Heritage Hotel, Flamingo’s Nightclub Rockhampton sells for millions
With the vision of a premium steakhouse upstairs, and fresh ideas to bring back live concerts, meet the team planning to turn bring back the glory days for two iconic Rockhampton venues.
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Rockhampton’s iconic Heritage Hotel is under new ownership and management, and the sale of the neighbouring venue Flamingo’s Nightclub is also underway.
Spearheaded by Rockhampton businessman and former World Cup touch player Gavin Shuker, a company made up of about 40 shareholders bought the hotel.
Co-owners include sports legends Gorden Tallis, Nick Gregorski, Mark Knowles and Scott Prince. Old Rocky boy Troy Harry has also come on board as an investor.
“He (Gavin Shuker) rang me for some advice about the pub … I thought it sounded like a good idea and I would be a smallish investor, then I came up and had a look at it and there was a lot of upside and I really liked it,” Mr Harry said.
“The more I thought about it, I thought I would be an even bigger investor.”
The Heritage Hotel sale was finalised on January 19 for $4.2 million, with the Flamingo’s Nightclub sale due to go through in coming weeks.
Both venues were owned by Depco Drilling owner Wayne Riddell.
Mr Riddell purchased the Heritage in 2015 for $1.3 million at a bankruptcy auction.
The pub had closed suddenly in 2015, following Cyclone Marcia and impacts from the drought and the coal industry and lay dormant until the auction.
Massive renovations were carried out over a year and the venue was reopened again in 2017.
Mr Riddell purchased the Flamingo’s property in 2011 for $1.5 million.
A very popular nightclub in the 80s and 90s, it was known as the Pink Duck, Republik and Stadium.
It closed around 2017/18 and has been mostly closed since then, with private events hosted there over the past few years.
“Everyone talks about it, I just posted on Facebook and LinkedIn I was involved in the pub and the amount of messages I have got from people all over Australia, not just Rocky, Brisbane, Queensland, everywhere … people are texting me going I heard you are involved with Flamingo’s, such great news, had so many good times there,” Mr Harry said.
“Just so many stories.
“And they all talk about the (Flamingo’s) dollars, so many of them still have them.”
The Heritage Hotel has been under new ownership and management for a few weeks, with Alex Myers and Jamie Boon at the helm as general managers. Both with a long history in hospitality.
Mr Myers, who was previously with the Frenchville Sports Club for 12 years and with Lion for XXXX Gold, said they were in the initial start up phases.
“We have a whole new kitchen staff with chefs, rolling out a new menu as of next week,” he said.
“We are working around that to improve on what was happening before and get it pumping.”
Mr Harry explained they have set aside money for some capital works around the venue.
“We aren’t sure what all of that is yet but things like upgrading airconditioning, audio, visual, remodel the pokie room and the kitchen,” he said.
Work is hoped to start soon on a cafe at the front, starting with selling coffees and then breakfast.
Long-term visions include a premium steakhouse upstairs and developing the beer garden to be a popular spot for Sunday sessions.
“There’s a lot of under-utilised areas in this pub, the beer garden area which we haven’t spoken much about yet,” Mr Harry said.
“There’s just so much opportunity in front of us and it might be six months before we can turn our mind to it but you can imagine a Sunday afternoon session at the beer garden up there, winter or summer nights.”
On the Flamingo’s side, they hope to have it up and running by Rockynats at Easter, and be open on weekends.
Mr Boon, who runs Maroon Events with one-half of ARIA Award winning duo Busby Marou, Jeremy Marou, is keen to get music acts happening again at Flamingo’s.
“Events business goes hand-in-hand,” he said.
“There’s lots of moves afoot with regards to acts … return Flamingo’s back to its glory days.
“Midnight Oil, Suzie Quatro, Jimmy Barnes, Powderfinger, those names have all graced that venue.
“We want to reinstill live music back into that venue.
“That will be one of our core focuses.”
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