Gracemere Hotel, Rockhampton, sells to O’Hara Group for millions

After 16 years, many beers, massive renovations and a worldwide pandemic, the previous owners have decided to move on. Read about the sale.

Gracemere Hotel sold to the O'Hara Group.

The Gracemere Hotel has changed hands for the first time in more than 15 years as long-time general manager and part owner Gavin Pitts looks forward to some time off.

The town’s only pub settled in June for an undisclosed price of more than $18 million to the O’Hara Group.

Gracemere Hotel

The New South Wales company also purchased the Parkhurst Tavern in June and is one of Australia’s largest private owners of pubs with more than 30 venues.

Mr Pitts had been at the Gracey for 16 years and said he is looking forward to taking a break for the next six to 12 months.

“I’m going to take some time to spend with my family,” he said.

“I’m very thankful for the community and their support of Gracemere and the surrounding areas.

“I wish the O’Hara team all the best for the future.”

Gracemere Hotel owner Gavin Pitts. Photo: Chris Ison / The Morning Bulletin

Mr Pitts owned the hotel as part of the Maroon Holdings group with Stephen Beaumont, Michael Cook, Richard Davis and Richard Denholm in Victoria who had it from 2006.

In the many years Mr Pitts was at the helm, the pub underwent renovations in 2016 with an expansion of the sports bar and beer garden, more dining tables and a new children’s play area, and in 2018 he and the team unveiled plans to construct a 30 room motel.

Gracemere Hotel in 2018.

He also saw the wave of COVID-19 and survived the brunt of hospitality venues’ restrictions.

While he was tight-lipped on what his next venture will be, he said he won’t be leaving the CQ region.

“My kids are all here, I will resurface in a business somewhere,” he promised.

Gracemere Hotel, located at 2 Old Capricorn Highway, Gracemere. Picture: Contributed

The sale was conducted by agents Glenn Price and Brent McCarthy from HTL Property and included 33 gaming machine authorities with approval to 37, hotel with restaurant, beer garden, sports bar, bottle shop and six hotel rooms.

Mr McCarthy noted the market is in really good shape and COVID-19 had shown the strength of regional towns.

“It’s gone to some great owners that will spend some money on the assets,” Mr McCarthy said.

“We had great pleasure in dealing with the vendors at both ends.”

Gracemere Hotel has gone through many changes over the years.

The hotel has a rich history. It was built in 1885 and was one of five pubs in the town at the time.

It was the first building in Gracemere to have electricity (1931) and over the decades it has had 59 licensees.

The Gracemere Hotel was built in 1885, and was one of five hotels in the town at the time.

There has been a lot of movement in pubs around Rockhampton in the past few weeks.

The managers of Berserker Tavern in North Rockhampton, Aus Venue Co have lodged plans with council for a redevelopment with a new roofed outdoor dining area and fenced children’s playground.

AVC also manage Leichhardt Hotel, which is set to be demolished and a new single-storey pub to be built in its place.

Out west at Kabra, new owners have taken over the town’s only watering hole and are looking to open in the coming weeks.

Heavy construction is also underway at the Dululu Hotel, with a total renovation including a coffee shop, bar, outdoor dining area and children’s playground.

The former Ginger Mule bar at the T & G building on William St in Rockhampton’s CBD, which closed during the pandemic, also remains for sale after it was listed in July.

Originally published as Gracemere Hotel, Rockhampton, sells to O’Hara Group for millions