Note Printing Branch
Australian Note Printing Branch · Commonwealth Note Printing Branch · Note Printing Australia
1913 – 1 July 1998
The Commonwealth banknote printing works in Melbourne. It printed Australia's banknotes from the first purpose-designed Commonwealth notes of 1913, printed postage stamps for many years, and from 1988 produced Australia's polymer banknotes.
How it came into existence
Set up within the Treasury in 1913 at works in Melbourne to print the Australian notes issued by the Commonwealth under the Australian Notes Act 1910.
- Printing of Australian notes
Changes during its life
- 1920Note printing came under the Notes Board, which took control of the note issue from the Treasury under the Commonwealth Bank Act 1920, and from 1924 under the Commonwealth Bank. The exact year the branch became part of the Bank is not confirmed.
- 14 January 1960Continued as a branch of the Reserve Bank of Australia when the Commonwealth Bank's central banking body was renamed the Reserve Bank.
- 1981Moved from its inner Melbourne works to a new printing plant at Craigieburn, Victoria.
- 1988Printed Australia's first polymer banknote, the $10 note issued for the Bicentenary.
- 1990Began trading as Note Printing Australia.
How it ended
Replaced on 1 July 1998 by Note Printing Australia Limited, a wholly owned Reserve Bank subsidiary company incorporated to take over the branch's business.
- Banknote printing
Main functions
- Printing of Australian banknotes
- Printing of postage stamps (for many years)
- Production of polymer banknotes, including for other countries
Where it sits
Last in the portfolio of Department of the Treasury.
Lineage
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Sources
Some dates or links for this organisation are not fully confirmed. Corrections are welcome.