Tattersalls Hotel, Townsville, Heritage-listed hotel in Townsville, Queensland, Australia
Tattersalls Hotel is a two-story brick building with timber verandahs decorated with ornate posts on both street sides. Cast iron railings frame the balconies and create a distinctive architectural style typical of late 1800s Queensland hotels.
The site first held the Townsville Boarding House, Cleveland Bay, opened by Hermann de Zoet & Company in 1865. A cyclone destroyed the timber hotel in March 1867; Alexander Mollison rebuilt it within weeks and reopened with a grand ball. James Evans renamed it Tattersall's and added a two-storey imported-brick section on Wickham Street in 1868. The original 1865 hotel was demolished in 1881 and replaced by a two-storey timber and corrugated iron structure.
James Evans renamed the hotel Tattersall's after buying it in the late 1860s, borrowing the name of British sporting clubs tied to horse racing, a sport he was involved in. It was only the second Tattersall's in Queensland, after one established in Adelaide Street, Brisbane, in 1856. The building later became known as Molly Malone's Irish Pub.
This building sits on Flinders Street in Townsville's downtown area and is easy to reach on foot from nearby streets. The surroundings offer flat walkways and parking options for visitors exploring the heritage district.
The cast iron railings display patterns that are uncommon and specific to North Queensland's architectural traditions. These details set the building apart from other heritage structures found throughout the region.
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