ANZ Group Holdings to Reopen Chinchilla Branch as Pressure Builds on Big Banks to Keep Regional Services
ANZ Group plans to bring back its Chinchilla branch in regional Queensland during the second half of 2026, marking an unusual step back into in-person banking for one of Australia's big lenders. The announcement lands just ahead of the permanent closure of the town’s Suncorp Bank agency, set for May 29. Timing is key here: regional banking’s become a flashpoint in Australia. Back in February 2025, Canberra reported that since 2017, 36% of regional bank branches had shut down. The government locked in a pledge with the major banks, pausing regional branch closures until July 31, 2027.