Because we have it!
Situated within two kilometres from the CBD on Brisbane’s northside and within walking distance to Suncorp Stadium, the Normanby Hotel is THE destination for locals and visitors.There’s no doubt since its 2003 resurrection, when it was classily renovated and given a much-needed makeover to complement the original structure, the iconic Brisbane Hotel has become even more popular.
Its steaks are legendary and its Sunday sessions second to none, although the focus on this hotel needs to be placed on it’s origins and the reasons leading to its Queensland Heritage Register listing by the National Trust ensuring its here to stay.
The hotel was built on the site of a previous timber and shingle hotel at a cost 4,100 pounds and the architecture represents early Brisbane use of “Queen Anne’’ stylistic elements in commercial design. It’s also one of the few large suburban hotels from the late 19th century horse and buggy era to survive in Brisbane. It’s vast and spacious upstairs design stems back to the fact it originally it featured a number of bars and parlours, dining, drawing and billiard rooms and nine guest rooms.
The first publican was Matthew Burton, who bought the land in 1865 and built the original hotel in 1872 although he died a year later and the property passed to his wife, Elizabeth who would sell the lease and then regain it back some years later. After Elizabeth, the hotel lease changed hands twice before William Valentine took over in 1888 and decided to upgrade the hotel to something more substantial than the timber original, which had been oriented in the opposite direction, northeast towards Kelvin Grove Road. Valentine’s changes were completed in 1889 and opened in 1890. However, Elizabeth Burton regained the lease in 1891 and ran the hotel for a decade before she passed away and her three sons John, Francis and Richard inherited the property as tenants in common.In 1936 the brewers Castlemaine-Perkins Limited, a one-time mortgagor of the property and long term supplier of beer, bought the Normanby for 52,000 pounds. A second building, fronting Kevin Grove road, was added as a new bar in 1937 along with two garages that were later converted to a drive-in bottleshop. The significance of the additions was put to the test in 1999 when part of the hotel was demolished in the name of progress. Urbanisation of Brisbane was in motion and a study, prepared for the Brisbane City Council in 1999, to widen Kelvin Grove Rd, found these additions were of a lesser cultural significance than the main hotel and they were demolished as part of road-widening for the Inner City Bypass and upgrading of the Normanby Fiveways. The Normanby Hotel is historically important as it is one of the last remaining examples of the commercial work of Brisbane architect John Beauchamp Nicholson, in partnership with Alfred Wright.
Today, the Normanby Hotel has a dual entrance although it’s main façade faces Musgrave Rd, in the direction of Suncorp Stadium which is only a kilometre south and it’s easily accessed by car, bus or train.Since 2003, the Normanby has re-established it self as the premier hotel in Brisbane because of a combination of its history, its location and its outstanding service and staff.
We’re proud of it and so is Brisbane.
