Iconic Birdsville Hotel sold to Aussie outback entrepreneur

The new owners of the iconic Birdsville Hotel have shared their plans for the “Old Girl”, after the outback Queensland pub was sold for the first time in 40 years.

The Birdsville Hotel in outback Queensland has sold for the first time in 40 years.

THE iconic Birdsville Hotel has sold for the first time in 40 years, reportedly for about $6 million.

Located on the edge of the Simpson Desert, about 1600km west of Brisbane and 1200km north of Adelaide, the hotel was built in 1984 and is one of the best-known pubs in Australia.

The hotel has sold to Australian outback travel entrepreneur Courtney Ellis and his wife, Talia, from Albury.

The sale included the hotel and business on a walk-in-walk-out basis, motel accommodation with 27 guest units, two separate residences, industrial land and an aviation fuel supply business run from the hotel. The land area totalled 6580 square metres.

The hotel is expected to stay much the same, with continuation of the current management and staff structure.

“We get the outback as it’s been my business for 20 years and we won’t change things,” Mr Ellis said.

“We’re very respectful of keeping the character of the Birdsville Hotel that travellers know and love.”

The Ellis’ plan to bring their young family to Birdsville.

The Birdsville Hotel has a rich history, playing an important part in the exploration and settlement of Australia’s desert country.

These days it is the centre of the Birdsville Races and Big Red Bash Music Festival, attracting thousands of visitors.

Pubgoers sit outside the Birdsville Hotel. Picture: AAP

The previous co-owners, Jo and Kym Fort, and David and Nell Brook, bought the hotel in 1980 and completely refurbished it.

Mrs Fort said it was rewarding to find the right people to take care of the “Old Girl”.

“Talia and Courtney really understand the outback and when you sell a business that you’ve invested so much of your life into, you really want someone who loves it already and will possibly do it even better than you,” she said.

Mrs Ellis was chief pilot at Wrightsair from 2009 until 2016, and is now chief pilot of air operations at Spirit Aviation.

Mr Ellis co-founded Outback Spirit Tours, which sold to Journey Beyond last year.

The sale is expected to be finalised by the end of the month.