Ambassador Motel Rockhampton demolition to make way for Sydney Tools store

A motel on one of the town’s busiest highway strips won’t have guests this Christmas, with plans to knock it down after more than half a century in operation.

Ambassador Motel in Rockhampton has sold and will be demolished to make way for a tool shop.

There will be no Christmas guests at Rockhampton’s Ambassador Motel as demolition now looms for the motel that was built more than half a century ago.

A sale of the motel was finalised in November for $1.44 million to brothers Elvis and Jason Bey, the co-owners of national retail store, Sydney Tools.

The brothers were named in The Australian’s Richest 250 List this year at 220 and 221 and are estimated to have a combined fortune of $597 million.

Site location of Ambassador Motel at Rockhampton's Yaamba Road.

Rockhampton Regional Council approved plans for the tool shop to be built on the site of the 32-room motel at 353 Yaamba Road, adjacent to the Emmaus College campuses, in April of this year.

The plans were lodged by development and investment company connected SpinksCo Commercial, which is linked to rugby league legend Darren Lockyer.

Elevations by Red Dog Architects of what the retail showroom would look like.

Ground floor plan for the proposed development. Renders: Red Dog Architects.

The retail showroom building will be constructed along the southern boundary of the site, to be 8.5m high with a 1800sqm gross floor area, and access would be from both streets, with a 45-space car park.

Ambassador Motel after renovations in 2017.

The motel, office, manager’s residence and swimming pool would be demolished to make way for the new building.

A garage sale was held at the motel in October, with linen, furniture, electronics, white goods and solar equipment sold for as low as $20.

The motel now appears abandoned, with the grass overgrown and the swimming pool empty.

A closed sign has been taped on the reception doorway and curtains have all been taken from the motel room windows.

Ambassador Motel in an abandoned and overgrown state in late December 2023.

The motel is still advertised on online accommodation booking websites, however they state bookings are unavailable.

The Ambassador Motel in 2010 when it was painted from the green and cream exterior paint to orange and maroon. It was then painted again about 2015 to how it still looks in 2023.

The motel was built in the late 1960s.

The most recent owners were the Tyrells, who purchased the property in 2007 for more than $1 million.

Michael Tyrell was successful through the courts in 2017 in evicting a previous landlord who owed $160,000 in unpaid rates and rent.

After that, the couple who were based in Brisbane, undertook renovations at the hotel and employed new managers.

Ambassador Motel on Yaamba Road next to Emmaus College.

Sydney Tools was formed in 2001 and there are now more than 70 outlets across Australia, including stores in Gladstone and Mackay.

Another tool shop, Total Tools, is located 700m from the Ambassador Motel site.

It opened in September 2020, in the former Joyce Mayne building that had been vacant for six years.