Commercial Hotel, Fremantle

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Commercial Hotel
Commercial Hotel Fremantle.jpg
Commercial Hotel in 2017
Commercial Hotel, Fremantle
Former namesAlbert Hotel, Southern Cross Hotel, Sundancer Backpackers Hostel
General information
Architectural styleInter-War Free Classical style
Address80 High Street
Town or cityFremantle
Country Western Australia
Coordinates 32°03′17″S115°44′43″E / 32.05461°S 115.74537°E / -32.05461; 115.74537 Coordinates: 32°03′17″S115°44′43″E / 32.05461°S 115.74537°E / -32.05461; 115.74537
Completed1840
Renovated1908
Height
ArchitecturalFederation Free Classic
Technical details
Floor count3
Design and construction
ArchitectJohn McNeece
Architecture firmJohn McNeece and son
TypeState Registered Place
Designated1
Part of West End, Fremantle (25225)
Reference no. 921

The Commercial Hotel is a hotel at 80 High Street in Fremantle, Western Australia. [1] The current building is of three storeys in the Federation Free Classic style, and was registered on the Register of the National Estate in 1978. [2] It is now the Sundancers Backpackers Hostel.

Contents

History

In 1840 Captain John Thomas built the Southern Cross Hotel, and his wife managed it while he was away at sea. [1] It was later renamed the Albert Hotel [2] and then later the Commercial Hotel.

In 1891 the publican of the Commercial Hotel was E. Jonas. [3]

The hotel was re-built in 1908, [1] and possibly renovated the same year. [4] At this time, a number of other old buildings in nearby lots were being demolished — a newspaper of 1907 reports that:

Fremantle's "rat castles" and microbe homes are gradually coming down. Some have already been erased, and the "rodents' resort" next the Commercial Hotel is in course of demolition. [5]

Current usage

In about 2000 the hotel was converted into the Sun Dancer Resort backpackers' hostel. [2]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Cernecca, Dario; Harris, Mike; O'Sullivan, Tim; Zagari, Laurie (1981). Hotels: Architecture and Culture, A Building Type (Report).
  2. 1 2 3 "Commercial Hotel". InHerit. Heritage Council of Western Australia . Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  3. "Accident at Fremantle". The West Australian . 7 (1, 698). Western Australia. 10 July 1891. p. 5. Retrieved 17 March 2017 via National Library of Australia.
  4. "The Commercial Hotel". Sunday Times (572). Perth. 20 December 1908. p. 8. Retrieved 17 March 2017 via National Library of Australia.
  5. "Fremantle Fantasies". Truth (207). Perth. 1 June 1907. p. 8 (City Edition). Retrieved 17 March 2017 via National Library of Australia.