Discover the magic of Mary Poppins at The Story Bank

TO VISIT the Story Bank in Maryborough, Qld, is like discovering a secret realm steeped in magic, mystery, and nostalgia.

Here you’ll find a unique selection of stories unlike anywhere else—the story of Mary Poppins being the most enchanting among them.

The characters, stirring messages, and timeless themes woven throughout the Mary Poppins books and movies have captivated families for generations.

Whether you’ve visited The Story Bank before or are just now hearing about it for the first time, one thing is certain: You won’t forget what you discover there!

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A statue of the famous nanny Mary Poppins stands outside The Story Bank in Maryborough, Queensland.

Step inside The Story Bank

The Mary Poppins tale began at the former Australian Joint Stock Bank on the corner of Richmond and Kent Richmond streets in Maryborough, Qld.

This heritage-listed building is where Helen Lyndon Goff was born; better known to us as P.L. Travers, author of the classic Mary Poppins storybooks.

Fraser Coast Regional Council bought and restored the heritage-listed building to create The Story Bank, which showcases the story of P.L. Travers’ life, her family, and the influences on her writings.

Today, you can step inside The Story Bank for a world that invites you to take part in stories, trade tales over tea, or spin yarns fit only for legends.

An enchanting experience is sure to captivate anyone who enters its doors.

Visitors to The Story Bank can interact with displays of P.L. Travers’ life and her magical Mary Poppins stories, as well as:

View images and documents from the P.L. Travers estate,
Delve into the Cabinet of Curiosities and the Library of Inspiration,
Open an account and discover the art of storytelling by depositing your creations.
Share in stories crafted by Artisans of Story Telling in the Theatrette and Gallery, and,
Find unique gifts and books in the retail cottage.

The Story Bank - two men and two statues of children

Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour (back) and Councillor Paul Truscott unveil the statue of Mary Poppins children Jane and Michael Banks in 2018.

Visitors flood into The Story Bank in 2022

Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour said COVID restrictions and floods were not enough to keep visitors away from The Story Bank in 2022, with over 15,000

The Story Bank - man and statue of the bird lady

Artist Willie Paes sits with a statue of the Bird Woman in front of the mural of St Paul’s Cathedral that he painted.

people going through the interactive museum.

“Visitor numbers were down at the start of 2022 when Maryborough experienced multiple floods, but numbers rebounded in the latter half of the year with over 2000 visitors in July – the most visitors in a single month since The Story Bank opened.

“Each year, visitor numbers have grown from just over 11,000 in 2019 to 15,236 visitors in 2022.

“Most of the visitors, at least 80%, come from outside the region.

“The figures not only point to the facility’s popularity, but also reinforce our belief that the Story Bank would attract people to the region, especially the Maryborough CBD.

“There is no doubt that visitors to The Story Bank contribute significantly to tourism and the local economy.”

During 2022, The Story Bank also hosted 15 school groups with 677 students and 20 special interest groups with 319 attendees.

New programs to further boost visitor numbers

Cr Seymour said new programs would be introduced in 2023 to boost visitor numbers even more.

“The Story Bank staff are constantly innovating and introducing initiatives – such as Story Time for preschool-aged children, Lawn Games in the garden during school holidays and Yarning Circle activities – to attract visitors,” he said.

“The Story Bank team has also worked hard aligning educational programs with curriculum content to better support our region’s educators.

“There is a focus on small group activities and play-based learning so that students have an engaging and enjoyable visit whilst still taking on board key concepts about storytelling.”

Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymoure at The Story Bank, Maryborough, Queensland. PHOTO: Fraser Coast Regional Council.

The $1.5 million project to restore the former Australian Joint Stock Bank in Maryborough, Qld, to create The Story Bank was undertaken with $395,000 funding from the Queensland Government and $395,000 funding from the Australian Government.