Brief History
Circa 1874
The Regatta Hotel is classified by the National Trust of Queensland and was entered in the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992. The Regatta Hotel has also been entered into the Register of the National Estate of Australian Heritage Commission.The Regatta Hotel has been a dominant element within the suburb of Toowong for more than 128 years.The first Regatta Hotel was established in 1874, by a Lawrence Howard Healy, and was a modest single storey wooden affair.
The First Regatta Hotel 1874
An Old 1887 Advertisement
January of 1887, saw the first of many floods pass through the hotel, covering the ground floor, main bar area and submerging the cellar completely. The devastating floods of February, 1893, saw swirling muddy waters invaded the second storey, and again, a fortnight later, the muddy waters returned, only this time a few inches lower. Four months later, major flooding again was to enter the hotel nearly submerging the ground floor.
William Winterford after five years in the old single storey hotel and ten years in his GRAND LADY OF THE RIVER, (also known as the "GRAND OLD LADY OF THE WEST" as up to the late 1800's, Toowong and Indooroopilly were referred to as West Milton), succumbed to the economic depression of the day, giving up his license, no doubt to retire to higher ground in 1897.
The next major flooding occurred in January of 1974, known locally as the Australia Day weekend floods, and again muddy waters entered the hotel engulfing the cellar and the ground floor. 14 lives were lost and some 8,000 households were affected, many homes being totally destroyed. Estimated damage was approximately $200 million in 1974 money values.
1890 Flood
Today flood markers have been erected at the front of the hotel and are a part of the guided historical tours.
At the rear of the hotel, were the Cobb & Co stables and further down holding yards for sheep and cattle for Land's butcher shop. A good, fresh supply of meat for the kitchens and good stabling for the transport of the day was well at hand, for guests and borders.
Sylvan Road 1910
Naming of the Regatta Hotel would appear to come from the rowing regattas held on the river, recorded as early as the mid 1840's. These first recorded regattas were held to celebrate Foundation Day, February 13, 1842 and later Separation Day 10th December 1859. From the early 1860's onwards, competitive rowing boat clubs were formed in Brisbane. It was generally considered at the time 'rowing contributed to the development of characteristics useful in later life'. It was a true British activity.
Spectators Watching the Ladies Four Oared 'Henley on River' 1913
From the 1930's the 'Head of the River' races were held on the Milton and Toowong reaches of the river and the finishing line was opposite Sylvan Road, next to the Regatta Hotel. Rowing regattas on the river were still held in the 1950's with Coronation Drive being closed to traffic while a carnival atmosphere prevailed.
Coronation Drive 1952
The Regatta Hotel hit the headlines in March, 1965 as one of the first sites of feminist insurgency, protesting against the law of the day denighing women entry to the public bar area. On a Wednesday afternoon in March, two women, Merle Thornton and Rosalie Bognor, entered the public bar of the Regatta Hotel and ordered two beers. When they were refused their beers and asked to leave, they promptly chained themselves to the footrail of the bar.
The police were quickly called, as they were breaking the law of the day for being in a public bar. There were 40 or so men in the public bar at the time and several of these bought the two women beers, while their husbands handed out pamphlets highlighting the discrimination Queensland women faced in hotels. When the police arrived and discovered there were no keys to the padlock, bolt cutters had to be found.
The two women entered the public bars of two or more hotels in protest, attracting extensive television, radio and press coverage, but still the law preventing women the right to drink in a public bar let alone enter one was not changed for a few years hence. Women were however, allowed to drink on their own in the so called, ladies lounges of some hotels, where men could only enter if accompanied by a female.
The Regatta Hotel in the 1960's, 70's and 80's became popular among university students, and today past students still return to the hotel, to relive the memories of their social life at the Regatta. During the 1982 Commonwealth Games held in Brisbane, large crowds gathered at the Regatta Hotel to watch the marathon runners rush past. Australia's Robert de Castella took the lead near the rock wall by the Regatta Hotel to the cheering crowd.
The lead changed four more times in a gutsy sprint duel for one more kilometre down Coronation Drive before de Castella claimed the supremacy. 2 hours 9 minutes and 8 seconds later 'Deek' crossed the line ahead of the two Tanzanians, Ikangaa and Shahanga. His time was a new Australian record but 4 seconds short of the Commonwealth record. While in September of 1983 when Australia II won the America's Cup, nearly fourty police, reputedly had to close the surrounding streets to try and control the large crowds of students and patrons alike celebrating this momentous Australian event.
Regatta Hotel 1940
The research of history, for the Regatta Hotel from 1874, the rowing regattas on the Brisbane River from the mid 1840's, the floods dating back to the highest ever recorded at Brisbane in 1841 and the history of Toowong the suburb as early as 1839 have evolved over the past two years into factual and interesting Guided Historical Tours, at the Regatta Hotel.
September 2002 saw the return of the Regattas to the Toowong stretch of the Brisbane River after a long hiatus. The inaugural “RegattaFest” saw thousands once again flock to the river band to watch rowing at its best. In 2002 more than $120 000 was raised for charity on the day. RegattaFest continues to be an annual event.
2003 Regatta gets its own City Cat terminal.
Over the years, the Regatta has had many owners and had taken quite a lot of abuse. It was only in 1981 that the old Hotel finally received its first refurbishment.
Since then, Brisbane has come back to the Regatta in droves, positioning the Hotel as one of Brisbane’s favorite entertainment venues. The Regatta’s spirit has been revived with a fresh new entertainment program including live music, tasty new food menus, from brunch, lunch and dinner; and a continuous string of party events and promotions.
The Regatta Hotel has re-emerged as the Queen of the Brisbane River with a huge beer garden, a themed restaurant, open-planned bar and entertainment areas, and a sleek new cut-away cocktail bar/gaming lounge to replace the basement level that once housed stockmen’s cattle.
The Hotel as we see it now in 2008
Live the Regatta Lifestyle.