Aurora Hotel
The Black Eagle hotel was licensed on the site at the corner of Pirie Street and Hindmarsh Square from 1859. It was built for Benjamin Da Costa. Later, the hotel was known as the Marquis of Queensbury and then from 1894 as the Aurora. The painter Hans Heysen was a regular visitor in the 1900’s and his paintings could be seen there. The hotel had a long association with German migrants, who were also members of the German Club and Bethlehem Lutheran Church.
When the hotel was proposed for heritage protection n 1982, the Adelaide City Council declined to approve the listing as development plans for the site, which the Council had purchased, were already underway. The plans to redevelop the site of the Aurora Hotel and the ultimate demolition of the hotel in 1983 created one of the most highly contested heritage debates of the 1980’s. The campaign to save the hotel was ultimately unsuccessful and a new low-rise office tower was erected on the site.
The case of the Aurora Hotel is well documented in Dr Sharon Mosler’s Heritage Politics in Adelaide which is available as an e-book.
Current status and listings
Love this place!
(4 votes, average: 1.00 out of 1)
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This hotel was owned for some time by my uncle Percy Barnes during the 1950s.I came onto this site hoping to see a photo of the old hotel.
Hi Robert, there is a photo here:
http://indaily.com.au/design/2014/06/04/losing-adelaides-architectural-heritage/
I found this Adelaide City Heritage page when I was searching for the address of this building.
A Walker & Hall silver plated tea service from the Aurora, from a time when silver plate was commonplace in cafes, restaurants and dining rooms. Today we have disposable cups maybe symbolic of the throwaway nature of the buildings they housed in.
Attached image:
1859 my GGfather Carl Gors was the Publican. I am trying to find a photo/pic of him or any information
Hi Val, thanks for getting in touch. We have emailed some links about Mr. Gors that may be of interest to you.
I have a wooden coat hanger with Aurora Hotel 1955 printed on it. A search located this hotel in Adelaide. I am based in Perth so it seems likely the hanger was from the Aurora Hotel in Adelaide.
What an interesting find – could you post a photo of the hanger?