With over 142 Years of History, serving the locals, visitors and military, this historic icon is the longest serving Pub in Townsville. We invite you to witness the transformation of this historically significant Townsville landmark into one of Northern Queensland’s favourite venues.
Exchange Timeline - click a date for information
- 2008
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On the 16th April 2008 Greg Rains & Michael O'Keeffe purchased the Exchange Hotel and are the proud owners of the Hotel to this day.
- 1892
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- Coyle departs to live in Sydney and Jacob Dent takes over as the licensee. He remained at the hotel for fifteen years and it was during his time at the hotel that the balcony with decorative iron balustrade was added to the upper floor
- 1883
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- Thomas Coyle took over the licence and under his management the Hotel attracted a large clientele of sporting identities
- 1881
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- A tragic fire destroys the hotel as fire equipment available at the time was useless against such a blaze. Ball rebuilt the Hotel, it was the first Hotel built from brick and its façade was greatly admired
- 1877
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- O’Neill marries Irish businessman Andrew Ball, discoverer of the site on which Townsville was founded. Andrew Ball renovates the Hotel and extends the yard behind the building by blasting rock away from the hillside
- 1873
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- Rose O’Neill takes over the license for the hotel, improves its reputation and almost doubles its size.
- 1869
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- Korak Wills sells the site on the Strand, building a new Exchange for Elizabeth Poole on Eastern Flinders Street. It was she who built the Exchange Hotel Assembly Rooms next door to the hotel which was thought to be one of the first theatres in Townsville rivalling the Theatre Royal
- 1866
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- The first Exchange in Townsville is built by Edward Head on the Strand
