SHOWCASE

The Old Bank Clock

The centrepiece of the Old Bank Arcade is an animated, musical clock.

The clock is suspended from the Banking Chamber ceiling. Every hour on the hour, the intricate clock opens to reveal animated scenes that relate to the history of the arcade site.

The Bank

In 1901 The Bank of New Zealand opened their Head Office in this magnificent building which was buit over the remains of Plimmer’s Ark on reclaimed land.

Once the building was no longer used as the Headquarters of The Bank of New Zealand, much of its grandeur was stripped away and it lay empty for many years. In the late 1990’s this near derelict building was restored by the company that restored the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney.

The Boat

The remains of an old three masted sailing vessel, Plimmers Ark, were unearthed during building renovations between 1997 and 1999.

The vessel had remained there since it was left high and dry after the earthquake of 1855.

Today the bow section can be seen under the floor in The Bank Vaults area.