Karara Tavern and Motel

Save
Share

The Karara Tavern and Motel is the heart of the community, a welcoming place to gather with friends and family for delicious food, a cold beer, and a good visit.

Travellers have received a warm welcome here since the early 1900’s, and that tradition of country hospitality with modern amenities continues to this day.

Established in Karara in the early 1900’s

In the early 1900’s, George Forbes bought the old Karara Hotel on the Canal Creek Goldfield. The shingle roof building was set on Carbean Road and was built to accommodate the gold miners and stage coach travellers. As railway travel became popular and gold hard to find, George decided to build a new hotel near the railway station. People travelling by train would stop at the hotel for drinks while the old steam train took on water.

After World War II, George’s son Roy took over the business with Reggie Booth who ran a store at the end of the hotel. Later, the store closed and Roy took over the whole business. Roy ran the hotel until 1960 when his wife, Elva, was killed in a terrible accident.

The hotel was leased to various owners until it burnt to the ground in 1979. For almost a year, Karara was without a hotel until Roy and his son Russel obtained permission to build a new hotel.

With travel changing from rail to private transport, the new hotel was built at its current position next to the highway. In 1980, the license was transferred to Roy’s son, Russel and the building was renamed the Karara Hotel-Motel.

Peter Raddatz took over the license in 2014 and completely refurbished the facility and all the motel rooms. Now known as Karara Tavern and Motel, the building continues its long history of caring for travellers with homecooked meals, clean, comfortable accommodation, and a fun place to have a drink and catch up with the locals.