A SIGNIFICANT chapter in the district’s history is up for grabs, with the Merino Hotel going under the hammer next month and there are high hopes for a ‘local’ revival.

The ‘newest’ of Merino’s three hotels – built around 1860 – the premises morphed from a Pony Express depot to a full-time pub, following the closure of the town’s Railway Hotel.

In addition to a six-bedroom manager’s residence and 12-bedroom visitor accommodation, one of the hotel’s biggest drawcards is the 80-seat heritage cinema, complete with ticket box resurrected from the Casterton Railway Station and seating from the Koroit Hall.

“Roy Toohey started the cinema; he was a projectionist and a publican and the last proprietor of the Casterton drive-in,” current owner, Ian Whalley said.

“When the Hamilton Cinema went digital, they gave me the 35-millimetre projector to use here at the hotel.

“We ran the cinema on Friday and Saturday nights for a gold coin donation and some think this is the only hotel – certainly the only one in Victoria – with its own historic cinema.”

Proprietor for the past 15 years, Mr Whalley was unable to continue operating the business due to health reasons, but said he hoped someone would follow in the footsteps of two local farming families who had re-opened the doors for a brief period and a growing trend of community-led pub purchases across the country.

Apsley’s Border Inn was rescued from closure and continues to operate after a co-operative of the district’s farmers pooled their resources to re-open the doors and just last month, the Waubra hotel was re-launched after a decade’s closure, with residents funding the revival.

“There were two local couples who opened the hotel a few years ago and they did a great job with it, but it was just too much when they also had farms,” Mr Whalley said.

“The wave of community purchases of country hotels in rural Australia has quite some momentum now.

“It would be great to see the same thing happen here – locals who know the area and know the business, behind the business.”

Listing agent, Gorman’s Real Estate’s Peter Gorman said the hotel was set on around 4000 square metres and the building itself 118 squares, with many historical features retained and necessary modern upgrades already in place.

“The accommodation area was repainted about five years ago and most of the rooms have the original fireplaces, which are in working order … there are really nice heritage features in the hotel,” Mr Gorman said.

“And all of the bathrooms have been renovated and updated.

“Downstairs, there is an outside courtyard, a main public bar, a lounge and dining area, the commercial kitchen is all stainless steel and fully equipped and the public bar area is all pretty much in working order, someone could go in and start up the pub straight away.

“It’s an ideal location on Merino’s main street – the Portland-Casterton Road - but with an access street, for passing trucks and tourism traffic.”

The Merino Hotel will be auctioned at 10.30am on Saturday, 9 April.

For information or to book an inspection, contact Gorman’s Real Estate on (03) 5581 2131.