New management at Rockhampton riverfront restaurant, Skyring’s

There’s a fresh face at one of the Rockhampton region’s most popular dining and accommodation spots – and he’s got some big plans.

Thevanesan Kathiramathamby has made the move from the Central Coast in New South Wales to Rockhampton as the new manager of Skyring's Restaurant and Bar.

Popular Rockhampton riverfront restaurant and bar, Skyring’s, has new managers at the helm.

After three years, former manager Brad Korte has handed over the reins to Thevanesan Kathiramathamby, who made the move from NSW with his family to the Beef Capital.

The Korte family took over the restaurant and motel in October 2020 and did extensive renovations along with changing the name from Restaurant 98 to Skyring’s Restaurant and Bar.

Photo of the recent renovation of the inside of Skyring's.

The higher-end restaurant also comes with 28 motel rooms that have a strong flow of corporate bookings.

TK, as he is known by friends and co-workers, was looking to get back into the accommodation and hospitality industry when he came across the Rockhampton business advertisement.

“We used to travel around the country quite a lot,” he said.

“We were dreaming about it and in the meantime this opportunity came so we grabbed it.

“Felt like it was time for a change and I had enough money to buy this.”

It is his first time in Rockhampton but he used to travel around Central Queensland in his previous job as a ship captain back in the 90s, around Gladstone, Mackay and the Great Barrier Reef.

He’s also lived in Darwin before and said the Rockhampton climate was quite mild compared to the Top End.

“It’s a nice place to be,” he said

In between working on ships, IT and telecommunications, TK also opened a fine dining restaurant in Sydney back in 2007.

He has some big plans for Skyring’s and plans to hit the ground running.

Thevanesan Kathiramathamby, the new manager of Skyring's Restaurant and Bar.

He thanked Brad for his help through the handover and noted all of the previous staff have also stayed on.

He hopes to only improve on the high standard Brad has created.

“I have to go up, not maintain … I want to do a lot of things, cosmetic changes to attract people,” he said.

“I want to bring the fine dining to a different level.”

There will also be some changes to the menu and TK welcomes any feedback.

“We plan to do a Sunday only menu, could be seafood, I’m sourcing a lot of people locally for that,” he said.

“See how it goes, you have to try.”

SKYRING’S HISTORY

The Skyring's residence at 98 Victoria Parade, Rockhampton riverfront, taken in 2000.

The Korte family changed the restaurant name to Skyring’s Restaurant & Bar in honour of Dr Doris Una Skyring, who built a brick home at the site in 1949 and it became her doctor’s surgery and the family residence.

Long-time Rockhampton residents have fond memories of going to see Dr Skyring in the 40s and 50s.

An old photo of the brick home when it was the Skyring's residence.

She was a real pioneer in medicine and health in the region, contributing many articles to The Morning Bulletin and speaking on radio broadcasts.

She was also an avid volunteer with the Red Cross, Bush Children’s Health Scheme and many other charities and often hosted fundraising events and debutante balls in the garden of the home.

Evelyn Payne (nee Green), in about 1954, photographed on the garden path of the Skyring's residence.

Dr Skyring sadly died in 1957 at just 59 years of age from a combination of high blood pressure and heart failure.

Some years later the site was transformed into a restaurant and bar.

Restaurant 98 pictured on Google Maps in 2008 when The Edge Apartment Hotel was under construction next door.

The restaurant in 2010.

Inside Restaurant 98 and Bistro circa 2011.

During the time of the Cassidy's Seafood and Steakhouse.

Prominent Rockhampton businessman Grant Cassidy owned and ran Cassidy’s Seafood and Steak House and Motel 98 in the 2000s.

After that it became known as Motel 98 Steakhouse and Restaurant 98 and Bistro, and then Skyring’s Restaurant and Bar at the end of 2020.

Originally published as New management at Rockhampton riverfront restaurant, Skyring’s