‘Heartbreaking’: Ellis Beach pub demolished in flood
A property developer’s excitement about his newly-revamped Ellis Beach Bar and Grill was palpable – now the businessman is surveying the flood damage and says he’s heartbroken.
Cairns
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Pub baron and developer Tom Hedley was already on site with tradesmen on Monday, assessing the damage at his completely devastated Ellis Beach Bar and Grill and Ellis Beach bungalows.
“We are trying to see what we can do, trying to sort of rebuild,” Mr Hedley said.
“It’s pretty heartbreaking.
“If I saw this coming, I wouldn’t have bought it, I didn’t think this could happen, not at all.”
He said there were 25 staff at the bar and grill.
Surf Life Saving Queensland North Queensland supervisor Jon Mullay said damage to Ellis Beach Surf Club was extensive.
“The clubhouse was not completely inundated but suffered a lot of water damage, the lifesaving hut seems to be intact but there’s a lot of erosion,” Mr Mullay said.
“We will get out as best we can and see what’s what with the beaches, there’s a lot of erosion but Trinity Beach hasn’t got an erosion problem, it is the opposite, sand has been pushed up there,” he said.
Property records show late last year, Mr Hedley paid $4,150,000 for the 9.76ha parcel, including the bar and grill, the first time it has changed hands since 2003.
He revamped the bar and grill and had to dramatically renovate the Ellis Beach Oceanfront Holiday Park.
He lodged a development application with Cairns Regional Council to establish 26 new cabins, 14 of which will replace existing unpowered sites.
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Originally published as ‘Heartbreaking’: Ellis Beach pub demolished in flood
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