This is quite different in Australia where notaries public are appointed either by the State Supreme Court or by an Archbishop. Almost all of which of which are solicitors or barristers, sometimes retired from practice.

As an Australian, if your workplace has a legal department - make friends with someone there.

It can save you a huge headache when you need to do something like apply for a home loan, and need tonnes of notarised papers.

In the US the bank sends a notary free of charge with all your paperwork to sign. What a pain that you don't get this service!