1992: The creation of St George Bank

This year is thirty years since the St George Building Society (established in 1937 as the St.George Co-operative Building Society Ltd) was granted a banking licence and listed on the Australian Stock Exchange as a public company. 

In January 1992, St George went public with its plans as reported in The Daily Telegraph Mirror on 15 January 1992.

Below is a newspaper advertisement that was published on 1 July 1992 when it offically became a bank.

   

Source: St George Bank Limited. 1992. "A bank remembers its promises." (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph Mirror, July 1: 24-25. 

During the 1990's St George Bank took over Advance Bank and BankSA. In 2008, St George merged with Westpac. Despite the merger, the brand has been retained in NSW. Its branches in Victoria were rebranded as the Bank of Melbourne in 2011.

St George still maintain their headquarters at Kogarah, where it has been based since 1990, still connected to the region in which it was founded. Originally, they were based at Hurstville. 

Below is the advertisement that I believe was the "launch" advertisement. Southern Sydney does feature. Guess the locations.

1973: Weather Beacons atop Sydney buildings

Some will be aware that buildings in Sydney can and have acted as locations to monitor weather conditions. 

In 1957, the MLC Building in North Sydney became the first building in Sydney to have a weather beacon installed on its rooftop.

Sixteen years later (1973), The St George Permanent Building Society in Hurstville became the second location in Sydney to have a weather beacon installed. Light colours and changes could give locals the latest weather conditions.

Below are two clippings from The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader from its unveiling in 1973.

Source: Anon. 1973. "News beacon has a flash", The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, March 14:1.

Source: Anon. 1973. "Minister hit the right button". The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, March 21: 11.

I believe that the weather beacon has since been removed; the date of which is unknown. 

Westpac Place in Kent Street has a weather beacon atop the building, but it uses electronic lighting placed in bars to tell Sydneysiders the current air pressure reading.  

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