Heritage Hotel, Rockhampton facts for kids
The Heritage Hotel is a historic building in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. It's located at 230 Quay Street, right by the Fitzroy River. A famous architect named John William Wilson designed it, and it was built in 1898 by John Kerslake Evans. It was once known as the Old Colonial Hotel and originally the Commercial Hotel. This grand building is so important that it was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.
Quick facts for kids Heritage Hotel |
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Heritage Hotel (formerly Commercial Hotel and Chambers), 2009
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| Location | 230 Quay Street, Rockhampton, Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s - 1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1898 |
| Architect | John William Wilson |
| Official name: Commercial Hotel and Chambers (former) | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600810 |
| Significant period | 1890s (fabric) 1898-ongoing (historical use) |
| Significant components | roof deck/terrace/promenade |
| Builders | John Kerslake Evans |
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A Look Back: The Hotel's History
The Heritage Hotel, first called the Commercial Hotel and Chambers, was built in 1898. It was commissioned by Leah Johnson, a well-known hotel owner in Rockhampton. The building cost about £6,500 to construct. It was designed by John William Wilson, a famous architect from Rockhampton.
Why Quay Street Was Important
The hotel stands right across from the wharves on the Fitzroy River. In the late 1800s, this area was the main business hub of Rockhampton. The wharves brought a lot of trade and activity. This made Quay Street a very important place for new and impressive buildings.
Rockhampton became a major city in central Queensland after gold was found nearby in 1868. The city handled many products from the surrounding areas, like farm goods and minerals. The Commercial Hotel was a sign of the strong business growth happening on Quay Street during this time.
The Gold Rush and City Growth
A huge amount of wealth came into Rockhampton from the Mount Morgan Gold Mine, discovered in 1882. This was one of the richest gold mines in the world. Its success made Rockhampton's main business area on Quay Street very grand and stylish.
During this period, there was also a movement to make Rockhampton the capital of a separate northern state. Building fancy places like the Commercial Hotel showed how Rockhampton competed with Brisbane, the state capital. These buildings were seen as a boost for the idea of separation.
The Original Owner: Leah Johnson
Leah Johnson, who owned the hotel, was a famous hostess in Rockhampton's hotel scene. She arrived in Rockhampton in 1871. She had run several other hotels before starting the Commercial Hotel. The spot for the hotel was perfect, at the corner of William and Quay Streets. A hotel had been there since 1859. Leah Johnson bought the land in 1890, and construction of the new hotel began in May 1898.
Hotel Features and Opening
The new Commercial Hotel opened on 2 November 1898. It had forty-six bedrooms. All the rooms either faced a verandah overlooking the street or an inner courtyard. The hotel showed how self-sufficient Rockhampton was, even compared to Brisbane.
John William Wilson, the architect, designed over 200 buildings in central Queensland between 1870 and 1915. Many of his designs were in the historic Quay Street area. The beautiful iron lace on the hotel's verandahs was made by a local company called Burns and Twigg. This company was very important for engineering services in central and north-west Queensland.
The hotel also had fine cedar doors and window frames made by a local joinery firm. The furniture and other items were bought from local businesses. The kitchen even had a range made by Burns and Twigg.
The Commercial Hotel was designed for business travelers. It had six "sample rooms" on the ground floor where travelers could show their goods. There was also a large bar, a parlor, sitting rooms, and dining rooms. For meetings, the second floor had a clubroom connected to the bar by a speaking tube and a lift. A newspaper article from when the hotel opened mentioned a "promenade flat" on the roof. This area offered amazing views of Rockhampton.
Later Years and Reopening
After Leah Johnson passed away in 1923, the hotel continued to operate under different owners. In the 1970s, it became known as the Old Colonial Hotel. Later, parts of the hotel were updated, and it was renamed the Heritage Hotel.
The hotel closed in March 2015 due to business difficulties, including drought and a downturn in the coal industry. It was sold in November 2015. However, the hotel was renovated in 2016-2017 under new owners and reopened in June 2017.
What the Hotel Looks Like
The Heritage Hotel is a striking three-storey brick building. It's a great example of commercial architecture from the late 1800s. It stands out on the corner of Quay and William Streets in Rockhampton's city center. Quay Street, which faces the Fitzroy River, is known for its historical importance. Many other historic buildings are nearby, like the former Cahill Stores.
Verandahs and Details
The top two floors of the hotel have verandahs with fancy cast-iron decorations. These verandahs line up with the street walls below. The Quay Street side is about 20 meters long, and the William Street side is about 40 meters long.
The footpaths on Quay and William Streets are covered by a curved canopy. This canopy is supported by square timber posts with carved wooden brackets. The ground floor has modern glass windows with ceramic tiles and rendered walls. The roofs of the main building and the canopy are made of corrugated iron.
The parts of the building facing Quay Lane and the next property show painted bricks. The top of the building facing Quay and William Streets has a decorative wall called a parapet, made with cement render. At the main corner, a raised parapet piece with a triangular top (a pediment) says "Commercial Hotel." The parapets also have open, circle-patterned railings.
Behind the parapet, there's still a rooftop promenade. This area offers a wonderful view of Rockhampton and the surrounding countryside.
Inside the Hotel
The cast-iron decorations on the verandahs are attached to a frame of timber posts and beams. There are double posts at the corner of the building. Single railings, decorative panels (frieze), and fringe panels fit between the posts. The verandah floors seem to be made of concrete.
The ground floor of the hotel has the bar, dining areas, and other entertainment spaces. The upper two floors are for guest rooms. You can reach the upper floors from William Street by a staircase with polished timber railings. The public bar is still located at the corner of the building on the ground floor. In 2003, the hotel had 24 rooms with shared modern facilities. The long hallways leading to the rooms have wooden boards on the ceiling and walls.
Why the Hotel is Important
The Heritage Hotel is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because it meets several important criteria.
Showing Queensland's History
The hotel helps us understand Queensland's history. It shows how much confidence Rockhampton had in its future in the late 1800s. The quality and luxury of the hotel's services proved that Rockhampton was an important city, both financially and regionally. This was a key point in the movement to make Rockhampton the capital of a separate state at that time. The building's high quality, built by local companies using local materials, showed that Rockhampton could create impressive structures, not just Brisbane.
A Great Example of a Historic Hotel
The Heritage Hotel is a perfect example of a late 19th-century hotel. It's on a prominent corner, built strongly with brick, and features bars on the ground floor with guest rooms and verandahs above. The detailed ironwork on the verandahs is still mostly the same today. This makes the building a notable example of how iron decorations were used in hotel architecture.
Its Beautiful Design
Besides its historical importance, the hotel also has great aesthetic significance. This means it's a beautiful building. It adds to the overall beauty and historical feel of the entire Quay Street area.
Connected to Important People
The Heritage Hotel has a special connection to two important people from Rockhampton's history. One is Leah Johnson, who had the hotel built in the late 1890s. The other is John W. Wilson, the architect who designed it. Wilson was a very busy architect who designed over 200 buildings in central Queensland over 35 years.
