Coffee House Apartment Hotel new owners Kate and Warren Pearce swap the Whitsundays for Rockhampton

Kate and Warren Pearce have taken over of a longstanding Rockhampton business and are keen to put their own stamp on it – including a delicious new menu. Here’s what they have planned.

From the sandy beaches of Hamilton Island, Kate and Warren Pearce have made the move to the Beef Capital.

The pair has taken up their new roles as managers of the Coffee House Apartment Motel in the Rockhampton CBD.

They had spent the past decade working in the Whitsundays but were looking for a new adventure.

“We just wanted a change because the lifestyle was pretty full on,” Kate said.

“Covid put some things in perspective.”

The couple moved over to the mainland of Airlie Beach from Hamilton Island after they had their son Will.

“I was commuting daily, 12 hour days, so I was leaving at six in the morning and getting home at six at night,” Warren said.

“I’d worked on the island for 13 years roughly and it wasn’t until we decided to move off when we had Will. Covid hit and gave us more home time with lockdowns and we realised this is not such a bad thing, spending more time home with the family.

“We left the island and worked around Airlie for a bit while we looked for the perfect opportunity.

“Then we found this and it happened to tick a lot of boxes for us and we love it.”

Will, who is soon to turn five, approves of the move.

“He always says to me ‘I love it here Mum’ … it’s like a mansion for him, he’s got upstairs, down here at the cafe, a swimming pool, he rides his toys up and down the paths, the daycare is literally behind us and he loves the park down at the river,” Kate said.

An old photo in The Morning Bulletin archives of Coffee House staff, Des Du Rieu and Jodie Williams, taken in 2010. Photographer: Chris Ison.

Coffee House chef Ashley King (centre) with apprentice chefs Adam Dahler and Dave Downer, taken in 2010.

The Coffee House Apartment Hotel is part of the Southern Cross Motel Group, along with The Stirling on Albert Street.

The business has been on the corner of William and Bolsover streets for 22 years and offers boutique, four-and-a-half star accommodation

“We’re pretty busy occupancy wise, most nights through the week we are booked out, we turn over our rooms most nights, we get a lot of corporate travellers,” Kate said.

There is an on-site cafe, which is open to the public.

The cafe offers barista-made Merlo coffee and gluten-free treats and they regularly offer blackboard specials and daily cake and coffee deals.

“We are starting to get the cafe back up and running, trying to let people know we’re back open,” Kate said.

A new menu has just been launched, curated by chef Jesz.

“We let Jesz have a go … He’s done a big breakfast, he’s added a few of his specialties, a saltwater barramundi, curry chicken and his burgers,” Kate said.

“I’d rather him have as much say as he wants, it’s his baby.

“He takes pride in what he does.”

COFFEE HOUSE APARTMENT MOTEL

Cafe open to the public for breakfast and lunch, Tuesday to Saturday from 7am to 2pm.

Follow them on Facebook at Coffee House Apartment Motel for menu specials.

Visit www.southerncrossmotelgroup.com.au for accommodation bookings.