Our History
The exquisite Heritage Hotel Rockhampton is a hotel with a rich history. It is set in a stately building that combines the best of two architectural eras. It nicely combines the old Federation era architecture and vibe with a decidedly modernised look. Described best as chic and stunning, the hotel is one of a kind in its atmosphere, architecture and service.
The building that houses the Heritage Hotel is a three-story building constructed in 1897, one year before the hotel opened for business. It featured the Federation era architecture that was a mark of that period in the area. The hotel has undergone subsequent renovations over time.
The hotel was founded in 1898 in Rockhampton. It was originally called the Commercial Hotel and Chambers. The hotel was set up and owned by Leah Johnson. Rockhampton was undergoing a period of prosperity commercially during this period. This fact encouraged Leah Johnson to single out Rockhampton as an ideal place to set up a quality hotel.
Leah Johnson was no stranger to the hospitality industry. She had worked in Queensland in the hotel industry for many years before returning to Rockhampton to establish her hotel. From that knowledge, she recognised the need to invest in the architecture of the building. Leah then employed a well-known and highly respected Architect named John William Wilson.
She charged him to create a stunning building for the hotel. As the building was set over the Fitzroy River, she wanted the guests to be able to gaze upon the serene view. She charged William Wilson to include balustrades, railings over the balcony to prevent people from falling over as they looked over the river.
The founder, Leah Johnson, died in 1923. After her death, the hotel was run by successive owners. Sometime in the early 1970s, the hotel’s name changed from Commercial Hotel and Chambers to the Old Colonial Hotel. By the late 1970s, the name was finally changed to the Heritage Hotel.
The building also underwent some renovations along with the name change. For its significance as a landmark on the streets of Rockhampton and its position of ancestral heritage, the hotel was listed on the 21st of October 1922 on the register for Queensland Heritage.
Through 2016 and 2017, the hotel once again went through renovations. However, despite the different renovations carried out on the building, the original Federation era style has been kept intact. Thus, visitors to the hotel can experience the time-portal effect of travelling back in time to the Federation era while also enjoying all the conveniences of a modern building.
In June 2017, we reopened the hotel under the name ‘The Heritage Hotel Rockhampton’.
To learn more about the rich heritage of the Heritage Hotel Rockhampton, you can read up on the article posted by Queensland’s State Library at https://web.archive.org/web/20190314130951/http://blogs.slq.qld.gov.au/jol/2015/11/13/heritage-hotel-old-commercial-hotel-rockhampton/. You can also find more information on the Hotel’s Wikipedia page at https://web.archive.org/web/20190314130951/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heritage_Hotel.