Warkworth's slow start

The town of Warkworth itself is now more than 150 years old. However, for many years it lacked sufficient connection with the outside world to enable the surrounding district to be more closely settled, and the town itself to make progress.

The sale of land in the township in 1854 was advertised by the auctioneer in an Auckland newspaper as “The Beautiful and Pet District of Mahurangi. This fertile and majestically timbered land, its general agricultural and grazing capabilities, its sweetly meandering river, its numerous respectable settlers. This township is situated at the head of the Mahurangi River, and has now been called ‘Warkworth’”.

BNZ first opened at Warkworth in March 1914, as an agency of Auckland office. It was visited once a week.

Staff shortages during WW1 were a barrier to further growth. In fact, the agency was closed soon after it's initial opening in November 1915. It re-opened in February 1916 and was eventually upgraded to a branch on October 1st, 1919. The first Branch Manager of Warkworth was Mr A E T Pickering.