The Australia Hotel was a hotel on Castlereagh Street, Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. From its opening in 1891 until its closure on 30 June 1971 and subsequent demolition, the hotel was considered "the best-known hotel in Australia",[1] "the premier hotel in Sydney"[2] and described itself as "The Hotel of the Commonwealth".[3] The hotel was situated in one of Sydney's important thoroughfares in the Sydney central business district.
The foundation stone was laid by Sir Henry Parkes in 1889, and the opening of the new establishment was performed two years later by Sarah Bernhardt, whose name was first in the new hotel's register, subsequently displayed in a glass showcase in the main foyer. The Sydney Morning Herald reported "French actress Sarah Bernhardt arrived in Sydney, bringing with her 100 pieces of luggage. As hundreds of fans flooded onto Redfern railway platform as her train approached, she was whisked away from the platform to the Australia Hotel where hundreds more excited fans wanted to catch a glimpse of the glamorous celebrity. Her expensive flower filled 2nd floor suite played host to pets including a large St Bernard, a smaller pug dog, a native bear and several cages containing possums and parrots. Theatergoers, many of whom had paid up to £2 for a seat, were genuinely moved by Mme Bernhardt's performance in Dumas' La Dame aux Camillias at Her Majesty's Theatre. After the show, drama critics called her a 'woman of genius' saying she had held the audience spell bound." Next to the hotel, across Rowe Street, stood the famous Theatre Royal.
The building on the corner to the left is the Commercial Travellers Association & Club Building, and it and the 'modern' twin-wings of the Hotel Australia's Martin Place extension next to it were demolished in 1971-2 to make way for the MLC Centre.
The hotel had a large main entrance on Castlereagh Street in polished granite, the stairs grey and white marble, the doric columns red. The squared columns in the entrance foyer were imported Italian marble, and the magnificent neo-classical staircase which led from the main foyer to the first floor was completely in multi-coloured Carrara marble. From that floor to the 10th a massive carved and highly polished mahoganyVictorian grand staircase, with stained glass windows, led to their rooms those guests, who, in the early days of lifts, still preferred to walk.
The first floor contained a pillared corridor with various reception rooms, in addition to the Winter Garden - "famous for its morning and afternoon teas, light luncheons, and theatre suppers", and the Moorish Lounge, leading to the huge dining room - the Emerald Room, with its highly decorated ceiling some 6.1 metres (20 ft) above the guests, Italian chandeliers, and a dais at the west end containing a white marble operating fountain and other statues, engulfed in palm court style shrubbery.[4]
In the late 1920s an extension was constructed to the north of the main hotel which fronted onto Martin Place. A highlight of this block was its circular art deco black glass staircase.
A small branch of department store David Jones was located in the hotel, which provided goods for visitors, hampers for sending to Great Britain and Australiana souvenirs.
The hotel also contained a number of very fine paintings of Australian scenes including eight watercolours by Gladstone Eyre.[4]
Standards
The hotel boasted international standards of comfort and service. The Australia became "the place to stay and be seen by the upper echelons of society".[5] The hotel remained an oasis for those who scorned modernity and sought the more refined atmosphere of the classic European hotels. Apart from the accommodation for guests, rooms were also provided in the Rowe Street wing for their servants, including the children's nurses, who had their own dining room with their charges. Robert Helpmann had a suite permanently reserved; Marlene Dietrich stayed there several times (thereafter her suite, rooms 707–708, was named after her)[4] and one lady lived there for 31 years.
Notable events
A patron stands on the marble steps of the doomed Hotel Australia. The closure notice is pasted on a column.
Later in 1910 AWA obtained a licence from the Postmaster-General's Department to run telegraphy tests, from the hotel's 6th floor, with ships at sea, on 27 August. It was subsequently permitted to handle commercial traffic in 1911 – the first in Australia.[8]
5 December 1915 a fire broke out at 11.30 am in the north-east corner of the roof and quickly spread, eventually gutting the upper three floors, but without loss of life.[9]
In April 1919 the famous entertainer Sir Harry Lauder was staying at The Australia and giving a luncheon party when he was formally notified that he was to be knighted upon his return to Britain.[10][11]
In January 1941 Cabinet Ministers gave a dinner at The Australia for Robert Menzies who was about to leave for Great Britain.[12]
In April 1949 the hotel had the historic importance of being the venue of the first successful television demonstration in Australia, when the State Governor, Lieutenant-General John Northcott was televised in the hotel's ballroom as he opened the demonstration.[13]
Closure, demolition, heritage
In 1968 the Hotel Australia was purchased by MLC who, amid mounting concerns, announced their intention of refurbishing and maintaining the hotel, one of the city's landmarks. However the following year they announced its impending closure[14] and closed it on 30 June 1971. They demolished it in almost record time, to erect a modern $200 million, 68-storey office block/skyscraper in its place; the MLC Centre.
The Royal Australian Historical Society who fix their famous Green Plaques to historic buildings and sites, placed their 39th plaque on the MLC Centre in memory of the Australia Hotel.
^"Bohemia Up To Date". Freeman's Journal. Vol. LII, no. 3239. New South Wales, Australia. 2 February 1901. p. 11. Retrieved 13 December 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
^"A Wireless Enthusiasts' Institute". The Daily Telegraph. No. 9606. New South Wales, Australia. 12 March 1910. p. 15. Retrieved 13 December 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Big Fire at the Hotel Australia. Exciting Scenes". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 24, 309. New South Wales, Australia. 6 December 1915. p. 10. Retrieved 20 April 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
australia, hotel, hotel, castlereagh, street, sydney, south, wales, australia, from, opening, 1891, until, closure, june, 1971, subsequent, demolition, hotel, considered, best, known, hotel, australia, premier, hotel, sydney, described, itself, hotel, commonwe. The Australia Hotel was a hotel on Castlereagh Street Sydney in New South Wales Australia From its opening in 1891 until its closure on 30 June 1971 and subsequent demolition the hotel was considered the best known hotel in Australia 1 the premier hotel in Sydney 2 and described itself as The Hotel of the Commonwealth 3 The hotel was situated in one of Sydney s important thoroughfares in the Sydney central business district Australia HotelThe Australia Hotel 1932General informationStatusDemolishedTypeHotelAddressCastlereagh StreetTown or citySydneyCountryAustraliaCoordinates33 52 05 S 151 12 35 E 33 86806 S 151 20972 E 33 86806 151 20972 Coordinates 33 52 05 S 151 12 35 E 33 86806 S 151 20972 E 33 86806 151 20972Groundbreaking1889Opened1891Closed30 June 1971 1971 06 30 Demolishedc 1971 c 1972 Contents 1 Opening 2 Architecture 3 Standards 4 Notable events 5 Closure demolition heritage 6 See also 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External linksOpening EditThe foundation stone was laid by Sir Henry Parkes in 1889 and the opening of the new establishment was performed two years later by Sarah Bernhardt whose name was first in the new hotel s register subsequently displayed in a glass showcase in the main foyer The Sydney Morning Herald reported French actress Sarah Bernhardt arrived in Sydney bringing with her 100 pieces of luggage As hundreds of fans flooded onto Redfern railway platform as her train approached she was whisked away from the platform to the Australia Hotel where hundreds more excited fans wanted to catch a glimpse of the glamorous celebrity Her expensive flower filled 2nd floor suite played host to pets including a large St Bernard a smaller pug dog a native bear and several cages containing possums and parrots Theatergoers many of whom had paid up to 2 for a seat were genuinely moved by Mme Bernhardt s performance in Dumas La Dame aux Camillias at Her Majesty s Theatre After the show drama critics called her a woman of genius saying she had held the audience spell bound Next to the hotel across Rowe Street stood the famous Theatre Royal Architecture EditFurther information Architecture of Sydney The building on the corner to the left is the Commercial Travellers Association amp Club Building and it and the modern twin wings of the Hotel Australia s Martin Place extension next to it were demolished in 1971 2 to make way for the MLC Centre The hotel had a large main entrance on Castlereagh Street in polished granite the stairs grey and white marble the doric columns red The squared columns in the entrance foyer were imported Italian marble and the magnificent neo classical staircase which led from the main foyer to the first floor was completely in multi coloured Carrara marble From that floor to the 10th a massive carved and highly polished mahogany Victorian grand staircase with stained glass windows led to their rooms those guests who in the early days of lifts still preferred to walk The first floor contained a pillared corridor with various reception rooms in addition to the Winter Garden famous for its morning and afternoon teas light luncheons and theatre suppers and the Moorish Lounge leading to the huge dining room the Emerald Room with its highly decorated ceiling some 6 1 metres 20 ft above the guests Italian chandeliers and a dais at the west end containing a white marble operating fountain and other statues engulfed in palm court style shrubbery 4 In the late 1920s an extension was constructed to the north of the main hotel which fronted onto Martin Place A highlight of this block was its circular art deco black glass staircase A small branch of department store David Jones was located in the hotel which provided goods for visitors hampers for sending to Great Britain and Australiana souvenirs The hotel also contained a number of very fine paintings of Australian scenes including eight watercolours by Gladstone Eyre 4 Standards EditThe hotel boasted international standards of comfort and service The Australia became the place to stay and be seen by the upper echelons of society 5 The hotel remained an oasis for those who scorned modernity and sought the more refined atmosphere of the classic European hotels Apart from the accommodation for guests rooms were also provided in the Rowe Street wing for their servants including the children s nurses who had their own dining room with their charges Robert Helpmann had a suite permanently reserved Marlene Dietrich stayed there several times thereafter her suite rooms 707 708 was named after her 4 and one lady lived there for 31 years Notable events Edit A patron stands on the marble steps of the doomed Hotel Australia The closure notice is pasted on a column The hotel hosted many famous events On Monday 28 January 1901 the hotel saw the literary Bohemian society of Sydney gather for the send off of Scottish Australian poet and bush balladeer Will H Ogilvie 1869 1963 Those present included painter Julian Ashton writer Barbara Baynton poet Christopher Brennan poet Victor Daley writer Albert Dorrington playwright Alice Eyton sculptor Nelson Illingworth artist Fred Leist poet Louise Mack Mrs Creed singer Eva Mylott poet Banjo Paterson poet and member of parliament Patrick Quinn his brother and poet Roderic Quinn artist Tom Roberts activist Rose Scott artist D H Souter journalist and suffragist Agnes Storrie and writer and critic A G Stephens 6 The hotel was the venue for the first meeting for the establishment of the Wireless Institute of Australia in March 1910 7 Later in 1910 AWA obtained a licence from the Postmaster General s Department to run telegraphy tests from the hotel s 6th floor with ships at sea on 27 August It was subsequently permitted to handle commercial traffic in 1911 the first in Australia 8 5 December 1915 a fire broke out at 11 30 am in the north east corner of the roof and quickly spread eventually gutting the upper three floors but without loss of life 9 In April 1919 the famous entertainer Sir Harry Lauder was staying at The Australia and giving a luncheon party when he was formally notified that he was to be knighted upon his return to Britain 10 11 In January 1941 Cabinet Ministers gave a dinner at The Australia for Robert Menzies who was about to leave for Great Britain 12 In April 1949 the hotel had the historic importance of being the venue of the first successful television demonstration in Australia when the State Governor Lieutenant General John Northcott was televised in the hotel s ballroom as he opened the demonstration 13 Closure demolition heritage EditIn 1968 the Hotel Australia was purchased by MLC who amid mounting concerns announced their intention of refurbishing and maintaining the hotel one of the city s landmarks However the following year they announced its impending closure 14 and closed it on 30 June 1971 They demolished it in almost record time to erect a modern 200 million 68 storey office block skyscraper in its place the MLC Centre The Royal Australian Historical Society who fix their famous Green Plaques to historic buildings and sites placed their 39th plaque on the MLC Centre in memory of the Australia Hotel See also Edit Hotels portalReferences Edit Fire in Hotel Australia Singleton Argus National Library of Australia 18 June 1954 p 4 Retrieved 13 November 2015 Sunday Times Sydney NSW 2 July 1916 p 25 Sydney Harbour Bridge Official Souvenir amp Programme NSW Government Printer 1932 p 128 a b c Auction Catalogue F R Strange Pty Ltd July 1971 pp 24 28 50 Trove Bohemia Up To Date Freeman s Journal Vol LII no 3239 New South Wales Australia 2 February 1901 p 11 Retrieved 13 December 2020 via National Library of Australia A Wireless Enthusiasts Institute The Daily Telegraph No 9606 New South Wales Australia 12 March 1910 p 15 Retrieved 13 December 2020 via National Library of Australia History of broadcasting in Australia Coastal network Tranche 0 Big Fire at the Hotel Australia Exciting Scenes The Sydney Morning Herald No 24 309 New South Wales Australia 6 December 1915 p 10 Retrieved 20 April 2018 via National Library of Australia Newcastle Morning Herald 1st May 1919 p 5 Young Witness Sydney New South Wales Fri 2 May 1919 p 2 The Argus Melbourne Victoria Saturday 25 January 1941 p 17 Television in N S W The West Australian Perth WA 11 April 1949 p 14 Retrieved 13 November 2015 Daily Mirror Sydney Monday 31 March 1969 p 22Further reading EditSydney Harbour Bridge Official Souvenir amp Programme NSW Government Printer 1932 p 128 Ruhen Carl Pub Splendid The Australia Hotel 1891 1971 John Burrell Murray Child Ltd pubs Collaroy N S W 1995 ISBN 0 908048 19 XExternal links Edithttps web archive org web 20070702084549 http www rahs org au GREEN 20PLAQUESdraft pdf Hotel Australia entry at the Dictionary of Sydney Hotel in Grafton Australia Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Australia Hotel amp oldid 1118658751, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
