Fitzroy Hotel, Merriwa listed

The McGowan family have listed the 1892 Fitzroy Hotel premises in Merriwa with $450,000 hopes.

There have been renovations by the McGowans since they bought the historic upper Hunter Valley pub in 2007 for $430,000.

Having ceased trading in 2007, to reopen the hotel for business the interior will need to be fully renovated.

There are detailed architectural plans available illustrating the potential for two public bars on different levels, a restaurant with indoors and outdoors dining space, along with a function room, games area and beer garden.

The major external renovations were designed by Daryl Jackson Alastair Swayne Architecture, completed on the exterior of the building in 2011.

The property sale includes a current liquor license. It has been listed by Heidi Inder at Rockwall Livestock and Property.

Merriwa is a country town nestled in the Upper Hunter with a population of 2,500. The town was established in 1839 initially servicing the agricultural industries in the area including sheep, cattle, grain and more recently olives, vineyards and herbs.  

Over the last eight years Merriwa has also increasingly becoming a service centre for the many mining companies..

The sandstone hotel was built for James Ell, the then co-owner of The Royal Mail and Passenger coaches which departed from the hotel on a daily basis for Gungal, Muswellbrook and Denman.