The Palace Hotel was erected as a Coffee Palace in 1889 by Hewitt and Smethurst of Melbourne for H.C. Armstrong at a cost of £12,190. The architect was Alfred Dunn from Melbourne who had won a competition for its design. The building proved unprofitable as a coffee palace and became a licensed hotel in 1892. In 1919, the Hotel was sold to the Mine Manager’s Association and used as a returned soldiers home and RSL until 1946 when sold to the S.A. Brewing Company. The building is externally intact with prominent turreted mansard roof and fine two-storey cast iron balustraded verandahs. The interior is notable for its distinctive murals.
(Information supplied by Elizabeth Vines)
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