Hotel Corones, Charleville

When the Hotel Corones was completed in 1929, it was proclaimed as ‘an outstanding feature in a progressive town’; ‘the best equipped and most up-to-date hotel outside the metropolis’; and was acknowledged as ‘the calling place of all distinguished tourists and travellers.’ The hotel’s owner, Harry Corones exemplified the hard working Greek migrant, who began trade in Charleville as a fruit and vegetable vendor in 1909. In 1912, he became the licensee of the Hotel Charleville, which he operated until 1924, although it was destroyed by fire twice. In 1926 he purchased the Hotel Norman; an 1895 low set timber building. Corones embarked on a long-term building program, creating a new hotel designed by William Hodgen Junior. The first two stages were built in reinforced concrete, around the old hotel, enabling trading to continue. The third stage built in brick included the ballroom. Eventually it occupied almost an entire block of Charleville’s main street. The Hotel Corones flourished as a tourist, pastoralist and commercial traveller’s house and was the entertainment hub of Charleville during WWII. Dances were held every night for the American servicemen who occupied the airfield and hospital. It remains a favourite watering hole in Charleville.