Australia and New Zealand Banking Group

19th century

The Bank of Australasia was founded in London in 1835. Its first branch was opened in Sydney on 14 December 1835. It combined with the Cornwall Bank, which was formed in Launceston, Van Diemens Land in 1828. In 1837, Union Bank of Australia was established in London by a group of people including banker George Fife Angas. The English, Scottish & Australian Bank (ES&A) was established in London in 1852, and opened its first Australian branch in Sydney in 1853. The ES&A bank took over the Commercial Bank of Tasmania and the London Bank of Australia in 1921 and the Royal Bank of Australia in 1927.

20th century

In 1951, the Bank of Australasia merged with Union Bank of Australia to form the Australia and New Zealand Bank (ANZ Bank). In 1963, the first computer systems established in new data processing centre in Melbourne. In 1966, ANZ began operations in Honiara, Solomon Islands. In 1968, ANZ opened an office in New York, US. In 1969, ANZ established a representative office in Tokyo, Japan.

On 1 October 1970, ANZ merged with the English, Scottish & Australian Bank to form the present organisation, Australia & New Zealand Banking Group. That same year, the bank began operating in Vanuatu. In 1976, ANZ (PNG) was established. In 1977, ANZ transferred its incorporation from the UK to Australia. In 1979, ANZ acquired the Bank of Adelaide.

In 1980, the Singapore and New York representative offices upgraded to branch status. In 1984, ANZ purchased Grindlays Bank. In 1985, ANZ acquired Barclays' operations in Fiji and Vanuatu. That same year, the bank received a full commercial banking licence and opened a branch in Frankfurt, Germany, and announced ANZ Singapore. In 1988, ANZ opened branches in Rarotonga, Cook Islands and Paris, France. In 1989, ANZ purchased PostBank from New Zealand Government.