{"id":176521,"date":"2017-04-27T15:18:49","date_gmt":"2017-04-27T05:18:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=176521"},"modified":"2020-07-10T12:02:44","modified_gmt":"2020-07-10T02:02:44","slug":"new-bank-opens-in-wondai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2017\/04\/27\/new-bank-opens-in-wondai\/","title":{"rendered":"New Bank Opens In Wondai"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Bendigo Community Bank director Lionel Kerr, Cr Kathy Duff, Tracy and John Robinson and Yarraman branch manager Anne Woodrow cut a ribbon to declare the new agency officially open<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

April 27, 2017<\/strong><\/p>\n

Shoppers who dropped into the Wondai Newsagency on Thursday morning got an extra treat with their daily newspaper – a free sausage sizzle breakfast from some bankers.<\/p>\n

The occasion was the launch of Bendigo Community Bank’s fifth South Burnett outlet to complement existing branches and agencies in Blackbutt, Yarraman, Nanango and Murgon.<\/p>\n

From now on, Wondai customers will be able to conduct business with the mini-branch every Monday to Friday between 9:00am and 4:30pm.<\/p>\n

The newsagency formerly housed an outlet for another bank, but it closed late last year along with 25 of that bank’s other mini-branch agencies around south-east Queensland.<\/p>\n

When it announced the closures, the bank said the rapid rise of online technologies, plus the widespread availability of other banking channels like ATMs and EFTPOS, meant the cash-based agency concept introduced in the 1970s had come to the end of its lifespan.<\/p>\n

However Wondai Newsagency owner Tracy Robinson and her husband John were concerned the loss of banking facilities would have a negative impact on the town.<\/p>\n

So they began searching for a replacement as soon as they were notified the other bank was leaving.<\/p>\n

Tracy said Bendigo seemed a logical choice, especially after they opened an agency inside Struddy’s Sports at Murgon mid-way through last year.<\/p>\n

But negotiations to open a Wondai agency took several months.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, directors and staff of the South Burnett’s Bendigo Community Bank chain donned aprons to cook and serve sausages to passers-by.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Director Lionel Kerr said he was very happy to extend the community bank’s services to Wondai, and looked forward to a long and positive relationship with the town.<\/p>\n

Yarraman branch manager Anne Woodrow said she shared the board’s feelings.<\/p>\n

“Last year we were able to return $64,000 to the community,” Anne said.<\/p>\n

“And over the past 11 years we’ve returned $745,000 by way of donations, grants, sponsorships and scholarships.<\/p>\n

“Soon we hope to be able to return dividends to our shareholders, too.”<\/p>\n

Special guests then cut a ribbon strung across the newsagency’s doorway to make the launch official.<\/p>\n