The thriving Brolga Hotel of Coleambally has been sold by successful first-timers to new ambitious first-timers Darren and Nathan Maddison.
Located north of Albury, around 600 kilometres south-west of Sydney, Coleambally is home to around 650 people, and one pub – a classic single-storey brick building in the centre of town.
It provides locals a main bar, ‘Saloon Bar’ lounge, kitchen, dining area, function space, beer garden, gaming room, walk-in bottleshop and plenty of off-street parking. Adjoining the hotel are 13 motel rooms and a manager’s residence, being rented as guest accommodation.
Partners Daniel Griffiths and Morgan Jones took on the operation in 2014, bringing Griffiths’ experience in pubs back in Albury to their first venue. Embracing the town, they more than doubled the Brolga’s revenue.
After five years, they put the pub to market in late 2019. Without a result prior to the pandemic closing every pub, in 2020, it was withdrawn from the market. Strong trading resumed in September, and earlier this year it was listed for sale again.
Father and son Darren and Nathan Maddison hail from Griffith, around 45 minutes’ drive from Coleambally.
They take over a lease on a well-presented pub, with 30 years remaining, and benefit from the ongoing maintenance and capex specified for and performed by the previous tenant.
The Brolga is similarly the Maddison’s first pub, and they will reportedly continue trading in the current form before looking to some minor changes once they settle in, such as extending the bistro and some modernisation.
“Darren is an electrician by trade, so one of the first things they’re going to look at doing is putting solar on the pub, which is a no-brainer these days,” said Griffiths.
The Brolga is around nine kilometres from the Coleambally solar farm.
Sale of the business was through Doug May, of Chapman Gould & May Real Estate, who has transacted the asset several times previously, including selling the lease to Griffiths and Jones. The undisclosed sale price is believed to be one of the largest May has seen for a country lease, and Griffiths said he was happy to sell again through him.
After living the dream for an extra couple of years, the outgoing owners are eager to take a few months off to recharge before considering their next move.
“We’ll wait to see what happens after a break,” adds Griffiths. “We might look at a bigger leasehold, or maybe a freehold, but we would probably need some partners for that.”
