The Reserve Bank and Reform of the Currency: 1960–1988

A New Note Printing Factory

The $100 note was the first new note printed at the RBA's new printing works at Craigieburn in outer Melbourne.

The note printing function was relocated to Craigieburn from Fitzroy in late 1981.

The Fitzroy site had been in operation since 1924 when the Commonwealth Bank was given responsibility for Australia's currency notes.

Planning for a new factory began in the early 1970s when it became apparent that capacity at the existing printing works at Fitzroy was inadequate.

A new facility was required to cope with the likely growth, and evolving technical requirements, of our currency notes.

The Craigieburn site of 26 hectares was landscaped with a special area featuring the flora illustrated on the first $5 decimal note, including an example from the banksia family, named after Sir Joseph Banks.