Cornwall, Rosevears, Branxholm and Ringarooma hotels all hit market
Four iconic Tasmanian hotels, including the one where JP Fawkner and John Batman hatched their plan to found Melbourne, are up for grabs. Here’s what we know.
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Four storied Tasmanian hotels, including the historic hotel where John Pascoe Fawkner and John Batman hatched their plan to found Melbourne, are being advertised for sale.
Knight Frank Launceston is handling the campaigns for The Imperial Hotel Branxholm and The Cornwall Historic Hotel, Rosevears Hotel by Shepherd & Heap, and Ringarooma Hotel sale by Harcourts North East.
The Cornwall, located at 35–39 Cameron Street, is one of Tasmania’s most famous structures.
It was built in 1824 by Fawkner. According to its website, “It was Launceston’s leading hotel with thirteen rooms over two storeys. From The Cornwall, Fawkner ran a bakery, became a bush lawyer representing convicts, and started Launceston’s first newspaper.”
In 1905, the “constant need for renovations and repairs had become too much,” so owner Sarah Fahey pulled down the original structure and erected the current building, “built in the style of the day with Edwardian Freestyle facade, circular motif windows and an ornate parapet”.
In 1981 the hotel became a budget inn and backpackers’ accommodation, before being rechristened as a boutique hotel in 2019 by new owners.
The sale includes “a reception area, managers residence, meals area and two floors of accommodation, comprising 40 rooms and 154 beds.
The prospective buyers would have “dual income streams from operating as a successful 3-star hotel plus permanent accommodation/meal area for visa workers – with contracts in place.”
The Imperial Branxholm, built circa 1909, owned by St Helens/Derby businessman John Brakey of Raida Hospitality Group, is seeking offers of $1m plus stock.
The hotel features “two ground-floor dining rooms, a welcoming front bar with a dedicated meals area, ample cold and general storage and a generous commercial kitchen, complemented by 11 upstairs bedrooms, four modern bathrooms and a bright manager’s suite with its own bathroom”.
Rosevears Hotel, meanwhile, is owned by West Tamar businessman Allan Virieux, who also has interests in development (Streetwise Developments) and manufacturing (St Helens Concrete).
Mr Virieux, who owned the property for 12 years, told ACM it was a “baby of mine”.
“She was in a bit of disrepair when I took over,” he said.
Finally, Harcourts North East’s Andrew Bennett said expressions of interest on the Ringarooma Hotel, which ceased operating as a pub about four years ago, closed on Tuesday.
He said he was waiting to hear from the WA-based owner as to what price will be acceptable. Mr Bennett said he expects to receive this guidance by Monday.
He said the site “offers enormous potential for future development either as a residence, commercial accommodation or retail use”.
Mr Bennett said it would be unlikely, though not impossible, it would return as a watering hole.
“It would cost a lot of money to do up, the licence has lapsed. You never say never but it’s a lot of money,” he said.
The original building was constructed in 1884.
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