SOUTHBANK: Melbourne’s inner city, already set to benefit from the $1.7 billion Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation Project in 2028, will receive another boost to tourism with the announcement that diversified property developer Time & Place, along with joint venture partners MaxCap Group, and Australia’s TFE Hotels, will open a $150m boutique hotel in Southbank in September 2025.
The deal has seen the joint venture partnership, alongside construction and property specialist Hickory, create a unique hotel brand – the Hannah St. Hotel. This new hotel not only aligns with its neighbourhood concept for The Queensbridge Building precinct but delivers an experience that is authentic to Melbourne.
The 188-room boutique hotel, which will be operated by TFE Hotels and will sit under the Collection by TFE Hotels brand, joining the likes of The Calile in Brisbane; a 102-room boutique Collection property currently under construction in Sydney’s Surry Hills; and the $340-million dual hotel project slated for Melbourne’s Docklands in 2026.
L-R: The Queensbridge pool on Level 9 is exclusively available for hotel guests and residents. The Hannah St. Hotel focuses on wellbeing with guests able to access a gym, lap pool, sauna, and wellness room. Download images here.
Hannah St. Hotel – which sits at the nexus joining Melbourne CBD, the Yarra River, South Melbourne, and the Arts Precinct – sits across 10 levels and will feature a neighbourhood bar, restaurant, and rooftop bar/events space. All of this is set to complement The Queensbridge Building which will deliver 367 residential apartments and will feature a series of resident exclusive lush gardens, private rooftop terraces, lap pool, wellness studio, gym, sauna, steam rooms, co-working spaces, providore in the foyer and private dining room to Southbank when it’s completed.
Construction is already underway on the project with completion on track for Q3 2025.
According to Time & Place Director, Tim Price, The Queensbridge Building – references a bygone era of brass, steel, and stone, emulating the postcode’s industrial era. And, in a strong show of strength for Victoria’s creative set, the development’s striking facade was designed in collaboration with Elenberg Fraser, with interiors by the renowned Flack Studios.
“As developers, we want to facilitate the development of legacy projects that invite art, design and culture to influence one another,” Tim said. We envisage the hotel will become ingrained in the cultural fabric of the suburb and form a part of the transformation, coming to life as a ‘neighbourhood hotel’ for locals and visitors alike.”
An artist’s impression of the hotel lobby. Directly aligning with the surrounding Arts Precinct, Hannah St. Hotel is set to exemplify an experience and culture that is quintessentially Melbourne. Download images here.
“As we set out to bring this landmark hotel to The Queensbridge Building, we are looking to bring international influences to Southbank through design and experiences. We anticipate that our hotel will be regarded as the place to stay for anyone in the arts visiting the city.”
“Operating under the Collection by TFE Hotels’ brand was a natural choice for the project, not only are our brand values aligned but TFE Hotels is the perfect operator to bring to a suburb rich in arts and culture as it transitions to a premier lifestyle destination.”
When it comes to their Collection brand, TFE Hotels’ Chief Executive Officer, Antony Ritch, says TFE is 100% focused on partnerships with legacy makers, like Time & Place, who make a wholehearted commitment to the neighbourhood.
“Collection by TFE Hotels really are one-of-a-kind experiences and they take inspiration from local culture and from their surroundings,” he said. “These have a unique model of close owner collaboration, and we are incredibly fortunate to have partnered with Time & Place and MaxCap on a building that will not only become a place maker for Melbourne’s newest lifestyle destination but provide such incredible amenities for the community.”
“What I love about this project is that Hannah St. Hotel will deliver an experience in a neighbourhood that is transforming, thanks to an investment in Australia’s largest cultural infrastructure project, into a truly world-class art precinct,” Ritch said. “Southbank is connected to the best of Melbourne. It has a lot of energy and a real focus on arts, sports, and the outdoors (with 18,000 square metre of additional public gardens set to be delivered) which beautifully complements those iconic Melbourne experiences – shopping, laneways, food, and culture – that we all love so much.”
“And, importantly for us, Hannah St. Hotel is being delivered by Melbourne developers with a long-term commitment to the area.”
Tim Price agrees. “This is a neighbourhood hotel. A building with roots in the community and a place where you’re welcomed in to enjoy the hospitality whether you’re staying short term or you’re a permanent resident. We aren’t developing and leaving, we’ll be in this building long after its doors have opened,” he said.
An onsite ‘Experience Director’ will engage with building residents to create one-off experiences whilst a lap pool for training, large scale gym and a work club complete with sound-proof pod casting rooms which are all easily accessed by hotel guests. Time & Place and Hickory also realised the potential of the Kings Way Overpass urban parklands early on and partnered with Australian Indigenous Artist, Reko Rennie prior to commencing construction on site to activate their own ‘Underpark’ with a temporary basketball court.
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What’s in a name: Hannah St. Hotel cannot be shortened.
Developer: Time & Place
Joint Venture Partners: MaxCap Group and Hickory Group
Architect: Elenberg Fraser
Interior Designer: Flack Studios
Operator: TFE Hotels
Brand: Collection by TFE Hotels
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jodi Clark – TFE Hotels (Director of Communications)
+61 499 900 658 / [email protected]
WHO ARE TFE HOTELS?
TFE Hotels (TOGA Far East Hotels) is Australia’s International Hotel Group – headquartered in Sydney and operating in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Denmark, Hungary, Austria, Singapore, and Switzerland. TFE has a portfolio of seven hotel brands – A by Adina, Adina Hotels, Vibe Hotels, Quincy Hotels, Travelodge Hotels, Rendezvous Hotels and Collection by TFE Hotels which includes The Calile Hotel, The Hotel Britomart, Hotel Kurrajong and The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins, with more in the development pipeline. https://www.tfehotels.com/
TFE Hotels acknowledges the traditional owners of the lands we conduct business upon and pays our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We respect the Country itself, including its trees, animals, spirits, waters, skies, stars, and special sites.
ABOUT COLLECTION BY TFE
The Collection represents beautiful hotels hallmarked by authenticity and provenance, each designed with individual character and charm. With a collection of properties that encompass striking design and attention to the individual such as The Calile Hotel Brisbane, Auckland’s The Hotel Britomart, Melbourne’s The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins and Hotel Kurrajong Canberra. https://collectionbytfehotels.com/
ABOUT TIME & PLACE
Time & Place is a next generation, design-focused developer which has been in operation for 8 years. Established in Melbourne in early 2015 and expanding Into Sydney later that year, Time & Place is known for holistic, considered projects that respond to the needs of the surrounding environment and its inhabitants. Involved in 23 projects totalling $4.1bn and with a rapidly growing pipeline, Time & Place’s work spans residential, commercial, and industrial projects. Having recently acquired sites in Melbourne’s Glen Iris, Southbank and Sydney’s Alexandria, the team has been working diligently to expand into new typologies. Time & Place has also established several successful partnerships, entering into a joint venture with retail giant Woolworths on a site in Glen Iris, collaborating with Hickory on The Queensbridge Building and a mixed-use precinct in Alexandria, and creating the MaxCap Industrial Opportunity Fund (MIOF) in conjunction with MaxCap Group.
HANNAH ST. HOTEL
Hanna is a little street with an unexpectedly long history. Named after Patrick Hanna – an engineer, shipbuilder, and early immigrant from Glasgow who operated a punt across the Yarra – who arrived in Melbourne in 1853. Hanna would have witnessed the extreme transformation of Melbourne that occurred with the discovery of gold. In the 1860s, Melbourne became one of the wealthiest and most populated cities in the British Empire. Hanna ’s punt connected inhabitants from the emerging township of Emerald Hill (South Melbourne) to the bustling docks, warehouses, and marketplaces on the north side of the river. Eventually, this course of travellers entering the city would become the grand avenue known today as Kings Way. What is left of Patrick Hanna is this remnant – a little street that at a forgotten point in time adopted an extra ‘ H’.
ABOUT MAXCAP GROUP
MaxCap Group is one of Australia’s leading Commercial Real Estate investment managers and is an established investment manager for domestic and global institutions with current Funds Under Management and Advice of circa $7.0bn, having invested more than $16bn across more than 650 transactions since inception in 2007.
MaxCap’s Direct Investment team has established an enviable record of success in originating and managing high-yielding investments, particularly in the mid-market joint venture development space. The team is currently managing a diversified portfolio with a total end value of over $5bn, underpinned by partnerships with Australia’s leading private real estate developers.
AUCKLAND: Bringing together the relaxed warmth of kingi and the refined elegance of The Libraries at The Hotel Britomart, kingi Private is a sophisticated private dining room or meeting space that gives Aucklanders and out-of-towners a unique place in which to gather for a feast or to do good business.
Step inside, and you enter a light-filled, brick-lined dining room with echoes of kingi in the expansive raw-edge swamp kauri slab table set beneath a shimmering fish-scale chandelier. A glass-boxed ‘larder kitchen’ gives diners glimpses of chefs preparing seasonal dishes while comfortable padded dining chairs invite guests to settle in for the day or night.
At the north end of the room a wooden sideboard turns out to hide a 65” screen, which rises from the cabinet’s surface to transform the space so that board-style meetings, intimate product launches or special presentations can be held. High-speed internet connectivity and state-of-the-art AV facilities provide everything needed for a workday.
Situated on the ground floor of the heritage Buckland Masonic Building, kingi Private was designed by Cheshire Architects, the minds behind kingi, The Libraries and The Hotel Britomart. The tableware is hand-made by local ceramic artist Rachel Carter, while the dining chairs are sourced from local furniture maker Simon James.
For private dinning Co-founder of kingi Tom Hishon and head chef Uelese Mua have designed a sumptuous five-course tasting menu that reflects the restaurant’s sustainable and seasonal ethos and highlights ingredients from their most cherished producers in new dishes. “We’re going to have some fun in this space and create an interactive experience that will be remembered for all the right reasons,” says Tom.
For meetings, catering options for the space range from breakfasts, lunches and working snacks created by The Hotel Britomart’s culinary team, to the five-course kingi Private tasting menu.
The space was developed in part to meet the needs of hotel guests wanting to host private dinners or events during their stay, and packages combining room reservations and kingi Private bookings for day or evening events will be available through The Hotel Britomart.
Hours | 7am- late for full-day events | 7am-5pm for conferences | 6pm-late for private dining
Capacity | up to 14 guests for a sit-down meal, or 12 for a catered meeting/presentation.
kingi Private is now open for bookings, for seatings from 1 April onwards.
What’s in a name: The Hotel Britomart (name cannot be shortened), kingi (lower case)
Web resolution images saved here: https://thehotelbritomart.smugmug.com/Kingi-Private
High-resolution images for print saved here: https://thehotelbritomart.smugmug.com/Kingi-Private
Website: https://thehotelbritomart.com/kingiprivate-dinning
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Rochelle Gray, Head of Marketing | [email protected] | +64 9 300 9595 ext 7105 | +64 27 2291719
About The Hotel Britomart:
Located in downtown waterfront Auckland’s Britomart precinct. The Hotel Britomart has 99 guest rooms and five luxurious Landing Suites that offer an oasis of calm in the centre of the city. Designed by Cheshire Architects, it is New Zealand’s first 5 Green Star hotel, certified by the NZ Green Building Council. Find out more at thehotelbritomart.com.
About kingi
kingi (short for kingfish) is a restaurant that offers fresh, locally sourced food in thoughtful, approachable ways. Located just steps from The Hotel Britomart lobby on the ground floor of the heritage Masonic Building (which has been refurbished as part of The Hotel Britomart project), kingi introduces guests at the hotel to the city, and welcomes Aucklanders with an easy-going warmth that tells them it’s their place too. Open for everything from early-morning coffee to drinks, snacks, aperitifs and fuller plates at night, kingi also offers The Hotel Britomart guests selected items as a room service menu throughout the day.
About Collection by TFE Hotels
The Hotel Britomart is an affiliate of TFE Hotels under the Collection by TFE Hotels brand. The Collection by TFE Hotels represents beautiful hotels hallmarked by authenticity and provenance, each designed with individual character and charm. With a collection of properties that encompass striking design, customised service and attention to the individual such as The Calile Hotel Brisbane, Melbourne’s The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins and Hotel Kurrajong Canberra. The Hotel Britomart embodies these concepts while remaining proudly a product of its unique location.
AUCKLAND: In the two years since opening on 1 October 2020, The Hotel Britomart has been locally and internationally recognised as a sustainable hospitality success story, winning more than 20 awards for design, architecture, hospitality and sustainability. More than 180,000 people have visited the hotel, its sustainable seafood restaurant kingi and its event spaces, The Libraries, since its opening date.
“We opened our doors two years ago with international borders closed but with strong support from New Zealanders travelling in-between lockdowns,” says General Manager, Clinton Farley. “Today we’re delighted to welcome the world as well, to experience our New Zealand manaakitanga [hospitality]. At our second birthday, I’m extremely proud of what of what our team has achieved. All of them are industry experts, focused on delivering genuine, personalised, curated guest experiences.”
The Hotel Britomart is Aotearoa’s first 5-Green Star hotel, earning the certification from the New Zealand Green Building Council through a careful dedication to using eco-friendly materials, creating healthy interior environments, using minimal resources and managing waste well. In the 2021 year, the hotel was New Zealand’s most awarded, taking home 21 awards, including: — 5 Gold Pins at the Best Design Awards — 3 Property Industry awards — 3 NZIA Architecture awards — 2 NZ Hospitality awards, including Most Sustainable Business — Inclusion on the 2021 Conde Nast international Hot List The opening of The Libraries, in March 2021, was an early milestone.
“There are very few event spaces like The Libraries in Aotearoa – beautifully refurbished heritage spaces that are a celebration of New Zealand art, craftsmanship and design, where world-class food and wine can be enjoyed,” says Clinton.
The release of the hotel’s first Sustainability Report in July 2022 has also been a proud marker in the hotel’s sustainability journey. “We are serious about our sustainability and the report gives the big picture of our ongoing efforts to prioritise people and the planet,” says Clinton. “Every little bit adds up – for example, by choosing recycled PET for the duvet and pillow inners, and mattress toppers and protectors, alongside the organic cotton linen for our hotel beds, more than 36,500 plastic bottles were diverted from landfill.
“Most of all, we’re proud to be New Zealand owned and operated, and to be contributing members of the Britomart downtown community.”
Celebratory thank-you offers for all guests to celebrate and thank guests for two years of support, The Hotel Britomart has two great month-long birthday offers.
For direct bookings, The Hotel Britomart offers 20% off stays of two nights or more until March 2023 with promo code 2BDay, and 20% off accommodation vouchers for the month of October when using the code BDAY22. Terms and conditions apply. They also have an online Spin the Wheel pop-up that gives direct booking guests a chance to add complimentary upgrades to their stay, like breakfast at kingi, late checkout or a bottle of champagne.
New season, new menu: Spring has arrived at kingi, with some beautiful new-season menu refreshes. As the ground warms up, kingi’s menu is full of new season produce; fresh peas and asparagus, and crisp radishes to dunk into a cylinder of herb-rolled fresh cheese.
New seafood additions to the menu include a raw trevally oka in coconut yoghurt, with mango and chilli, created by chef de cuisine Wallace Mua from his Samoan heritage, and delicate butterflied boquerones (fresh anchovies) with stracciatella, spring peas and preserved lemon. The yellow-belly flounder gets a new treatment, pan-fried with almonds, citrus and capers, and there’s a refreshed wine menu that hints at the fun months ahead.
What’s in a name: The Hotel Britomart (name cannot be shortened)
High-resolution images: Download here.
Website: https://thehotelbritomart.com/
Sustainability: https://thehotelbritomart.com/sustainable/
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Rochelle Gray, Head of Marketing
+64 9 300 9595 ext 7105 / [email protected]
About The Hotel Britomart
Located in downtown waterfront Auckland’s Britomart precinct. The Hotel Britomart has 99 guest rooms and five luxurious Landing Suites that offer an oasis of calm in the centre of the city. Designed by Cheshire Architects, it is New Zealand’s first 5 Green Star hotel, certified by the NZ Green Building Council. Find out more at thehotelbritomart.com.
About kingi
kingi (short for kingfish) is a restaurant that offers fresh, locally sourced food in thoughtful, approachable ways. Located just steps from The Hotel Britomart lobby on the ground floor of the heritage Masonic Building (which has been refurbished as part of The Hotel Britomart project), kingi introduces guests at the hotel to the city, and welcomes Aucklanders with an easy-going warmth that tells them it’s their place too. Open for everything from early-morning coffee to drinks, snacks, aperitifs, and fuller plates at night, kingi also offers The Hotel Britomart guests selected items as a room service menu throughout the day.
About Collection by TFE Hotels
The Hotel Britomart is an affiliate of TFE Hotels under the Collection by TFE Hotels brand. The Collection by TFE Hotels represents beautiful hotels hallmarked by authenticity and provenance, each designed with individual character and charm. With a collection of properties that encompass striking design, customised service and attention to the individual such as The Calile Hotel Brisbane, Melbourne’s The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins and Hotel Kurrajong Canberra. The Hotel Britomart embodies these concepts while remaining proudly a product of its unique location.
MELBOURNE: Local developer and hotel owner Capital Alliance, in partnership with Australia’s International Hotel Group, TFE Hotels, has announced a first-of-its-kind mixed-use development in Melbourne Docklands, featuring two world class local hotel brands.
Capital Alliance’s two-tower project was designed locally by SJB and will serve as a place maker for Melbourne. The $340M project will feature the largest rooftop infinity pool in Australia and the first purpose-built Collection by TFE Hotels and A by Adina properties in Melbourne.
A 1000-pax capacity event conference centre, located on a sky bridge that connects the two accommodation towers, rounds out the offering. With spectacular 360-degree views of the city, the centre will add another dimension to Melbourne’s high-end conferencing options.
SJB Founding Director, Michael Bialek, said Capital Alliance’s latest Docklands project, which is set to open in 2026, would become an architectural landmark on the Melbourne skyline.
“Our design inspiration was drawn from natural elements such as sculpted landscape forms and the proximity to the Yarra River,” he said. “We have also blurred the division between inside and outside to maximise daylight and those all-important city skyline and uninterrupted water views.”
A fact not lost on TFE Hotels, who has built a reputation for delivering one-of-a-kind hotels that draw inspiration from local culture and surrounds. The 200-key, yet-to-be-named Collection hotel will join the ranks of other purpose-built Collection by TFE Hotels properties – including The Calile in Brisbane, Auckland’s The Hotel Britomart and the new Surry Hills collection property currently under development in Sydney – in delivering personalised service and bespoke hospitality experiences.
Complementing this offering, the 105-key premium A by Adina hotel – the first of the brand to launch in Victoria following the opening of flagship hotels in Sydney and Canberra in 2021 – will deliver a perfectly suited balance between a hotel and a private city apartment.
This project is the fourth mixed-use hotel development for Capital Alliance who have invested close to a decade in Docklands and the surrounding precinct, with multiple other developments completed.
Capital Alliance CEO, Mohan Du, said that after eight years of developing in the Docklands, he was on to his last parcel site in the Docklands precinct.
“As the saying goes, you save the best for last and these one-of-a-kind hotels will be uniquely different to other accommodation offerings in Melbourne,” he said. “I know when we welcome guests and the public in 2026, we’ll be able to proudly showcase the legacy we’ve left behind with tremendous pride.”
Mohan said Capital Alliance was doubling down their exposure to hotels because he believed there will be continued demand for purpose-built hotel offerings.
“Our partnership with TFE was born and galvanised during the uncertainty of the pandemic. It may sound cliche to say, but there are two things we’re certain of, developing a hotel is incredibly challenging and we have unparalleled confidence in our ability to deliver a world class establishment alongside TFE.”
Guests can expect to see Capital Alliance’s signature statements throughout the building and a level of quality that is stamped across their entire portfolio of properties.
TFE Hotels Group COO, Chris Sedgwick, said Melbourne was one of the world’s great cities and he was excited about its future.
“Each of our one-of-a-kind Collection hotels has a distinct story and, together with A by Adina’s brand premise around hotel living, offer guest experiences that are unique to their neighbourhood.” he said. “It’s therefore incredibly important to TFE and our brands that, when we are looking for opportunities to partner, we seek out legacy makers, who have a passion and a genuine connection to the places they operate in – we believe we’ve found that in Mo and Capital Alliance.”
“We love that Mo had a vision for Melbourne’s burgeoning Docklands area and that he and the Capital Alliance team have spent the last decade investing in and realising that vision,” he said. “And we’re thrilled to partner with them on this next phase of development.”
Chris said when it came to TFE’s hotel development pipeline, the Sydney-based hotel management company was immensely proud to work with partners, like Capital Alliance, in creating showpiece properties where hotel guests were fully immersed in the local neighbourhood.
“For us, that journey starts with today’s announcement, and we are very much looking forward to breaking ground early next year.”
The site is located on 28-38 Pearl River Road, Docklands and will also feature a day spa, retail shopping, and restaurant offerings.
MORE ABOUT THE HOTEL:
Developer/Owner: Capital Alliance
Operator: TFE Hotels
Architects/Interiors: SJB
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Stacey Pinchbeck – Capital Alliance PR Representative
0412 362 555 /stacey@flourishpr.com
Jodi Clark – TFE Hotels (Director of Communications)
+61 499 900 658 / [email protected]
RENDERS:
High Res renders are available for download here.
WHAT’S IN A NAME:
The correct brand names for the as-yet-to-be-named hotels are A by Adina and Collection by TFE Hotels. A by Adina cannot be shortened. Collection by TFE Hotels can be shortened to ‘Collection’ after first use. Please use TFE Hotels not TOGA Far East.
CAPITAL ALLIANCE:
Founded in 2012, Capital Alliance is a Melbourne-based property development and investment company with diversified holdings across property, hospitality, and IT. With a specialty in State significant urban renewal mixed-use projects, Capital Alliance have delivered $1.48bn in assets to date and have a future pipeline of a further $1.5bn to be delivered within the next 10 years.
CEO Mohan Du takes property development to a new level through forward thinking design and placemaking whilst being globally inspired and internationally connected. In the last twelve (12) months, Capital Alliance have delivered and opened Marriott International’s first purpose-built 5-star Marriott hotel in 26 years, together with Australia’s first AC Hotel by Marriott, bringing more culture to the Melbourne landscape –during a global pandemic.
For more information on Capital Alliance visit: https://www.capitalalliance.com.au/
WHO ARE TFE HOTELS?
TFE Hotels (TOGA Far East Hotels) is Australia’s International Hotel Group – headquartered in Sydney and operating in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Denmark, Hungary, Austria, Singapore… and opening in Switzerland in 2023. TFE has a portfolio of seven hotel brands – A by Adina, Adina Hotels, Vibe Hotels, Quincy Hotels, Travelodge Hotels, Rendezvous Hotels and Collection by TFE Hotels which includes The Calile Hotel, The Hotel Britomart, Hotel Kurrajong and The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins, with more in the development pipeline.
COLLECTION BY TFE HOTELS:
Collection by TFE Hotels represent beautiful hotels hallmarked by authenticity and provenance, each designed with individual character and charm. With a collection of properties that encompass striking design and attention to the individual such as The Calile Hotel Brisbane, The Hotel Britomart in Auckland, Melbourne’s The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins, and Hotel Kurrajong Canberra.
A BY ADINA:
While every A by Adina location has been thoughtfully chosen to blend seamlessly within its surroundings, there’s always a contemporary Australian twist at the heart of every stay. Here, architectural finishes meet thoughtfully designed interiors. Team members are known as Curators, treating each guest visit as another opportunity to surprise and delight.
CANBERRA: Australia’s 16th Prime Minister, Ben Chifley, is the man credited with giving Australia the Snowy Mountain Hydro Electric Scheme; establishing QANTAS, the Australian National University, and the CSIRO; and assisting General Motors Holden to build Australia’s first iconic Holden Car.
Perhaps not as widely known, is Chifley’s Government was instrumental in establishing the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) at the start of the Cold War, and in giving Australia a domestic airline carrier in the (now defunct) Trans Australian Airline.
It’s fair to say Ben Chifley was a man who made his mark. And whilst a stay at the Hotel Kurrajong in Canberra has always offered a brief glimpse into Chifley’s world – ‘Chif’ himself was a resident of the hotel for 11 years refusing to let taxpayers fund him to stay at The Lodge – history buffs now have a chance to retrace the footsteps of the man who was instrumental in shaping the development of Canberra and Australia.
Chifley’s Walk, which launches this Friday, July 22, is the brainchild of teams from Museum of Australian Democracy (MoAD) and the Hotel Kurrajong, and the perfect accompaniment for those who’ve sampled a Benny’s Double in Chifley’s Bar & Grill or spent a night in the hotel’s carefully curated ‘Chifley Room’ in Canberra.
The 45-minute tour starts with a 750m stroll retracing the footsteps of then Treasurer Ben Chifley and his PM, John Curtin, as they walked from the hotel to Parliament House each day – a habit that was captured by photographer Don Stephens in 1945 and immortalised in bronze by sculpture Peter Corlett in 2011. When Curtin died, Chifley continued the tradition.
MoAD’s Andrea Garcia explains that Chifley’s Walk allows visitors to deepen their understanding of Old Parliament House by exploring the places where important decisions were made – King’s Hall, the House of Representatives and the Prime Minister’s Office – and key events that took place in the context of the 16th Prime Minister of Australia.
“The synergy between Hotel Kurrajong and Old Parliament House helped inspire the walk,” she said. “Hotel Kurrajong first opened in 1926 and Old Parliament House in 1927 – both were designed by John Smith Murdoch providing a residence and a working place to Members of Parliament in the nation’s capital.”
Did you know that Chifley was the only Australian PM to qualify as a train driver? Or that he died whilst he was Leader of the Opposition? Guests are warned to expect engaging and, at times, rather entertaining commentary.
“History well and truly comes to life as we retrace the well-worn path that Ben Chifley walked during the 11 years he resided at Hotel Kurrajong, including the time he served as Prime Minister, and the route other parliamentarians have since followed during the 61 years Old Parliament House housed the Parliament,” Andrea said.
Available exclusively for guests of Hotel Kurrajong for a nominal $20 fee for adults and included as part of the hotel’s Chifley Experience package, the experience offers rare insight into the man behind the PM, and the institution that shaped the man he was. Chifley’s Walk runs every Monday to Sunday at 10am. Book via the hotel’s website. #chifleyswalk
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jodi Clark – TFE Hotels (Director of Communications)
+61 499 900 658 / [email protected]
IMAGES
Image Credit: Sydney Morning Herald. Chif’s morning walk.
• Historical Images of Curtin and Chifley must be credited as per the captions.
• Historical images available on request. Current Day Images of Hotel Kurrajong.
ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIAN DEMOCRACY AT OLD PARLIAMENT HOUSE
The Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House is a living museum of social and political history, located in a nationally listed heritage building in Parkes, Canberra. The Museum helps people to understand Australia’s social and political history by interpreting the past and present and exploring the future. They achieve this by:
• Bringing alive the importance of Parliament in the lives of Australians;
• Interpreting, conserving, and presenting the building and our collections;
• Providing entertaining and educational public programs; and
• Providing a range of other services that enhance the visitor experience.
ABOUT COLLECTION BY TFE HOTELS
The Collection represents beautiful hotels hallmarked by authenticity and provenance, each designed with individual character and charm. With a collection of properties that encompass striking design and attention to the individual such as The Calile Hotel Brisbane, Melbourne’s The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins, and Hotel Kurrajong Canberra. The Hotel Britomart embodies these concepts while remaining proudly a product of its unique location.
WHO ARE TFE HOTELS?
TFE Hotels (TOGA Far East Hotels) is Australia’s International Hotel Group – headquartered in Sydney and operating in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Denmark, Hungary, Austria, Singapore… and opening in Switzerland in 2023. TFE has a portfolio of seven hotel brands – A by Adina, Adina Hotels, Vibe Hotels, Quincy Hotels, Travelodge Hotels, Rendezvous Hotels and Collection by TFE Hotels which includes The Calile Hotel, The Hotel Britomart, Hotel Kurrajong and The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins, with more in the development pipeline.