The New Royal Hotel is being sold in treasure town Rubyvale, offering an expansion-ready institution in the land of sapphires.
West of Emerald, in Queensland’s central highlands, the Gemfields cover an area of almost 900 square kilometres and are said to be one of the largest sapphire bearing areas in the world, taking in the towns of Rubyvale, Sapphire, Anakie and Willows.
The New Royal is the only pub in Rubyvale, with its mining‑anchored economy and year‑round visitors to its attractions, and the pub is a longstanding social anchor for locals, tourists and fossickers. It has previously won the QHA Award for Best Bush Pub.
Residing on a 4,583sqm corner, it includes public bar with TAB and Keno, bistro, gaming room with fifteen machines, beer garden and drive‑through bottleshop. There are also four self‑contained cabins, additional budget accommodation and an on‑site telecommunications tower.
Separately, there is another 11,500sqm property at 1 Goanna Flats Road, a block away from the Royal. It contains a two‑bedroom residence, storage and staff quarters, for a combined total of around 1.6-Ha across the two titles.
A Development Application has recently been approved for additional accommodation on the surplus land enabling up to 20 caravan sites, providing further capacity for short‑term visitors in a market where sites are often at capacity during peak seasons and major regional events.
Vendors on the sale are Brett and Michelle Walton, who have owned the assets for over four years but need to leave for personal reasons.
“We love the industry, and no matter what the outcome we would love to stay involved in hospitality in some capacity,” says Brett.
The freehold going concern and opportunity are being marketed by Savills’ Leon Alaban and Joseph Ganim in an Expressions of Interest campaign closing Tuesday, 21 April, who note the upside of integrating more accommodation trade into the pub experience.
“Tourism demand in the Gemfields is remarkably resilient, underpinned by sapphire fossicking, heritage attractions and the annual Festival of Gems,” notes Ganim.
Encompassing a strong business and potential, Alaban believes the sale would suit operators with ambition.
“The New Royal Hotel Rubyvale is a quintessential regional asset: it’s the only pub in town, it sits on a high exposure corner and it offers multiple income streams that will provide an incoming purchaser solid investment returns.
“With two titles and significant landholdings, we see compelling opportunities here for both immediate operational upside and longer-term growth.”
