The Embassy Conference Centre, now known as the Oceania Peace Embassy, was originally built as the first branch of the Bank of New South Wales, which was the first financial institution in Australia established in 1817. The site at 826 George Street was purchased in 1860. In 1915 a Gold smelting and Assaying Department was established at what was called the Railway Square branch, which provided the best facilities at the time for the treatment of gold coming from the mines in Eastern Australia and even New Guinea. Significantly, the architect of the bank was Varney Parkes, the son of Sir Henry Parkes, who was called the "Father of Federation" because he was the one who started federation for Australians and is considered the most prominent among the Australian Founding Fathers. The bank on George Street was considered one of Parkes' most distinctive and unusual works. It is strongly articulated with arched window openings, highly decorative capitals and elaborately carved friezes. The exuberent design of the facade is an architectural style reflecting the boom period of the mid 1800's.
