Westpac is shutting down 48 branches and amalgamating others in the largest branch shut down by a major Australian bank.

Finance Sector Union national secretary Julia Angrisano accused the bank of deserting its customers and staff to shore up profit

The branch closures will affect 165 staff at Westpac, St George, BankSA and Bank of Melbourne branches across the country.

"This shutdown of so many branches will impact on a large number of staff, banking customers and businesses around Australia," Ms Angrisano said. "Westpac is deserting its customers and its staff by closing branches to shore up its profits."

"This shutdown of so many branches is of major concern to our members and will impact on a large number of staff, banking customers and businesses around Australia."

She said Westpac would claim the decision was driven by consumers moving to internet banking but that's not the case." "If these branches were making large profits for the bank they would not be closing," she said.

Westpac joins a growing number of major banks closing branches to cut costs and adapt to the growing number of people using online

She said the bank had notified the union and its branch staff of the closures.

Westpac has been contacted for comment.

More to come

QLD Westpac branches impacted:

Victoria Point QLD

Mackay North QLD

Other branches impacted:

BOM Carnegie VIC

WBC 242 Castlereagh St NSW

WBC Five Dock NSW

BSA North Adelaide SA

BOM Berwick VIC

BOM Bundoora VIC

BOM Burwood East VIC

BOM Forest Hill VIC

BOM Rowville VIC

WBC La Trobe University VIC

WBC Monash University VIC

WBC Mount Eliza VIC

STG Budgewoi NSW

WBC Avalon Beach NSW

BSA Churchill Centre SA

BOM Balwyn VIC

BOM Brunswick Barkly Square VIC

BOM Mentone VIC

BOM Oakleigh VIC

BOM St Kilda VIC

WBC Belmont VIC

WBC North Melbourne VIC

WBC Surry Hills NSW

BSA Magill SA

BOM Ferntree Gully VIC

BOM Hawthorn VIC

BOM Ivanhoe VIC

BOM Springvale VIC

BOM Toorak VIC

WBC Seaford Central VIC

WBC University Hill VIC

WBC Victoria Harbour VIC

WBC West Perth WA

STG Kippax Fair ACT

WBC Newington NSW

BOM Karingal Shopping Centre VIC

WBC Wanneroo WA

WBC Port Augusta SA

WBC Tanunda SA

STG Grafton NSW

WBC Lithgow NSW

WBC 114 William St VIC

WBC Murray Bridge SA

WBC Dubbo NSW

BOM Warrnambool VIC

BOM Mildura VIC

Originally published as Qld branches get axe amid sweeping Westpac closures