraction to town," Mr Tully said.

"Definitely once we've got a full understanding of how the handover will go and what the council will like to see we'll approach the public and different groups and see who would like to occupy the building and for what cause."

Luckily for locals, the Wee Waa Post Office has stepped up and is offering some banking services as an alternative option.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: