Works to demolish Rockhampton’s Leichhardt Hotel expected to wrap up

Works to demolish the Leichhardt Hotel are expected to wrap up by the end of the week, more than two years after the asbestos-ridden Rockhampton CBD building shut for good. VIDEO, PICS

Works to demolish the Leichhardt Hotel are expected to wrap up by the end of the week, with the final clean up underway of what once was a sprawling seven-storey building, forever changing the skyline of Rockhampton’s CBD.

The hotel on Bolsover Street in the city’s CBD closed in April 2022.

The manager, national company Australian Venue Co, has revealed its plans for a development.

The new hotel will be single-storey and feature a sports bar, beer garden, indoor entertainment and dining room and gaming room.

Previously boasting 60 four-star accommodation rooms, the new venue will have no on-site accommodation.

Works to demolish Rockhampton's Leichhardt Hotel are expected to wrap up by the end of the week. Picture: Aden Stokes

A demolition permit for the site was approved by Rockhampton Regional Council in September 2022.

Principal contractor Demex were awarded the contract for the demolition work, after months of on and off action at the site.

A Sydney company began work at the site earlier this year however a cease work order was handed down by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland to stop all work in February 2023.

Works to demolish Rockhampton's Leichhardt Hotel are expected to wrap up by the end of the week. Picture: Aden Stokes

The southeast Queensland based company Demex took over works and began to set up in September 2023.

Demex project manager Toby Schwennesen said final clean up and demobilisation from the site was underway.

Mr Schwennesen said he expected works would be wrapped up by end of the week.

Demex staff Ben Frerker, Toby Schwennesen and Matt McCrystal at the front of the Leichhardt Hotel.

“Remaining work includes final clean up and detailed demolition in some areas,” he said.

“Mechanical demolition of the tower commenced in May 2024.

“The smaller buildings started last year, however, there was a delay between the back buildings and the tower.

The construction site set up around the Leichhardt Hotel in Rockhampton.

“High reach excavator was used to demolish the tower and standard mechanical demolition was used for the remaining buildings.

“The steel beams in the tower were cut and lifted down with a crane.”

Built in the 1970s by JM Kelly, it had high levels of asbestos, like many of the buildings of that era.

The Leichhardt Hotel.