The Empire Hotel, which has been called the "grand old lady" of the West Coast,
[Tourism Tasmania]
empire Hotel
accessed 30 August 2023 is a landmark two-storey heritage listed building located in
Queenstown, Tasmania, Australia. It is located on the corner of
Orr and Driffield Streets, across the road from the
Queenstown railway station of the time. It was still in operation as of August, 2023
Construction was by James Wilson of
Zeehan for the developers Parer and Higgins and it has had several owners during its history. It was subject to annual visits by the Licensing Court, which checked for compliance with the requirements applicable to the interior and exterior of the hotel.
The staircase is National Trust listed.
It is made from
Tasmanian Blackwood. The raw timber was shipped to England, carved and shipped back to Queenstown for installation.
The company Parer & Higgins owned by John Arthur Parer and William Higgins built and licensed The New Empire Hotel to Michael Parer as it was originally known for several years.
It and several other hotels in Queenstown and the surrounding Zeehan district were owned by Parer's including the Imperial Hotel which was owned and licensed to Michael Parer and Smelters Hotel which was owned and licensed to Francis Parer who lived in the
St Kilda Pier Pavilion in Melbourne for decades. Michael's younger brother John Parer owned The Empire Hotel until he sold it in April 1925 to Mr Thomas Cook who had been the licensee for the previous nine years.
The Parer's Michael, Francis and John were part of Parer Bros Pty Ltd., which built and operated hotels, baths and cafes across Tasmania, King Island and Victoria including Parer's Crystal Cafe and Parer Bros on Bourke Street. Michael Parer, after his time in Queenstown, leased The Empire Hotel (originally The Rock) in Hobart then The Parer Hotel, shipped from Tasmania and erected in Currie on King Island. At one time it was his grand plan to operate Empire Hotels across Australia, the Queenstown one being the first.
Michael Parer's second son was
Ray Parer. John Arthur Parer's youngest son was
Damien Parer and his grandson is
David Parer. William Higgins' great granddaughter is
Missy Higgins.
References
{{Commons category, Empire Hotel, Queenstown
Hotel buildings completed in 1901
Buildings and structures in Queenstown, Tasmania
Hotels in Tasmania
Tasmanian Heritage Register
Hotels established in 1901
Australian companies established in 1901
Federation Free Classical architecture in Tasmania