the first bank was opened in queanbeyan on 19 september, 1859. this was the commercial banking company of sydney limited which is now part of the national australia bank. "the golden age" now called "the queanbeyan age" was queanbeyan's first newspaper started in 1860 by john gale. in 1880 john james wright, the first mayor of queanbeyan, built a house on the banks of the queanbeyan river. in 1982 house became the queanbeyan art centre.