The Bank of New Zealand (Former), located in a prominent position on the corner of Revell and Camp Streets in Hokitika, tells the story of the integral role that banks played in the town and is largely of 1931 construction but incorporates some elements of an earlier 1875 bank building on this site. The building represents a continuous stream of history back to when the agency set up their bank on this site in the 1860s to provide gold buying and assaying services.

The Bank of New Zealand established an agency in Hokitika in 1865 in response to the soaring gold production in the area. By the end of 1865 three banks were operating in Hokitika – the Union Bank, Bank of New South Wales and the Bank of New Zealand. Actual ownership of the corner site on Revell and Camp Streets was not granted to the Bank of New Zealand until 25 June 1869, though it had an elaborate two storeyed bank building on this site since 1866. This first building was destroyed by fire in 1873. A call for tenders to build a new bank were advertised by Christchurch architect, W A Armson, in April 1874 and by November of that year the West Coast Times reported that the new bank building was near completion. A plan of the site dated 1902 shows that the rectangular bank building had, on the ground floor, a public office, gold office, manager’s room, strong room, sitting room and lavatory, with living accommodation on the first floor. In 1930 plans for ‘new premises’ for the bank were drawn up by Wellington architects Crichton McKay & Haughton and appear to incorporate elements of the existing building, including the strong room.

The timber weatherboard building incorporates classical elements and has a tall plain metal parapet concealing the corrugated steel roof beyond. The main, front, part of the building is single storeyed while towards the rear it is two storeys. The main entrance, flanked by windows, is on the west elevation fronting Revell Street, and contains a portico with a pair of timber doors. Windows are sash and casement, the upper portion of some containing the original criss-cross window decoration as shown in the architectural drawings of 1930. Glazing on much of the fenestration retains the wording ‘Bank of New Zealand’. At the rear (east) is a small cluster of low structures, constructed largely of weatherboard timber.

Alterations and additions were carried out in the 1950s. This included the removal of pilasters on the exterior of the building, some alteration of the interior layout and the addition of a bicycle shed at the north-east corner. The two storeyed wing at the north-west part of the building is also likely to date from this period. In 1966 the property changed to private ownership. Its accommodation function remained and part was later converted to an art house cinema, though rising insurance costs meant that the cinema closed in 2012. The building remains in use as a private house.