14 November 2019

A unique investment opportunity of historic proportions in Gundaroo

| Lisa Herbert
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The Royal Hotel, Gundaroo

Built in the 1830s, The Royal Hotel, Gundaroo is available to purchase. Photo: Supplied.

Nestled in the wine region of the Southern Tablelands, the historic village of Gundaroo is just 29 km from the heart of Canberra, yet seems another world away.

This beautifully preserved village, settled in 1825, boasts a unique facade of heritage buildings, wide, quiet streets and tranquil country surrounds.

Hand-cut timber and open fireplaces

Hand-cut timber and open fireplaces create a wonderful ambience.

The Royal Hotel, Gundaroo was a traveller’s inn from the 1830s and now hosts the award-winning ‘Grazing Restaurant’, and a further two successful enterprises: The Stone Room Function Centre, and Gundog Estate Cork St Cellar.

A unique opportunity now exists to acquire this piece of historic real estate, with all enterprises popular with day-trippers from Canberra and interstate visitors.

Steeped in history with gorgeous stone buildings, and showing excellent commercial returns, there are long-standing leases in place for both tenancies.

The Stone Room

The Stone Room was purpose-built for weddings in 2011.

The hotel building is classified by the National Trust as a ‘building of historic significance’. This colonial construction lay in limbo for many years until May 2003 when current owners Mark and Jennie Mooney re-opened it after extensive and meticulous renovations.

It is an extraordinary building which, with its two-foot thick stone walls, five huge open fireplaces and hand-cut ironbark ceilings and floorboards, provides guests with a fantastic ambience to enjoy award-winning cuisine.

The hotel also has its own stone-walled, brick-floored cellar, great for storing precious wine stock.

The beautiful lawns of The Royal Hotel

Wedding appropriate – the beautiful lawns of The Royal Hotel, Gundaroo.

The Grazing Restaurant’s kitchen has been winning culinary accolades for more than a decade. It’s currently led by talented young Chef Kurt Neumann. Kurt continues Grazing’s tradition and builds on past glories with his own innovative, award-winning menus focused on fresh local produce.

The Royal Hotel/Grazing Restaurant is a perfect location for wedding receptions, with Gundaroo village boasting three historic and picturesque churches. The gorgeous bluestone Catholic Church of St Joseph’s; stately Anglican St Mark’s; and the quaint Uniting/Community Church, a pastoral beauty in the middle of a green field.

Alfresco dining

Steeped in history, an award-winning restaurant with extensive gardens and lawns.

Accommodation for function guests is available at several delightful local establishments including The Nest Gundaroo and The Gundaroo Colonial Inn.

As well as the hotel building, the offered premises include stone stables which were extensively renovated and updated in 2011.

‘The Stables’ have had an interesting history in the life of the Royal Hotel, at one time housing the coaches, horses and drivers for Cobb and Co, when it was the first stop on the Queanbeyan to Sydney route.

Hunter Valley winery Gundog Estate's cellar door

Hunter Valley winery Gundog Estate’s cellar door is housed in the historic stable.

Now the home of Gundog Estate’s Cellar Door (a Pokolbin Winery), where in addition to a range of award-winning wines to taste and purchase, visitors can enjoy locally sourced cured meats and cheeses. And there’s more …

In addition to the historic hotel and stables is the Stone Room, a state-of-the-art, architect-designed facility purpose-built to host weddings and carefully constructed from local fieldstone.

Other architectural features are warm recycled timbers and a white polished concrete floor pressed with Bungendore river pebbles. It is a stunning space.

The Stone Room

The texture and timelessness of stone construction.

The Stone Room is an absolutely magical setting seating up to 150 people. The timeless rock walls and high-pitched, dark timber ceilings reflect the warm glow of candlelight. It provides the perfect ambience for a wedding reception.

The acoustics of the stone are also excellent for live entertainment, and new audio facilities have been installed including amplifier, stereo and wireless microphone.

Pitched ceilings and wooden beams

Pitched ceilings and wooden beams, a beautiful bar.

This commercial property package includes all Grazing Restaurant and Gundog Estate Cellar contents and inventory, also Grazing Restaurant intellectual property and marketing including website, trademarks, social media and client database.

“It is an extremely attractive package allowing the right person to just walk right in,” says listing agent Chris Dixon.

The town of Gundaroo

Thirty-minutes drive from Canberra, and a whole world away is Gundaroo.

Other spectacular extras are the extensive edible gardens in the hotel grounds, featuring an abundant 28 vegetable beds, herb gardens, an orchard and chook house.

There’s an adjoining half-acre of lawn, adorned with weeping willows, perfect for wedding ceremonies and which also provides scope for further development.

The Royal Hotel and Stables Cellar Door structures are on their own half-acre block, with the wedding lawns and gardens on a second half-acre under separate title.

The renovated stables are now fabulous cellar door

The renovated stables are now a fabulous cellar door.

Agent Chris Dixon mentions the adjoining property, “which is also available for purchase, and comprises an extra acre of land, complete with a historic 1860s homestead, perfect for wedding B&B, tourism accommodation, or for further expansion”.

Both the restaurant and cellar door leases are in place to September 2021, with a further 5-year option through to 2026. Income per annum is $176,926 plus GST, and the property at 42 Cork Street, Gundaroo is listed at $2,275,000.

The Royal Hotel is heading towards 200 years of hospitality in this stunning, burgeoning village. Surely she has another 200 in her.

Register your interest now. For a detailed prospectus, contact Christopher Dixon of McGrath Estate Agents Dickson, on 0414 819 377 or visit mcgrath.com.au.

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