Wallan’s new landmark building NorCen House officially opens for business

“NorCen House is a fantastic community asset that will serve not only as the new home to Wallan & District Community Bank, but as a business, education and community hub for many years into the future.

"This fantastic new development is testament to the vision of the NorCen Financial Services Ltd Board and aligns directly with the Bank’s purpose to feed into prosperity, not off it. I congratulate the Board on building this exciting development for the Wallan community”, Ms Baker said.

“Our Community Bank branches make enormous contributions right across Australia and have so far returned more than $230 million in profits to local communities.

"The Wallan, Kilmore and Broadford Community Banks have contributed significantly to this total by returning more than $3.1 million to strengthen and support local communities, funding several significant projects and providing many grants to sporting clubs and others across the district. NorCen House provides a wonderful new home to further grow and add further value to the local community,” concluded Ms Baker.

NorCen Financial Services Ltd Chairman, David Wheeler said "After operating for 12 years in Wallan, this is a pinnacle project for the Community Bank and a great move into its own outstanding premises. The branch has incorporated a range of features including a wall made from the original hand-made bricks recovered from the site of the former building that served as the original general store.

"A brass outline of the former façade of the building is featured in the new blue stone courtyard and the original Australian Cedar shelving has been restored and is now displayed within the branch. Our new building has been a major project with a lengthy timeline and extensive planning and development by our Community Bank Board of Directors.   

"Our Board, Management and Staff are very proud to have delivered this outstanding building for Wallan, which incorporates the new Wallan & District Community Bank Branch” concluded Mr Wheeler. 

NorCen Financial Services Director Terry Dobson, who led the project, said the building has several environmentally sustainable features and is built to the highest standard for a commercial building within Mitchell Shire.

“The steel roof contains a 25kw solar system and there is solar flow and return hot water. The site also incorporates three phase fast-charge points for electric vehicles and rainwater collected from the roof is filtered into a 50,000-litre tank and used for toilet flushing and external garden use,” said Dobson

"The external glass walls and double-laminated comfort glass and colouring were made by special order to comply with the energy rating required. The concrete walls have been designed with an airspace and compressed fire rated foam, which acts like a cool room to regulate the temperature within the building.

“We are delighted to have had people working on this project who live and work locally and indeed, from right across the globe and we are incredibly proud to have delivered this project within the one-year building period we allowed for.”

“We welcome everyone in the community and invite them to come and see our new building and to visit our new Wallan Community Bank Branch. Other facilities at the site include the new GOTAFE and LaTrobe Wallan Campus and the office of the Federal Member for McEwen, Mr Rob Mitchell, which officially opens on 11 March with a further celebration here at NorCen House”, Mr Dobson concluded.