Einasleigh Hotel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Einasleigh Hotel |
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Einasleigh Hotel, 2003
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| Location | Daintree Street, Einasleigh, Shire of Etheridge, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1900–1914 (early 20th century) |
| Built | 1908–1909 |
| Official name: Einasleigh Hotel, Central Hotel | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 6 February 2006 |
| Reference no. | 602331 |
| Significant period | 1900s (fabric) 1909- ongoing (historical use) |
| Significant components | shed/s, stables, kitchen/kitchen house, tree |
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The Einasleigh Hotel is a very old hotel in Einasleigh, Australia. It was built a long time ago, between 1908 and 1909. This hotel is special because it's listed on the Queensland Heritage Register. This means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected. For many years, it was known as the Central Hotel.
Contents
A Look Back: How Einasleigh Began
The Einasleigh Hotel is the only one left from five hotels that were open in Einasleigh around 1910. Einasleigh was a busy town because of copper mining.
Finding Copper in Einasleigh
People started farming in the Einasleigh area in the early 1860s. Soon after, copper was found there. A man named Richard Daintree and his partner William Hann started a copper mine. They dug up copper and sent it to Townsville. But it cost too much to transport the copper, so they stopped mining. For a while, people even forgot where the mine was!
The Town Grows with Mining
In the 1890s, there was a new interest in copper. More mines started in the Einasleigh River area. A town called Copperfield grew up to support these mines. In 1900, this town was officially named Einasleigh. By then, it already had two hotels, a store, and other shops.
The Railway Arrives
Around 1900, a big mining company became interested in the Einasleigh Copper Mine. This mine became very important for producing metals like copper, gold, and silver.
The company also built the Etheridge railway line. This railway connected Einasleigh to other towns. Before the railway, copper had to be carried by camel train! The railway made it much easier to move ore and supplies. It reached Einasleigh in 1909. Because of the mine and the railway, Einasleigh became a very busy and successful town for a short time. It was the biggest town in the Shire of Etheridge between 1907 and 1910.
Boom Times and Changes
In 1908, about 50 miners worked at the Einasleigh Copper Mine. By 1909, there were 105 workers! Trains carried copper ore from Einasleigh to smelters six days a week. Many people also worked to supply wood for the mine and keep the trains running.
However, these busy times didn't last long. The First World War (1914–1918) made it hard to sell minerals overseas. Many mines, including the one in Einasleigh, had to close. The town became much quieter. By the 1920s, Einasleigh was almost a ghost town. The mine reopened briefly but closed again in 1922.
Even though mining slowed down, the railway remained important. It carried livestock and provided services for the small communities along its route. Today, part of this railway is used for a tourist train called the Savannahlander.
The Central Hotel's Story
The Central Hotel, now the Einasleigh Hotel, was built when Einasleigh was at its busiest. In 1907, a woman named Rose Mary Gard applied for the land where the hotel now stands. The hotel was built between August 1908 and June 1909. Soon after, parties were held there.
By 1910, Einasleigh had five hotels. But over time, many closed down. By 1932, the Central Hotel was the only one left in Einasleigh.
The hotel changed owners several times over the years. It also changed inside. For example, in 1914, it had 12 bedrooms for guests upstairs. Downstairs, there were rooms for staff and public sitting rooms. Over the years, some rooms were changed. A new kitchen was built in the 1960s. The bar area also changed over time.
A Hotel's Important Role
In 1994, the Central Hotel became famous for a special reason. The government wanted to close the railway line from Cairns to Forsayth. This railway was very important for Einasleigh, especially during the wet season when roads were cut off.
The people of Einasleigh, about 40 of them, decided to protest. They blocked the railway at Einasleigh for four days in December 1994. They even hosted the train passengers and crew at the hotel! The plan to block the train was made in the pub. The hotel provided food and a place to stay for everyone stuck in town.
The government still wanted to close the railway. So, in January 1995, about 130 people from Einasleigh met with politicians on the hotel's verandah. This protest was a very important event for the town.
The Central Hotel survived two fires and is still open today as the Einasleigh Hotel. It's been updated over the years. For example, some upstairs bedrooms became bathrooms. The hotel is still a very important place for the community. It serves people from nearby areas and is a social hub. It even hosts the annual rodeo and other events!
What Does the Einasleigh Hotel Look Like?
The Einasleigh Hotel is the main building in Einasleigh. It's the only two-storey building and stands out. It faces east and looks over the Einasleigh Gorge.
The hotel is made of timber and has a hipped roof covered with corrugated iron. The roof also covers the front and back verandahs (porches). There are also some smaller parts added to the sides and back.
The walls on the verandahs are made of single layers of horizontal timber boards. The sides of the hotel are covered with ripple iron. Both the front and back upstairs verandahs have simple timber railings. The front upper verandah's railing is new and made of metal. The lower front verandah has a decorative metal edge with "EINASLEIGH HOTEL" painted on it. The back upstairs verandah has panels that can open for air.
Inside, on the ground floor, there's a dining room and a bar. A hallway with stairs goes upstairs. You can still see signs of two fires above the bar. The games room has new timber from an old dance hall that collapsed. The walls inside are made of different types of timber boards or fibrous cement.
Upstairs, the hotel still looks a lot like it used to. The walls are made of timber boards. There are ten bedrooms, and each one has French doors that open onto the verandahs. Above each door is a decorative timber panel for air. Two of the original 12 bedrooms have been turned into bathrooms.
Behind the hotel, there's a separate kitchen building with a concrete floor. It's connected to the hotel by a small roof.
In the back yard, there are other buildings like a covered breakfast area, a laundry, and a toilet block. There's also a big fig tree. Some of the sheds and buildings in the back yard are new and not part of the original historical hotel. These include the toilet block, breakfast area, laundry, some sheds, and any caravans.
Why is the Einasleigh Hotel Special?
The Einasleigh Hotel is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because it's important for several reasons:
A Glimpse into Queensland's Past
The hotel shows us how Queensland's history unfolded. It was built during a busy time when copper mining was booming in Einasleigh. It helps us understand how mining led to the growth of towns and businesses. It's the last old hotel left in the mining towns of the Etheridge Goldfield. It has become the main social spot for the Einasleigh area. It was also a key place during the railway protest in 1994.
A Great Example of an Old Hotel
The hotel is a good example of what a two-storey timber and iron hotel from the early 1900s looked like. It has guest bedrooms upstairs, verandahs, a separate kitchen, and other old buildings. It shows us how people lived in rural Queensland a long time ago.
A Beautiful Landmark
The Einasleigh Hotel is the biggest and most noticeable building in the small town of Einasleigh. It helps define the town and is a landmark that people recognize.
Important to the Community
The Einasleigh Hotel is very important to the local community. It's the only hotel for people living in Einasleigh and nearby areas. It's where many social events happen, like the annual rodeo and meetings for sports clubs. It's truly the heart of the community.
