Tim the Yowie Man: How Adaminaby's bank escaped that sinking feeling in 1956

Several eagle-eyed correspondents spotted the law-abiding motorist using his hand to indicate he was turning right in what Daniel Fitzpatrick believes is a Dodge Diablo 2. "It's the only Dodge model that had vertical bars in the grill and the centre trim swoop," says the vintage car enthusiast.

"Only four buildings remained in the old town, all above the high-water mark," reveals Steve Brayshaw, Adaminaby's unofficial historian, who explains "most were loaded on the back of trucks and moved to the new, higher town site, about nine kilometres to the north-east."

One of those four that remains in old Adaminaby is the 1899 two-storey sandstone guesthouse that was dragged up the hill and onto the old police station/courthouse block. "By sheer chance, both buildings had the same-sized foundations, so it was a perfect fit," reveals Steve.

A couple of readers also pointed out the pine trees at top left of the photo mark the location of the (Old) Adaminaby cemetery with one curious reader, John Sanders of Kaleen, asking "did they have to move any graves?"

Thankfully not. "The high-water mark avoided the cemetery by about five metres," reports Steve.

However, it was the two-storey building in the centre-right of the photo, the old town's branch of the Commercial Banking Company Sydney (CBC), which attracted the most interest, with a flood of readers digging up eye-catching official Snowy Hydro images (Lake Eucumbene is part of the Snowy Hydro Scheme) of the bank precariously positioned on the back of a truck while enroute to the new town.

"They really are iconic photos," attests Steve. "The photo of the bank arriving in the new town shows just how barren and bleak the site was back then."

While the bank was being reassembled in the new town, banking facilities temporarily continued in old Adaminaby, in of all places, the Commercial pub - that's the building in the main street with the grand facade and green roof.

"Transactions were conducted over the bar, thus allowing the purchase of a drink while withdrawing money at the same time," exclaims Eduard Schaepman, who, soon after the bank ceased operations in the new town in 1996, became the third private owner of the building in as many years.

"When it came on the market for the third time, I just couldn't resist," admits Eduard who has been visiting the area since he was a kid on family holidays. "It's really awesome having a part of old Adaminaby as a home.

"A previous owner cut up the counter and butchered a lot of the lovely timber work," explains Eduard who spent long winters working through the night with his now late father to bring the historic building back to its former glory.

"We soon found out why it had a reputation as the coldest branch in Australia," laughs Eduard. "The heating isn't the best."

While renovating, Eduard also found a section of shelving, complete with the fading signatures of staff dating back to the building's construction in 1936.

"Soon after we'd finished restoring the building, a former bank manager visited and was clearly disappointed he'd never signed the shelving," says Eduard, who promptly gave his guest a pen and invited him to leave his mark on the shelf. "It meant a lot to him, and he even shed a few tears," reveals Eduard.

While Eduard especially treasures the floor-to-ceiling vault (now partially filled with wine rather than gold bars), complete with a back-up locking mechanism that would bamboozle even the craftiest of modern-day bank robbers, he also has a soft spot for the two original safes, despite the alarming shortcomings of the older one.

The safe, which has a particularly "wonky" handle is more than 150 years old and was shipped from the bank's Coolamon (near Wagga Wagga) branch in 1919. "Apparently the handle was like that even before it was moved," reveals Eduard. "You wouldn't want to put your money in there, it's not very secure ... rivetted together, not welded like the newer one which has a combination lock."

While primarily a private home, Eduard, who has a penchant for cooking with native ingredients, and his mum occasionally open the 'Adaminaby Bank Café' for high teas and lunches. Well worth the drive.

Don't miss: Adaminaby Bank Café will open for light lunch on Mother's Day, Sunday May 14 from 11am. Bookings recommended. 18 Denison Street. Ph 6454 1116 or adaminaby.bank@gmail.com.

Top secret: Prior to 1919, there were no official banking facilities in Adaminaby. Wanting to be the first to open in the town, managers in the Sydney office of the CBC arranged to send a code word to "their man in Adaminaby" should a rival financial institution show intent of establishing in the town. According to Eduard Schaepman, "the code word (kangaroo!) was sent in 1919, with CBC opened soon after in the town's former "rabbit depot". It wasn't until 1936 that the CBC moved into its purpose-built permanent double-storey home. In 1957, the building was moved to the new town in three sections, first the two-storey section, then the adjoining single-storey residence and finally the vault.

Did You Know? After being moved to the new town, the timber building has survived two fires, including one in 1965 which caused extensive damage to the staircase. The Canberra Times of July 31, 1965 reported "employees hurriedly placed all money and ledgers in fire-proof vaults when the blaze started in a loungeroom of a flat above the bank offices".

The street in Jugiong renamed in 2018 to Parry Street to honour a local policeman killed by bushranger John Gilbert in 1864 isn't the only roadway to have recently changed name in our region due to links to bushranging days of the 1860s.

In 2010, following lobbying from Neville Locker, who grew up at Happy Valley, a property on the outskirts of Adaminaby, the local council changed the name of Yens Bay Road (originally called Bolaro Road) to Bushrangers Hill Road.

"Bushrangers, including the Clarke Brothers, raided Happy Valley several times during the 1860s and they'd often ride off with their haul along that road," explains Neville.

According to local lore, on one occasion, while holding up the homestead, a bushranger fired a bullet that left a hole in the bottom of Mary Locker's dress.

"After waiting a day, presumably to allow the bushrangers to be well clear of the area, the men of Happy Valley and surrounds 'bravely' announced they would go after the bushrangers so followed their tracks to the west," reveals Neville. "They'd only gone a mile or so when they got the shock of their lives when they unexpectedly found the bushrangers still camping on a nearby hill!

MORE YOWIE MAN:

"They rode into the camp and shots were fired on both sides; the bushrangers headed west, and the 'heroes' came home," reveals Neville, "and ever since then the hill was known as Bushrangers Hill."

"Most of the buildings from old Adaminaby were transported along Dry Plains Road and then [along] that dirt road now called Bushrangers Hill Road to the new town in 1956-57," explains Steve Brayshaw of the Adaminaby Store. While the threat of bushrangers was long gone, the trucks moving the town faced a new challenge - mud. And lots of it.

"Carrying such heavy loads, the trucks often got bogged up to their eyeballs," explains Steve.

Rating: Medium

Clue: Campus musings

How to enter: Email your guess along with your name and address to tym@iinet.net.au. The first correct email sent after 10am, Saturday 6 May wins a double pass to Dendy, the Home of Quality Cinema.

Last week: Congratulations to Karen Byrnes of Greenway who was first to identify last week's photo as the Captain's Treasure Op Shop in the St Luke's Anglican Church at the top end of Montgomery Street, Captains Flat. It's usually open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10am-1pm but check latest opening hours on their Facebook Page before visiting. Karen, who just beat June McKenzie of Fisher and Mary Coombe of Queanbeyan to the prize, reveals she regularly visited her grandparents Doreen and George McIntyre, who lived in Captains Flat when she was a child in the late 1960s.

"George worked in the mine and after retiring purchased the Atlantic Garage which was located on the vacant land currently for sale on Foxlow Street, opposite the swimming pool," reports Karen. "I love the history of the town and have many wonderful memories of my time spent there and still enjoy a drive out to the 'Flat'."

The stained-glass window featured in the photo was one of five designed, constructed and fitted by former local Alois Mikula in 2000-01 to mark the centenary of Australia's Federation. It is "the Australia Window" and its design interprets Australia from its early discovery to the celebration of the centenary of the Australian Constitution. According to church records, "at the base are stylised primordial elements believed to have formed the world: earth, fire, water, and air". Above these is the map of Australia. If you look closely, you might also see typical landmarks of the Australian outback including windmills, a homestead, and birds. "At the zenith is a representation of the Southern Cross, which is both a religious [some European voyagers in the late 15th century took it as a sign of divine blessing for their expeditions] and, of course, a national symbol. The church is still part of the Bungendore Anglican Parish, and although services are no longer held, it continues to serve the community, repurposed as an Op Shop & Community Food Hub.

CONTACT TIM: Email: tym@iinet.net.au or Twitter: @TimYowie or write c/- The Canberra Times, GPO Box 606, Civic, ACT, 2601

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