Royal Hotel, Maryborough facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Royal Hotel, Maryborough |
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Royal Hotel, 2008
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| Location | Kent Street, Maryborough, Fraser Coast Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s–1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1892–1930s |
| Architect | Eaton & Bates |
| Architectural style(s) | Classicism |
| Official name: Royal Hotel | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600700 |
| Significant period | 1890s, 1900s, 1930s (fabric) 1902-ongoing (historical use as hotel) |
| Significant components | loggia/s, shop/s |
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The Royal Hotel is a historic building in Maryborough, Australia. It's located on the corner of Kent Street and Bazaar Street. This grand hotel was designed by architects Eaton & Bates and built between 1892 and the 1930s. It's an important part of Queensland's history and is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.
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A Look Back at the Royal Hotel
The Royal Hotel you see today is a large brick building. It was built in 1902. The design came from Eaton and Bates, famous architects from Rockhampton. This impressive hotel was built for Richard Hyne, a local pioneer. He helped start many businesses and community projects in Maryborough.
Maryborough's Early Days
The first town of Maryborough wasn't where it is now. It was originally on the north side of the Mary River. Wharves were built there in 1847–1848. These wharves helped transport wool from sheep farms. In 1852, the town slowly moved to its current spot. This new location was better for ships. Maryborough grew quickly. By 1861, it became an official town.
The First Hotel on the Site
One of the first settlers, Mr. ET Aldridge, opened a hotel in 1848. It was first called the Victoria, then the Bush Inn. When the town moved, Aldridge moved his hotel too. In 1856, the hotel reopened on Kent Street. This is the same spot where the Royal Hotel stands today. It was a big, two-story wooden building.
Growth and Changes in the 1870s
Maryborough became very busy in the 1860s. This was because of gold discoveries in Gympie. Maryborough was the main port for the gold. In 1870, a wooden balcony was added to the Bush Inn. Soon after, the hotel became known as the Royal Hotel. In 1873, Richard Hyne took over the hotel's license.
Richard Hyne's Vision
Richard Hyne had run a hotel in Gympie before coming to Maryborough. He realized Maryborough would become a major center. So, he moved there and quickly got involved with the Royal Hotel. Hyne wanted Maryborough to be a respected town. He worked to improve health, education, and recreation. He even became mayor in 1878.
Hyne bought the Royal Hotel soon after leasing it. He worked hard to make it better. He added bathrooms and replaced the wooden balcony railings with cast iron. In 1878, he planted several Bunya Pines in the driveway. The original Royal Hotel wasn't right on the corner. So, in 1892–1893, Hyne built a new two-story brick building on the corner. This building was designed by local architect William Devon. It was first a shop for Hanleys, a drapery store. Later, it became part of the new Royal Hotel.
A Grand New Hotel
As Maryborough continued to grow, the Royal Hotel became the most important hotel. Many big town events were held there. By 1900, people wanted to make the hotel more modern. Richard Hyne received suggestions for a new design. Ideas included a corner bar, sitting rooms, and a grand entrance. They also suggested adding shops and rooms for 40 guests upstairs.
So, they decided to rebuild the Royal Hotel. A competition was held for Queensland architects. Eight designs were submitted, and Eaton and Bates were chosen. The design competition asked for features like the famous Oriental Hotel in Colombo and Shepheard's Hotel in Cairo. While not as fancy, the final design did have some "eastern" touches. These included open entrances, first-floor balconies, and tiled stair halls.
When the new Royal Hotel was finished, it was called one of the best hotels north of Sydney. It was also said to be the most complete in Australia. It included the corner building and stretched along Kent Street. The main entrance was on Kent Street. Inside, there was a large entrance hall with wide archways. Beyond that was a fancy stair hall.
The hotel had a big dining room that was two stories tall. It had a gallery around the first floor and a high ceiling. On the ground floor, there was also a large billiard room and a bar area. The bar had a public bar, two small rooms, and two private bars. All could be served from the same counter. Upstairs, there were many rooms for guests. Those facing Kent Street opened onto a long arched balcony. Shops were also located on the ground floor along Kent Street. Richard Hyne passed away on July 5, 1902, before the hotel was fully completed.
Updates in the 1930s
Many parts of the hotel were updated in the 1930s. The lounge was redone in 1932. Local architect POE Hawkes oversaw the work. A new wooden floor and wall panels were added. The ceiling was covered with fibrous cement. Beautiful parquetry flooring was made from local timbers. These included mountain ash, red gum, and iron bark. In 1934, plans were made for a new cantilevered awning over the front of the hotel. This awning was added in 1939, when the shop fronts were also modernized. Local workers were hired for this project.
The Hyne family owned the hotel until 1960. Then, it was sold to another Maryborough family, the Williams. The shops on Kent Street are still there today. A family restaurant is now located in the hotel's entrance and dining room.
What the Royal Hotel Looks Like
The Royal Hotel is a large, two-story building made of brick. It's painted and stands out on the corner of Kent and Bazaar Streets. The roof is hidden by a decorative wall. This wall has balusters, which are like small pillars.
The main front of the hotel faces Kent Street. It has a balanced design with a central section. This section has a curved top above the roofline. A modern awning sticks out over the sidewalk. It has a curved design, but it's not over the main entrance. The building has many arched openings. Some of these have railings. The ground floor has large arched windows for the public bar. There are also modern shop fronts. The first floor has five arched balconies. These show how open the ground floor used to be.
The awning is attached to the building with iron rods. It has a fancy underside made of pressed metal panels. There's also a sign on the corner that says "ROYAL" in lights.
Some windows on the first floor still have their original sliding sashes. Many other windows have been replaced. But some arched windows in the public bar still have colorful Leadlight glass. The windows on the Bazaar Street side are mostly original. At the back of the first floor, there's a verandah. You can reach it by a wooden staircase.
You enter the building through the main entrance. This area was once an open porch. Now, it's closed in with glass. The floor here has beautiful patterned tiles. These tiles continue into the entrance hall and dining room. The entrance hall has an arcade with heavy columns. These columns have decorative tops. The main staircase splits into two directions. It has lovely cedar wood railings and carved details.
The dining room used to be two stories tall. Now, it has a ceiling at the first-floor level. The ceiling of the old gallery space has a large window section. The walls have decorative plaster. French doors lead out to the balcony.
Upstairs, there are many rooms for guests. All of them have access to the front balcony or the back verandah. These rooms have original features like four-panel doors. They also have decorative wooden panels above the doors and along the floors. A large window in the hallway lets in natural lighting.
The public bar and other ground-floor rooms have been changed a lot over time. A new one-story building has been added to the back. There's also a parking area behind the old building.
Why the Royal Hotel is Important
The Royal Hotel was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. This means it's a very important historical site.
A Piece of History
The Royal Hotel shows how Maryborough has grown over time. A hotel has been on this spot since the town first started. The different times the hotel was rebuilt show how Maryborough became more successful.
A Great Example of a Hotel
This hotel is a perfect example of a large country town hotel in Queensland. It was designed to offer excellent rooms for travelers and locals. Its design also has some influences from eastern styles. This was a good choice for Maryborough's warm climate.
Beautiful Design
The outside of the hotel is very well designed. It uses classic features. The inside is also beautifully made. It has high-quality planning, woodwork, tiling, and plasterwork. All these things make it a very impressive and beautiful building.
Important to the Community
The Royal Hotel is very important to the people of Maryborough. It's known as the best hotel in town. It has been a central place for social events since it was built in 1902.
Connected to Important People
The building is linked to the Hyne family. They were important pioneers in Maryborough, especially Mr. RM Hyne. It's also connected to the famous Queensland architects, Eaton and Bates.
This Wikipedia article incorporates text from "The Queensland heritage register" published by the State of Queensland under CC-BY 3.0 AU licence (accessed on 7 July 2014, archived on 8 October 2014). The geo-coordinates were computed from the "Queensland heritage register boundaries" published by the State of Queensland under CC-BY 3.0 AU licence (accessed on 5 September 2014, archived on 15 October 2014).
