Revealed: Faces behind Wide Bay Burnett’s pubs and hotels
From families with decades-long ties to the regions to interstate corporations, these are the faces behind many of the Wide Bay Burnett’s popular and historic pubs and hotels.
Gympie
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The Wide Bay Burnett is not short of a place to stop for a pint with dozens of hotels and pubs spread across the region, some dating back more than a century.
There is a wide range of diversity among these popular watering holes too, with ownership stretching from interstate businesses which own multiple venues to local families who have been behind the bar for decades.
These are the people behind the pubs across the Gympie, Fraser Coast, Bundaberg and Burnett regions.
Joe’s Grand Hotel
Joe Prendergast bought the Grand Hotel when he was 23 years old in 2005.
The hotel was very rundown when Joe took it over and invested his time into renovating the beautiful art deco building.
Joe moved from the Sunshine Coast to the South Burnett with his family 27 years ago and established Dusty Hill Vineyard.
He comes from a building and hospitality background and currently has plans in council to start the next renovation on The Grand Hotel.
Joe and wife Miranda have established three iconic hospitality businesses in the Gympie and South Burnett area Joe‘s Grand Hotel, The Goomeri Bakery and Dusty Hill Vineyard with a fourth venue, a brewery and distillery soon to open.
Phoenix Hotel
The popular hotel at Red Hill Rd was bought by the Victorian-based Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group.
The ALH owns and runs more than 350 pubs and hotels across Australia.
ASIC records show the company started in 1994 as Triburg before switching to Rebel Liquor Qld in 1995.
It became the ALH Group in 1996, before eventually expanding the acronym to its full capacity in more recent years.
It is directed by Ross Blair-Holt and Bruce Mathieson.
Mt Pleasant Hotel
The Mount Pleasant Hotel has been in the hands of Ian Kidd since he made a handshake deal to buy the pub in 1999.
Mr Kidd said the deal was done about 5.20pm on a Sunday afternoon.
A former miner who “worked under Gympie” for about 20 years, Mr Kidd said he had been drinking at the hotel long before he bought it.
“It was our watering hole,” Mr Kidd said.
The former fly-in, fly-out worker lived in Armidale NSW before packing up stick for Gympie and spent three decades in the mining industry.
Victory Motel Hotel
The Bellotti family has owned the Victory Hotel since the 1970s.
Steve Bellotti’s company Portland Holdings is the registered owner of the building, CoreLogic records reveal.
It was run by his parents Margaret and Ray Bellotti, before their death.
Mr Bellotti has another company, Aspen Blue Sky Holdings, which deals in high end property development.
Throughout his career he has held senior management positions with JP Morgan and Merrill Lynch in Sydney, New York and London.
Railway Hotel
The Railway Hotel at Imbil has been a family-owned business for decades.
Stephen Hooper said his parents, Brian and Dianne, bought the hotel in 1985.
The Hooper family itself had been a fixture in the region for more than a century.
Aside from leases of the pub from 1989-1998 and 2004-2016, it has stayed in the Hoopers’ hands.
Mr Hooper was “raised in hotels” around the region owing to his parents’ interest in the industry.
His family had occasionally left Gympie but they never travelled further afield than Toowoomba, the South Burnett or Mackay.
Kandanga Hotel
Russell and Kerry Willcocks have been running the Kandanga Hotel since November 2020, with CoreLogic records listing the sale price at $1.1m.
The Willcocks, who have nine children and 10 grandchildren, started their careers as nurses and midwives before heading to the Mary Valley and becoming part of the hospitality industry.
The couple’s children pitch in with its day-to-day operations.
The hotel was fully rebuilt following a devastating fire in 2015 which left little more than its stumps.
It was reopened in 2017.
Kilkivan Hotel-Motel
John and Karen Panetta have been running the popular Kilkivan watering hole since June 2022, when they took control following a successful seven-year stint in charge of the Glen Echo Bike Park.
Mr Panetta, a former Victorian who owned an electrical business before moving to Queensland, said he was a frequent visitor of the hotel for years before he bought it.
His daughter had worked at the Theebine Hotel before joining him at Kilkivan.
They are working on restarting a “rivalry” between the pubs by way of a November cricket match, with the event to serve as a fundraiser for community groups within the two towns.
The Hideaway Station Hotel
Tiaro’s Hideaway Station Hotel has been in the ownership of Col McBride since 1979.
His daughter, and hotel manager Nia Mcbride said Mr McBride grew up in Brisbane and moved to the United Kingdom before returning to take over the pub.
Mr McBride was a chippy by trade before stepping into hospitality.
The plan was to only own the pub for three years and fix it up, but it has instead become a 40-years-and-still-running-strong career.
Prince Alfred Hotel
Gundiah’s Prince Alfred Hotel has been owned by Daniel Hourigan since 2011, when CoreLogic records show it sold for $225,530.
The pub itself dates back to 1883, opening at Gootchie before shifting to Gundiah two years later.
It has burned to the ground twice in its extensive history, in 1894 and 1945, and was flooded in 2022.
Charlie’s Hotel
Scott and Jenny Davy have been at the helm of Charlie’s Hotel since 1984, moving to the region from Toowoomba at the time.
The hotel is only part of a wider complex owned by the Davys, which includes the James Nash Arcade behind the building.
The Davys took over the pub shortly after its name was changed from The Atlantic; it was located around the corner at the intersection of Monkland and Mary streets at the time.
The couple moved it to its Nash St home after the 1999 flood.
Queenslander Hotel
Allan Roberts took over the reins of the Queenslander Hotel at Gympie’s Mary St in 2018.
Mr Roberts is no stranger to the regional lifestyle having grown up in Wagga Wagga.
He had a career in the health industry and then in disability services in 2013 before he set his eyes on the Queenslander.
Jockey Club Hotel
Longtime Gympie businessman Nick Buckley is the owner of the building home to the Jockey Club Hotel, a venue which has been in the hands of the Buckley family since 1979.
Mr Buckley is the owner of concreting company Nick’s Ready Mix, which has been a fixture on the Bruce Hwy near the Normanby Bridge for decades.
The hotel itself is run by the ALH Group, which controls more than 350 pubs across Australia.
Empire Hotel
Craig Mylrea is one of four owners of the popular upper Mary St watering hole which has been owned by Queensland company TANCPL since 2011.
Mr Mylrea is joined by Natasha Mylrea, Anthony Mann, and Philomena Reuben as directors of the company, ASIC records show.
Theebine Hotel
Jackson McDonald took over ownership of the historic Theebine Hotel in October 2020.
He bought it “to keep it in local hands”, and it marked Mr McDonald’s first foray into hospitality.
“I have been in the beef industry all my life and still am,” he said.
“I have since bought another two hotels.”
Mr McDonald said he owned properties around the hotel for 20 years.
He moved to Theebine when he bought the land.
Torquay Hotel
The family-owned Torquay Hotel is owned by Cosette Morris, and Robert, Russell, Margaret, and Deborah Mills, CoreLogic records show.
The hotel has been a fixture on the Esplanade for more than a century, and the pub’s Facebook page shows it has been in the same hands for the past 21 years.
No records about its sales history are available at CoreLogic.
Bay Central Tavern
Bay Central Tavern is owned by ALH Group which purchased it in November 2016 as part of a deal for the entire property at a cost of $24m.
19XO Wine and Cocktail
Brothers Rick and Kieran Deal bought 19XO Wine and Cocktail in November 2022, after they saw the potential that Hervey Bay had to offer.
Rick moved to Hervey Bay in 2019 and Kieran in 2022.
They work as managers and operators and had previously ran large companies in Australia and abroad, before they opened their own business.
Crafty Cargo Taphouse
After working at the Crafty Cargo Taphouse for three years, Josh Opie, 32, decided to buy the establishment in November 2022.
Working in hospitality for the last 10 years and managing several establishments, Mr Opie felt that he knew the “ins and outs” of the business.
He moved to the Fraser Coast from Victoria in 2020, during the pandemic, and since then, he has fallen in love with the place.
Table Eleven
Henrik Lim, 47, bought the establishment 22 years ago and has since rebranded it. Originally a Chinese restaurant called‘Simply Wok, Mr Lim and his wife decided to rebrand the business a year ago to Table Eleven.
Mr Lim has lived in the Hervey Bay area for 33 years now, and loves that the relaxed, small town feel.
He has also owned Café Tapas in Hervey Bay for the past 13 years.
Tres Salsas - Mexican Restaurant
Jemima Nash, 33, opened her first business, Tres Salsas in December 2018, at only 29 years old.
Born in the Hervey Bay region, Ms Nash knew that it was the perfect place to set up her business.
She found a venue that ticked all her boxes on the Hervey bay esplanade, with an open kitchen and relaxed dining, in a small to medium venue size.
Old Sydney Hotel and Kondari Hotel
These two pubs are owned by The Trust Company (Australia) Limited, CoreLogic property records show, and are run by the ALH Group.
ASIC records show The Trust Company’s directors as Mark Smith, Christopher Green, and Rodney Ellwood.
They bought the Kondari Hotel in 2016 for $2.06m, CoreLogic records show, and the Old Sydney Hotel in June 2017 for $8.1m.
The Aussie Hotel and Motel, Customs House Hotel, and Royal Hotel
Ivan John Simon has taken the helm of these three Fraser Coast establishments, taking over the Royal Hotel in 2020.
All three hotels have been extensively renovated.
Post Office Hotel
Samantha George, her daughter, Caitlin Harwood, and their partners took over the Post Office Hotel from a family friend in September 2020.
The hotel is one of two businesses that Ms George and Ms Harwood run, owning the Salty Squid Café in Hervey Bay since June 2020.
Ms George has been working in hospitality all her life, and predominantly works as the chef at the establishment. Originally from New Zealand, she moved to the Gold Coast 12 years ago, and to Toogoom in June 2020.
ASIC and CoreLogic records show the building is owned by Matthew Mercer and Bernice Cooper.
Read more here.
Westside Tavern and Motel
Leigh Wanless has owned Westside Tavern and Motel for 21 years, after hand-building the establishment in 2002.
Mr Wanless bought his first hospitality venue in 1980,; a speedway and sportsman’s club in Fortitude Valley, which he then sold in 1984, and continued to Warrick taking over another venue from 1984 to 1989, and then to Rockhampton from 1989 to 1994 before moving Maryborough in 1994.
He has also owned the Wide Bay Club, Granville Hotel, Oxford Hotel and Aussie Hotel.
Mr Wanless now solely owns Westside Tavern and Motel, and has reportedly put it on sale in November, 2022 and is marketing the property for $15m.
Granville Hotel
Granville Hotel was bought by the Hooper family in November 2021.
The Hoopers have been buying and running pubs since the 1980s.
Rob Hooper, the nephew of the family, has been the live-in manager at Granville Hotel since it was bought in November, 2021. Mr Hooper has worked in travel, real estate and horse racing and this is the first pub he has been in charge of running.
Spotted Dog@Railway Hotel
It’s debatable which is the greater Bundaberg institution - Spotted Dog@Railway Hotel or its owner, Stephen ‘Pato’ Paterson.
After a 25-year career running hotels in Bundaberg, including stints at The Grand Bundaberg Hotel and The Old Bundy Tavern, Pato bought and renovated the old Banjo’s Tavern, reopening it as The Spotted Dog in 2013.
Adversity struck when The Spotted Dog burnt down in 2020.
Pato bounced back to merge The Spotted Dog with The Railway Hotel, which he purchased for $1m in December 2020.
The public got behind Pato and his latest venture to ensure it was a success.
“I’m just so humbled by the support the public’s given me,” Pato said to the NewsMail in 2021.
“I just love the town.”
The pub is going from strength to strength, and not just as a watering hole - Trip Advisor lists it as Bundaberg’s top restaurant.
The Old Bundy Tavern
Built on the site of the old Customs House Hotel, the historic Old Bundy Tavern is one of Bundaberg’s most enduring landmarks.
It may surprise some readers to learn that The Old Bundy Tavern has not had a local owner for many years.
The current owners are Bundy Central Investment Pty Ltd, a consortium of investors which purchased the pub from Andron Investments Pty Ltd in 2017 for $9.4m.
Registered in Victoria, Bundy Central Investment Pty Ltd has 21 directors - the principal director is Peter O’Connell of Ballarat.
Mr O’Connell is also the director of PPT Financial.
The Metro Hotel
The Metro Hotel is owned by well-known local publican Jarrod Murphy.
Mr Murphy purchased the hotel for $2m in 2008.
The Club Hotel
The Club Hotel was purchased by a Queensland investor, Cheryl Field in 2011.
While the price is not disclosed, industry sources at the time estimated it could have gone for around $6m. It is the only commercial property listed under Mrs Field’s name.
Mrs Field is the director of Nippa Developments, a company registered in Victoria with which her husband John and son James are also involved.
Bundaberg butcher Zac‘s Meats took out a legal order to have Nippa Developments declared insolvent in 2016, which was dismissed by the Queensland Supreme Court.
Bargara Beach Hotel
The Bargara landmark pub has been in the hands of Nella Hotels since 2005, when the company purchased the hotel for a paltry $595,000.
There have been many changes along the way, including rebuilding it following a devastating fire in 2019.
Registered in Queensland, Nella Hotels is directed by Daniel, Paul and Grant Daly who all live in Bundaberg.
Nella Hotels also owns the neighbouring Kacys Bargara Beach Resort.
Melbourne Hotel
The ALH Group took over ownership of the Melbourne Hotel for an undisclosed sum in 2008 from the previous long-standing owners, the much-loved and respected Keating family.
East End Hotel
The Bundaberg East hotel was purchased by SSUT Pty Ltd for $2.63m in 2002.
Listed in New South Wales, SSUT is directed by Frank Venturi, resident of the leafy and exclusive Sydney suburb of Vaucluse.
Mr Venturi is also the owner of Kingaroy’s Club Hotel through another corporation Kingaroy Hotel Investments.
Sugarland Tavern
The Sugarland Tavern was purchased by investment behemoth the Paul Irvin Hotel Group for $13.8m in 2015.
The Paul Irvin Hotel Group owns 14 hotels stretching up the east coast from Sydney as far as Cairns.
After building up an empire in excess of $200m, Paul Irwin passed away in 2019.
Mr Irvin’s son Joseph (Joe) Irvin is now the director of the company.
The Queenslander Hotel
The Targo St landmark was purchased by Star Hotels Group for $2.2m in 2021.
Queensland’s largest independently owned hospitality management company, Star Hotels Group has a portfolio of 38 licensed venues, more than 90 retail liquor outlets and six accommodation venues throughout Queensland and South Australia.
The Central Hotel
Whether you know it as The Central Hotel, Club Central or the “Cenny”, the Targo St pub has developed a controversial reputation since being taken over by new owners Lightbrim Pty Ltd for $1.95m in 2016.
The director of Lightbrim Pty Ltd is Suzanne Lawson.
Formerly owner of a number of pubs and night-life businesses across Queensland including Bundaberg’s Queenslander Hotel, according to public records Mrs Lawson has divested most of her properties now owning only a disused building at 24 Targo St in addition to some wharves in Wynnum.
Mungungo Hotel
Chriss and Jay Lenz were newcomers to the pub industry when they began running the Mungungo Pub, 13km from Monto, in December 2021.
Mrs Lenz had worked in IT and Mr Lenz a self-employed handyman for 25 years.
Mrs Lenz said they needed a change from the hustle and bustle of Brisbane.
“We’d looked at a few country pubs and then found through a friend of a friend of a friend, the Mungungo Pub which just jumped out at us,” Mrs Lenz said.
“From our very first visit, we actually had decided to put in an offer on the drive home.
“The view is beautiful, the locals are just wonderful and the pub stories range from fascinating to highly unbelievable, but always provide a good laugh, what‘s not to love?” she said.
Commercial Hotel Biggenden
The Commercial Hotel at Biggenden is the second pub owned by Jackson McDonald, who also owns the Theebine Hotel.
Grand Hotel Biggenden
Stuart and Diana Toms took over the lease at the Grand Hotel Biggenden in August 2019 and purchased the freehold in November 2022.
Prior to this they ran the Ellangowan Hotel in Augathella, Queensland.
They are seasoned hospitality professionals with more than 35 years each of experience.
Mr Toms said he worked on cruise ships and casinos overseas and in Australia and when he met Mrs Toms seven years ago they toyed with the idea of buying into pubs.
“She had a perfectly good nine-to-five government job and one day I asked, it took a couple of days and then she said ‘yes’,” Mr Toms said.
“We both love what we do, we love to support local schools, sports clubs and the local charity groups.
“We have both lived in the Wide Bay Region for 20 years and have built a house in Hervey Bay while we still travel to Biggenden.”
Royal Hotel Mundubbera
Munduberra’s Royal Hotel has long been owned and run by local Garry Palmer.
Mr Palmer is famous for having travelled to Canberra to give his business card to King Charles when he was still Prince of Wales on his 2015 tour of Australia.
Mr Palmer is also a successful thoroughbred owner - Lord Clinton, a horse owned by Mr Palmer’s syndicate, won the open handicap at Bundaberg’s Melbourne Cup meeting in 2005.
If you have ever fancied running a country pub, you may be in luck - the Royal Hotel is listed for sale with an asking price of $1.9m.
Tirroan Hotel
The Tirroan Hotel is owned by Ian De Lepervanche.
The 53 year-old purchased the hotel for $467,000 in 2005.
Through his company IDL Investment Holdings Mr De Lepervanche owns five properties around Tirroan and further afield, including one of Toogoom’s original beach shacks.
The Tirroan Hotel is on the market for $1.2m.
Burnett Hotel
The Burnett Hotel in Gayndah was bought by Everton Rise Pty Ltd for $480,000 in April 2022. The property development firm owns a swathe of residential and commercial properties throughout Queensland including seven other properties in Gayndah.
The principal directors of Everton Rise are Jennifer Anderson and Phillip Moschella, both of Bridgeman Downs, Brisbane.
The previous owner of the Burnett Hotel was Nicole Scott, who bought the iconic pub in 2020 weeks before COVID restrictions came into force.
The Apple Tree Creek Pub
Apple Tree Creek’s eponymous pub was bought by Elena Glossop for $630,000 in October 2021.
Mrs Glossop, her husband Geoff and their four children moved to Woodgate Beach when they took up ownership of the pub.
Since then, Mrs Glossop has deepened her roots in the local community by purchasing the Woodgate General Store in 2022.
The pub is listed for sale for $1.2m
Grand Hotel Gayndah
Gayndah’s Grand Hotel is owned by leading citrus grower Dermark Pty Ltd.
Now supplying Woolworths, Coles and Aldi, from its revolutionary on-farm pre-packing and quick-chill facility in Gayndah, The Grand Hotel was one of Dermark’s earliest acquisitions.
The company purchased the Grand Hotel for $220,000 in 1988.
The principal director is Helena McLay.
Burrum Tavern
The Burrum Tavern was purchased in 2021 by investors David Kennewell and Michael Lucas, both of Maroochydore.
They picked up the tavern for $2.4m.
The Australian Hotel Murgon
The Murgon institution was acquired by prominent Brisbane developers Joe, Peter and Paul Ganim in 2006.
The brothers purchased the hotel under the colourful names Ganboys, Ganbros and Gansons for $2m.
The hotel is managed by the Star Hotel Group.
Peter and Paul Ganim are directors of home building firm Ownit Homes, while Joe Ganim is a consultant for HopgoodGanim Lawers.
The brothers are making their mark on the Brisbane landscape through a health and business precinct they are building in Bowen Hills.
Miners Arms Hotel
Operating since the late 1800s, The Miners Arms’ current owner is John Grabbe of Grabbe Investments.
Mr Grabbe purchased the Torbanlea pub for $450,000 in 2007.
Maryborough MP Bruce Saunders has named Mr Grabbe in parliament as one of his “good mates”.
Monto’s Grand Hotel
The current owners of Monto’s Grand Hotel are Lawford Edwards and Stephen Renwick.
They bought the pub under the name of their corporation Lawnum Property for $700,00 in October 2022.
Commercial Hotel Kingaroy
Kingaroy’s Commercial Hotel was acquired by property giant Vinta in 2019 for $3.1m.
The Sydney firm has annual revenue to the tune of $31.8m, with commercial and residential projects throughout Australia and New Zealand.
The chairman of Vinta is John Elvy, who has previous roles as managing director of LJ Hooker International.
Mr Elvy is a former mayor of Strathfield, having served on the City of Sydney and Strathfield Municipal Councils for 20 years.
The Club Hotel, Kingaroy
The Club Hotel, Kingaroy is owned by Sydney investor Frank Venturi.
Mr Venturi purchased the hotel through his corporation Kingaroy Hotel Investments for $495,000 in 2013.
He also owns Bundaberg’s Melbourne Hotel through another corporation, SSUT.
Carrollee Hotel
Kingaroy’s Carrollee Hotel is owned by Anthony Fargas and Michael McClaren.
Mr Fargas is a resident of Hamilton, Brisbane and Mr McClaren lives in Heatherton, Melbourne.
They purchased the Carrollee Hotel through their corporation South Burnett Hotels for $4.45m in 2014.
Mr Fargas is involved in numerous property and investment firms including as director of Western Pacific Hotels.
Beach House Hotel
Janet Persal is the owner of the Beach House Hotel in Hervey Bay and the Carrier Arms Hotel Motel.
Ms Persal was nominated for 15 awards at the Queensland Hotel Association 2021 Awards for Excellence, with the Beach House Hotel becoming a finalist in nine categories and the Carrier Arms a finalist in six.
White Lion Hotel
The White Lion Hotel on Maryborough’s Walker St is one of the oldest pubs in town.
The 1862 institution was bought by Ray Nickolls in April 2019 for $940,000.
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Originally published as Revealed: Faces behind Wide Bay Burnett’s pubs and hotels
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