$40k grant helps replace 120-year-old roof at hotel

A $40,000 grant from the State Government is helping to preserve a piece of Toowoomba’s history.

Vacy Hall Toowoomba owner Graham Higgins outside the boutique hotel, which is getting a new roof for the first time in its 120 year history.

A $40,000 grant from the State Government is helping to preserve a piece of Toowoomba's history.

After 120 years, the original roof at Vacy Hall Toowoomba's Grand Boutique Hotel was no longer up to the task of keeping the elements out.

"So we had holes, we had silicon, we'd patched, we'd filled, we had buckets under holes and all sorts of other stuff," owner Graham Higgins said.

"And it just came time that we had to bite the bullet."

Work began on replacing the roof on Monday.

"And as sad as it is to lose the aged patina of the original roof and the sense of history that comes with that, you just can't allow damage to the fabric of the heritage-listed building."

Workmen are currently pulling the roof off and replacing rotten timbers.

The original quote for the restoration work was $120,000, though Mr Higgins said that could increase.

The hotel will be closed to guests until the work is complete, and will reopen on December 27.

Designed by renowned architect James Marks and his sons, Vacy Hall was built by James Taylor, a former mayor of Toowoomba and member of the Legislative Council in the late 1800s.

"He was regarded as the king of Toowoomba back in his day. He built Vacy Hall as a wedding present for his daughter," Mr Higgins said.

"Vacy Hall was built in 1899. It replaced an earlier building that was here on site that was called Vacy as well, which dated from 1873 but was destroyed by fire."

Six times the size of the average Queenslander, Vacy Hall is one of Toowoomba's iconic buildings.

"It's a tourist attraction in its own right. People come to Toowoomba just to stay here," Mr Higgins said.