A favourite hotel with the locals has been sold in regional Queensland by leading agency Savills, reflecting the continued appetite for regional hotels in the post-COVID climate.
After an off-market approach by the buyer, the Horse and Jockey Hotel Motel was snapped up, which was the group’s first acquisition in the town, and was sold on behalf of Mr Corks Liquor Group, owner and operator of the property for 26 years.
The Horse and Jockey is well recognised by local patrons and tourists visiting the region and is a multi-faceted business providing all the amenities of a great country hotel. It has income streams
across public bar, bistro, beer garden, gaming room (22 EGMs), TAB and Keno facilities, accommodation and a drive through bottleshop.
The asset, positioned on a 3,503 sq m* site in the heart of Warwick, a block from National Highway 15 and 130km* south-west of Brisbane, has a rich history, burning down in the mid 60’s, before being rebuilt in 1967 to what is there today.
Mr Corks Liquor Group purchased the site in October 1996 from Harry Bath, a famed Australian rugby league player. Bath turned to coaching after his career wound up in 1959 and he spent the next 20 years inspiring success at both club and representative level. He took St George to premierships in 1977 and 1979 and steered Australia to a World Cup victory at home in 1968.
In 1997 Mr Corks Liquor Group conducted major renovations to the main hotel building, converting the former entertainment room into the current gaming room and extending the restaurant by
removing a motel room. During this time, the 10 rooms attached to the main building were completely reinstated, the bar was remodelled, and the interior areas renewed and refurbished. In 2006, there were 22 rooms fully renovated and the gaming room received a further upgrade in 2019.
