News

After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to close our Edgeworth Branch (including the ATM) on 30 September 2025, which will be the last day of trading.    This decision was not made lightly given that we remain firmly committed to providing a physical branch network for our Members.    Why is the branch closing?  The Mutual Bank must ensure that our Members’ funds are used prudently and invested where the greatest value can be provided to our Members.  Given the Edgeworth Branch has only seen 20 Members visit in the past six months, it is no longer viable to continue its operations.  We intend to redeploy these funds into our physical branch network, including refurbishment of existing branches and assessing future locations for new branches and also continuing the uplift of our digital and virtual capabilities.  What will happen to the current staff?  We are pleased to inform you that no staff will lose their jobs because of this closure. All staff members will be redeployed to our other branches within the network, ensuring that their expertise and dedication continue to benefit our Members.  What about the Members who used the Edgeworth Branch?  We are committed to keeping our Members informed throughout this transition. Members who frequently use the Edgeworth Branch have been contacted personally.   Members are welcome to visit our Mayfield Branch and can check our website for the locations of other branches. We are keen to maintain our physical presence and are actively looking into opening another branch in the Hunter Region to better serve our Members.  We understand that this closure may cause inconvenience to some Members, and we sincerely apologise for any disruption this may cause.  We appreciate your understanding and continued support as we strive to provide the best possible service to our Members.   What is the future of The Mutual Bank’s branch network?  As a customer-owned bank, branches are an important part of our service delivery and our strategic approach of providing Members with a choice of channels to do their banking.  We are actively looking for better positioned locations in the Hunter to best serve our Member base.  The Mutual Bank is investing in our branch network with a refurbishment plan and have just completed our East Maitland Branch renovations.   

In a world of change, Lyn Maber has been banking with The Mutual Bank for almost 60 years - and 44 of those years at the East Maitland Branch. She helped The Mutual Bank CEO Mark Williams cut the ribbon on Tuesday 3 June 2025 to officially open our newly-renovated branch on George Street East Maitland. Mark said the bank’s vision was to create a modern and functional environment that customers would love, and teams would enjoy working in. “Our passion for service shines through every aspect of our business,” Mark said. “We are committed to providing exceptional personal service in our branches, and this newly renovated branch is a testament to that commitment. This contemporary, state-of-the-art facility brings a fresh, modern feel for our Members, and for our Branch Team.” Ms Maber said she loves her new-look branch and was happy to continue her long stint of banking locally. “I’ve been with The Mutual Bank since I was about 18, and I am nearly 77!” she proudly exclaimed. “It’s the service, the friendliness that keeps me coming back. “I have been a member since I was in my late teens and back then it was a branch in Church Street Maitland. “When the East Maitland Branch opened [in 1981] I started to come here, and I’ve always stuck with them as they've always looked after me. “Only recently I needed some help with my cards because of scammers, and the service I received was extra special.“ One of the exciting new features of the renovated branch is a special area dedicated to community organisations. “We believe in supporting our community, and this space is available for local charities, sporting organisations and fundraising groups to use during branch hours,” said Mark. “They can bring in posters, set up a laptop, and engage with people who visit the branch about their upcoming events or initiatives. This is our way of giving back and fostering a strong sense of community.” Mark praised the architects, ARCH, and builders Collaborative Construction Solutions for making the vision of a new branch a reality with a seamless project.“Their expertise and dedication have been instrumental in bringing this project to life," he said. “Most importantly, we thank our Members for their patience and continued support during the construction period and we hope they enjoy the new look and features of their branch.”

The Mutual Bank team trust all our Members are keeping safe during the current extreme weather in the Hunter Region and parts of New South Wales.  Chief Member Officer Matthew Dunnill said The Mutual Bank Team is here to help any Member who has been impacted by rain and flooding.  “Members experiencing financial hardship, or any other banking issue, can call our team on 1300 688 825, email us at info@themutual.com.au or visit your local branch,” he said.  "We have a Financial Hardship Request Form on our website which you can fill out and email back to us, and our team will be in touch to see how we may be able to assist you. “Members who have CGU insurance can call 13 24 80 or make a claim online at cgu.com.au/claims.”    The SES have recommended Live Traffic to keep you updated on road conditions and in particular road closures. It can be accessed here. The NSW SES, ABC Newcastle radio and the Port Stephens, Maitland and Cessnock Councils have regular updates on their websites and Facebook feeds.  The safety of our staff is paramount and some branches may be closed during lunch breaks.  Anyone who has experienced damage from the rain or has floodwater threatening their property, please call the State Emergency Service on 132 500. Call 000 in an emergency.

We are thrilled to announce that our East Maitland Branch has reopened after a major renovation! At The Mutual Bank, our passion for service shines through every aspect of our business. We are committed to providing exceptional personal service in our branches, and our newly renovated East Maitland Branch is a testament to that commitment. This contemporary, state-of-the-art facility brings a fresh, modern feel for you, our Members, and for our Branch Team. The East Maitland Branch, at 110 George Street East Maitland,  is the first to be redeveloped in our Branch of the Future program. This initiative aims to create a modern and functional environment that our Members enjoy visiting and our teams enjoy working in. The new design features improved navigation and functionality, ensuring a seamless banking experience. As a customer-owned bank, our profits go back into supporting our community and providing better products and services for our Members. Our goal is to give you the best banking experience possible. We believe in offering our Members a choice. While some Members prefer to deal with us in person, an increasing number of Members choose to self-service online. To support this, we successfully implemented a Digital Loan Origination Platform in 2024. We thank our Members for their patience and continued support during the construction period. Come and visit Promise and her team and experience the new look of our East Maitland Branch!

We are thrilled to announce the launch of our redesigned Mutual App, bringing you a fresh look and enhanced functionality to make your banking experience even better.  Thanks to valuable Member feedback, we've made changes to the navigation menu in our App, making it more user-friendly and intuitive. This includes:  A streamlined menu layout for easier access to key features.  Enhanced categorisation of services to help find what you need quickly.  Members can also now view and set their own daily transaction limits on payments. Previously, this required messaging or calling our team, but now you have the convenience and autonomy to manage your limits directly from the app.  You can update your limit from the standard $5,000 up to $20,000. If you wish to lower the limit again, you will need to manually update it back to $5,000. Multi-factor authentication is required to ensure the security of your transactions.  We are excited about these changes and our aim to bring you greater convenience and control over your banking experience. Stay tuned for more updates to Internet Banking and our website.  What do I need to do to get the new-look App?  If you have automatic updates set up on your device your existing Mutual App will automatically upgrade, otherwise you will need to update via the App Store or Google Play Store.  How do I change my daily transaction limits on Internet Banking?  Once logged in, go to the main Menu in the top of the home screen> Settings >Daily transaction Limits.  How do I change my daily transaction limits on the App?  Go to the main Menu in the top left of home screen> Settings>App security and banking limits>Daily transaction limits.  Need more help? Please call our friendly Contact Centre Team on 1300 688 825. You can learn more about the Mutual App here.

As faster and more secure payment options have become available, more Australians are choosing alternative payment services to cheques. With cheque use in rapid decline, the Australian Government has announced that the cheque system in Australia will wind down no later than 2030. The Australian banking industry is now planning for this phase-out, with some banks and many merchants already no longer accepting cheques as a form of payment. We understand that ongoing changes in the payments landscape can be challenging for some Members, and we want to ensure you are provided with sufficient notice and support to adjust to a world without cheques. As a result of these changes to the Australian cheque system, The Mutual Bank will phase out cheques by 31 December 2025. We will be in contact with impacted Members to explain the phasing-out timelines and provide support with switching to the many alternative payment services available. We are here to help you navigate through this transition – please talk to our friendly Contact Centre Team on 1300 688 825 if we can assist you. You can learn more about the timeline and read our Frequently Asked Questions here.