About BCU

Historical Events

Historical Credit Union Events

1970 Nambucca BGF Members Credit Union formedFirst registered office of Credit Union was secretary's home, Grays Crossing, Taylor's Arm.
1971 Membership increased to 58.

Assets as at 30th June were $6809.00.Credit Union operated one half day per week in Macksville BGF Manager's office.

1972 Second Annual General Meeting decided 'The name of the Credit Union should be Coffs Harbour, Nambucca BGF Members Credit Union'.

Service provided to members from BGF store in Coffs Harbour.

1974 First full time office opened in Park Avenue Coffs Harbour.Office opened in Dorrigo one day per week.

Fifth Annual General Meeting motion moved and carried unanimously 'The name of the Credit Union shall be Bananacoast Community Credit Union Ltd.'

1976 Building in Dorrigo purchased and office opened full time.Block of land purchased in Macksville.
1977   Your Credit Union became a million-dollar Credit Union.Assets as at 30th June $1,226,499.00.
1979 Macksville building erected and occupied by both branch service and administration.

This marked the end of the Credit Union's close association with the BGF.

1980 Coffs Harbour office transferred to Grafton Street, Coffs Harbour.
1981 First agency established at Urunga.
1982 Credit Union became computerised.

Approach $5 Million in assets.

1983 Bellingen and Nambucca Heads agencies established.

Sawtell agency established.

1984 Building purchased in Woolgoolga and branch opened.
1985 Agency at Bowraville established.

The Credit Union merged with Mid North Coast Credit Union.

1987 Urunga converted to a branch.
1988 Scotts Head agency opened.

Bellingen agency converted to a branch.

Macksville branch and Administration separated.

Credit Union Arcade in Nambucca Heads purchased and the branch came into existence.

Toormina branch became operational.

1989 Land purchased in Bowraville, building erected at Bowraville.
1990 New branch building at Bellingen opened.
1991 Northside Branch established.
1993 Macksville Branch relocated to Wallace Street.

Head Office remains in the Cooper Street building.Coramba agency converted to a branch.

1994 Grafton branch opened.
1995 Coramba Branch building purchased.

5 ATM's installed:Grafton, Coffs Harbour, Woolgoolga, Bellingen, Toormina.

1996 ATM's installed at Nambucca Heads and Macksville.

Account Access Telephone system operational.Mr NJ Spear retired as General Manager.

Mr Ray Battle appointed Chief Executive Officer.

1997 Northside Branch relocated to new building.

Strategic Planning and new policies developed.

Cuecard accepted internationally through Cirrus and Maestro networks.

1998 New ATM installed at Northside Branch.

Second ATM installed at Coffs Harbour.

1999 Coffs Harbour Branch refurbished.

Electronic Teller Cash Dispensers installed at Coffs Harbour, Toormina and Northside.

2000 Port Macquarie Branch opened and ATM installed. Grafton Branch relocated to Prince Street.
2001 Four additional ATMs installed: Urunga, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour Jetty Shopping Village and Bailey Centre.

BPAY and IBank Online Banking introduced.

2002 ATM installed at Coffs Harbour Health Campus.

Ballina Branch opened and ATM installed.

Board declared Scrip Dividend payable to members.

Founding members and original Directors gathered at the Pub With No Beer, Taylors Arm, to record an oral history of the formation of the Credit Union.

Ballina branch opens

2003

Credit Union’s Coramba Branch sold and lease back contract instigated.

New branch opened at South Tweed Heads.

2004

Woolgoolga Branch celebrated 20 years of service to the community.

BCU wins two awards in Money magazine’s Best of the Best Annual Awards for 2004.  Best Transaction Account – Electronic User; and Best Transaction Account – Combination User.

New Toormina branch opens.

2005

BCU Bill Ussher Agricultural Scholarship approved by the Board.

Lismore branch opens

Board votes to merge with Big River Credit Union.

New ATMs installed at Boambee Central Shopping Centre and at the Coffs Harbour Airport Terminal

2006

Bundall Branch opens

Illuka branch upgrade approved.

Sth Grafton branch opened.

ATM at Bundall installed

2007

BCU/Titans partnership announced.

BCU Classic and Bonus Rewarder Visa credit cards launched

BCU Direct Membership launched.

BCU Titans Community Saver Accounts launched

Community leave approved for BCU staff

$675,000 in fees and charges returned to members in the first 12 months of BCU’s loyalty rebate program.

Colour screens introduced to ATMs across the branch network.

2008

August CFO Lyndon Kingston appointed.

BCU awarded another CANNEX five-star rating in May 2008

Security tokens introduced

BCU becomes the first Australian financial institution to offer Trustdefender Internet protection software to iBANK users.

Lyndon Kingston appointed to the position of Chief Executive.

New branches open in Beaudesert and Murwillumbah.

2009

BCU’s new Vision and Values launched.

ATM Direct Charging introduced

CFO Byron Fuller appointed

BCU gives $24,000 to community groups through Community Saver Accounts.