Hastings Rural Credit Union was registered in 1967 in the office of Hastings Cooperative in Wauchope on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales by the Hastings River. Hastings Cooperative began in 1916 and it continues to operate out of Wauchope employing 350 people in businesses such as supermarkets, liquor stores, cafes, car hire, rural supplies and more.
In 1973 the credit union moved into a dedicated office and it became Hastings Credit Union in 1977. Other milestones included the installation of an in-house computer for transactions in 1982 and new branches were opened in Taree and Wingham in the 80’s. The most significant development of the 1980's for Hastings CU was arguably the hiring of Neville Parsons as General Manager in 1988.
Mr Parsons oversaw many changes in his time as General Manager including opening new headquarters, new branches, the name change to Holiday Coast Credit Union in 1996 and accepting the engagements of Maitland Community Credit Union in 1999.
Mr Parsons told Australian Credit Unions Magazine in February 1995 that:
“At Hastings Credit Union, our role is to provide financial services with integrity ensuring that they meet the needs and expectations of our members in a caring and professional manner. To achieve this, we will ensure the right mix of committed human resources and technology while focussing on improving the financial well-being of our members and the broader community”.
An article called “In the Name of Change” in the February 1997 edition of Australian Credit Unions Magazine featured an interview with John Church, Director of John Church Advertising in Newcastle, who was hired to oversee the marketing around the change of name from Hastings Credit Union to Holiday Coast Credit Union.
Mr Church noted that, “The name, Holiday Coast, was strategically chosen by the General Manager of the credit union, Neville Parsons, to coincide with a recent government funded push to have the mid-north coast area of New South Wales known as the ‘Holiday Coast’ of Australia”.
Before all this, Australian Credit Unions Magazine reported on a fascinating development in the life of Hastings Credit Union in the August 1986 edition. Earlier that year a pensioner named the credit union as a beneficiary in their will. As the magazine noted, this could only happen to a credit union!
The deceased member left the following note with their solicitor:
“I am leaving the balance of my estate to Hastings Credit Union because I have no other family to leave my assets to. The credit union has been very helpful to me – I’ve never met such helpful people.”
The article ends on the following amusing note, “The irony of the entire episode is that witnesses to the will were from the State Bank – the member’s previous banker”.
Holiday Coast Credit Union today trades as Regional Australia Bank after a merger in 2019.
