Deb Simon on restoring, re-opening Maryborough’s Custom House Hotel

A pub-loving pair behind the restoration of multiple iconic Brisbane buildings has fallen in love with another riverside city, breathing life into three long-closed historic hotels - the oldest of which will open this weekend.

Deb Simon has lovingly restored the grand old Custom House Hotel in Maryborough.

Deb Simon fell in love with the Custom House Hotel when a For Sale sign on the near-derelict hotel caught her eye four years ago on a day trip to Maryborough with her husband Ivan.

For almost two years she yearned to see the graceful heritage building in Wharf Street restored to its former elegance, watching with a heavy heart as it sagged close to the point of no return.

“When buildings are shut up like that they can’t breathe.”

Now Maryborough’s oldest existing hotel is breathing again, available for private functions and opening as a popular feature of the Relish food festival on Sunday (June 1).

After the 2020 visit no deal could be negotiated that warranted the investment the Simons knew would be needed to resurrect the 1868 landmark.

Deb Simon has lovingly restored the grand old Custom House Hotel in Maryborough.

However, the drive around Maryborough while they were visiting Ivan’s brother during the Christmas break proved to be a life-changer for the couple.

Another building crying out for restoration had also caught the Simons’ attention.

The iconic Royal Hotel, designed in the late 1890s with the best features of legendary hotels in Cairo and Colombo, was in a sorry state in the heart of Maryborough.

Both the Custom House and the Royal represented renovation challenges that few were game to tackle but with more than 50 renovations of heritage buildings behind them the Simons took the plunge.

They bought the Royal and began the long, painstaking process of bringing it back to its former glory. As covid hit, regulatory demands bit and labour-supply shortages arose, the continuing venture has been a lot longer and more painstaking than expected.

The couple bought other Maryborough properties to renovate but Deb continued to look sorrowfully at the shut-up Custom House Hotel in Wharf Street, by then showing ominous signs of collapse in parts. Scaffolding was put up to protect pedestrians.

Three years ago came another opportunity to buy the forlorn Custom House.

Custom House Hotel in Maryborough has been lovingly restored.

A deal was closed, cleaning began (pigeons were roosting upstairs) and slowly the massive task began to stabilise and renovate the building.

Reception rooms and bars downstairs are now charming venues soaked in atmosphere.

Upstairs work continues ahead of the Custom House becoming a fully licensed venue again.

Deb and Ivan have had a long association with the music industry in Queensland, both playing in Brisbane-based bands since the 1980s, Ivan on the drums and Deb playing bass guitar.

With gigs mainly around weekends, they spent the rest of the week restoring old houses and other buildings they bought.

The former Sisters of Mercy convent in Wynnum was one of the biggest projects.

Ivan Simon after buying an old convent at Wynnum in the mid 2000s. Pic: Jeff Camden

Ivan also moved into the production side of music in the 1980s, setting up sound, staging and light for festivals large and small through his company IJS.

Their love of music was matched by their passion for restoring neglected old buildings.

“It is so sad to see them falling down,” says Deb. “They all have history and stories to tell.”

In 2010 they bought at auction the landmark five-storey Palma Rosa in Hamilton, overlooking Albion Park, restoring it to its halcyon days to create their new home in Brisbane.

That challenge involved reversing some of the alterations done during World War 11 when it was part of the American bastion in Brisbane headed by General MacArthur.

The Palma Rosa remains the Simons’ Brisbane home.

Sovereign Island became their second home but retirement did not suit them well.

They sold the island home and instead bought the former television studios in Granville, where extensive renovations have created a unique second home in a serene riverside setting.

The couple has bought, renovated and re-opened the Australian Hotel, and, among other restoration challenges, bought the waterside workers hall and Ken Meyers buildings in Wharf Street.

They have also created the popular Wide Bay Brewing Company with craft beer lines named after some of Maryborough’s heritage buildings they have saved for posterity.