Corner of High and Highett Streets Mansfield. In 1877 the Bank of New South Wales purchased the block of land on the corner of High and Highett Streets for 278 pounds. The foundation stone was laid later that same year, and in 1879 the elegant bank chambers were erected at the cost of 2,788 pounds. The building continued to serve as bank for the next 120 years. At the time of this photograph, the Colonial Bank of Australia occupied the two-story bluestone building next door, built in 1873 by Mr Cahn after he purchased the 26 foot frontage site for 4 pounds per foot. Mr Cahn commissioned William Wardell, architect of St Patrick’s Cathedral Melbourne and St Mary’s Cathedral Sydney, to design the building, which included a shop and residence. To satisfy security requirements for banking operations, a vault was dug into the basement to secure the gold still filtering through the district.