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City of Greater Bendigo, Heritage Policy Citations Project Lovell Chen, 2010 

Name Marong Family Hotel Reference in 1998 

Marong Study 

Address 26 High Street (Calder 

Highway), at Adams Street, 

Marong 

M5 

Map reference VicRoads 626 B/C 10 

Building type Hotel Survey date July 2010 (external 

inspection only) 

Date of 

construction 

1917 (rebuilt) Recommendation Include in the Schedule 

to the Heritage Overlay 

Significance The Marong Family Hotel is of local historical, social and aesthetic/architectural 

significance. 

Left: Marong Hotel, looking north-east, 1986 (Source: State Library of Victoria, jc011775). Right: 

The Marong Family Hotel (2010), looking north-east, with Adams Street (Calder Highway) at right. 

Left: Rear view. Right: Rebuilt verandah. 

Left: Aerial view, 2010 (Source: City of Greater Bendigo). Right: Proposed Heritage Overlay map, 

with the subject site designated MO5. 

Intactness � Good Fair Poor 

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History 

The Marong area was squatted from the mid-1840s 1 and used as a gold washing site and 

commissioner’s camp from 1852, when the water gave out at Bendigo. 2 By 1861 there were 36 

dwellings at Marong, of which 20 had more than two rooms, eight were of canvas and seven of slabs 

or mud. The majority of residents were farmers. 3 In 1865, Marong was described as a ‘small hamlet’ 

with a population of ‘about 50 persons’. 4 By then a hotel, the Marong, was also operating in the 

nascent township. 5 By 1867, the premises were conducted by William Lanaby. 6 The hotel burnt down 

in 1917, and the present structure was rebuilt on the same site, opposite Marong Shire Hall (built 

1908). A small component of the old hotel is understood to remain at the rear of the present 

building. 7 Some early licencees of the rebuilt hotel were Alan Hollingworth, Edward Tresize and Arnold 

(‘Barney’) Treweek, who had the licence from 1938 to 1949. 

Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes 

Victoria’s themes and sub-themes: 

� 5.6: Entertaining and socialising 

� 5.8: Working 

Description & Integrity 

The Marong Family Hotel is located at the north-east corner of Adams Street (Calder Highway) and 

High Street (Alternative Calder Highway) in the Marong town centre, opposite Marong Shire Hall. It is 

a large, single-storey Federation-era structure of brick and stucco, with a horizontal massing. The 

hotel addresses both Adams Street to the south and High Street to the west, with a corner splay. The 

moulded parapet is prominent and ornamented, comprising finials and semicircular pediments with 

rising sun ornamentation in cast cement giving emphasis to the corner and ends of each street 

elevation. As built, sash windows to the south and west elevations were located between bands of 

render at dado height and surrounding the window tops. The windows to the west elevation and the 

westernmost window to the south elevation retain this form, with recessed moulded sills. Other 

window openings to the south elevation have been dropped almost to ground level and have plate 

glass windows, embossed with the ‘mfh’ logo. Original door openings to the south and west elevations 

also have render surrounds. The hipped roof form of the main hotel is clad with corrugated sheet 

steel, and falls to a central valley, oriented east-west. There are three rendered brick chimneys. 

Since the 1990s the black tuckpointed red brick walls have been overpainted (pale/cream) to the 

south and west, and the timber post-supported verandah, including corner gable, re-roofed. The 

verandah has a ladder frame frieze. The rear (north) wall of the hotel is exposed brick. The opensided 

gabled shelter to the rear (beer) garden also appears to be recent. There is no evidence of 

former stables (presumed to have been demolished). The internal public spaces have been altered 

and reconfigured. 

Although beyond the site boundary, the horse trough (donated bv Anni and George Bill) and palm 

trees to the south contribute to the hotel’s streetscape presence. 

The Marong Family Hotel appears to be in sound condition. 

Comparative Analysis 

The Marong Family Hotel, although built in 1917 on the site of its fire-damaged predecessor, is 

essentially Victorian in detail and form. With its moulded parapet, corner siting, and low, spreading 

proportions, it parallels a number of other single-storeyed former hotels in the former Rural City of 

Marong. These include the former Weighbridge Hotel in Kangaroo Flat, the former Royal Hotel at 

Woodvale (also rebuilt in the early twentieth century following a fire), and the former Camp Hotel on 

the Neilborough-Eaglehawk Road in the Whipstick. Of these, the Marong Family Hotel is an exception 

in being operational. More generally, the low proportions and spreading street frontage typify Central 

Victorian hotels and shop buildings in the Loddon Valley and elsewhere, especially on flat sites. They 

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differ from proportionally similar single-storey hotels in for example, Victoria’s Western District in 

having parapet frontages. 

Assessment Against Criteria 

Amended Heritage Victoria Criteria 

Criterion A: Importance to the course, or pattern, of the City of Greater Bendigo’s cultural history. 

The Marong Family Hotel, built in 1917, is of historical significance. The first hotel on this prominent 

site, at the north-east corner of Adams Street and High Street in Marong town centre, was built in the 

1860s. The present hotel, built following a fire to its predecessor, has been an operating hotel and 

venue for community recreation and entertainment since 1917. It is believed that there are elements 

of the former hotel at the rear. The new hotel was built shortly after Marong replaced Lockwood North 

as the municipal centre of the former Shire of Marong and can be seen as reflecting the confidence of 

the town at the time. 

Criterion B: Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the City of Greater Bendigo’s 

cultural history. 

N/A 

Criterion C: Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of the City of 

Greater Bendigo’s cultural history. 

N/A 

Criterion D: Importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural places or 

objects. 

N/A 

Criterion E: Importance in exhibiting particular aesthetic characteristics in the context of the 

municipality. 

The Marong Family Hotel, built in 1917, is of aesthetic/architectural significance. Although built in the 

Federation period, and substantially intact to that date, it is essentially Victorian in form and 

proportions. In its moulded parapet, and low, spreading proportions, it parallels a number of other 

single-storeyed former hotels in the former Rural City of Marong, including the former Weighbridge 

Hotel in Kangaroo Flat, the former Royal Hotel at Woodvale (also rebuilt in the early twentieth century 

following a fire), and the former Camp Hotel on the Neilborough-Eaglehawk Road in the Whipstick. 

The prominent and ornamented parapet, including finials and semicircular pediments with rising sun 

ornamentation in cast cement, which give emphasis to the corner and ends of each street elevation, is 

a distinguishing element of the Marong Family Hotel. Recent works, including dropped windows and 

overpainting, have not significantly diminished its capacity to demonstrate the original design intent. 

The hotel is also a prominent element of the streetscape, being located at the town’s principal 

intersection, and opposite the former Shire of Marong hall. 

Criterion F: Importance in demonstrating a high degree of creative or technical achievement at a 

particular period. 

N/A 

Criterion G: Strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, 

cultural or spiritual reasons. This includes the significance of the place to Indigenous peoples as part 

of their continuing and developing cultural traditions. 

The Marong Family Hotel is of local social significance. It is a hotel which has operated continuously 

since 1917, on the site of an even earlier hotel, and as such has been a valued focus of local 

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community recreation and entertainment for many decades. Its prominent corner location, in the 

centre of town, enhances this aspect of significance. 

Criterion H: Special association with life or works of a person, or group of persons, of importance in 

the City of Greater Bendigo’s history. 

N/A 

Statement of Significance 

What is significant? 

The Marong Family Hotel was built in 1917 at the north-east corner of Adams and High streets in the 

Marong town centre. It replaced an earlier hotel on the site which was burnt down in 1917. The 

building is a large, single-storey Federation-era structure of brick and stucco, with a horizontal 

massing and low, spreading proportions. The hotel addresses both Adams Street to the south and 

High Street to the west, with a corner splay and prominent and ornamented moulded parapet. The 

sash windows to the west elevation and the westernmost window to the south elevation retain their 

original form, while other window openings to the south elevation have been dropped almost to 

ground level and have had plate glass added. Original door openings to the south and west elevations 

also have render surrounds. The hipped roof form of the main hotel is clad with corrugated sheet 

steel, and falls to a central valley; there are three rendered brick chimneys. The timber postsupported 

verandah has a ladder frame frieze. The brick walls have been overpainted to the south 

and west, while the rear (north) wall of the hotel is exposed brick. 

How is it significant? 

The Marong Family Hotel is of local historical, social and aesthetic/architectural significance. 

Why is it significant? 

The Marong Family Hotel is historically significant (Criterion A) for occupying the site of the earlier 

1860s hotel on this prominent location, and for replacing this building, following a fire, in 1917. It has 

since that time operated as a hotel and venue for community recreation and entertainment. The 

current hotel was also built shortly after Marong replaced Lockwood North as the municipal centre of 

the former Shire of Marong and can be seen as reflecting the confidence of the town at the time. The 

Marong Family Hotel is of local social significance (Criterion G), as a hotel which has operated 

continuously since 1917 and as such has been a valued focus of local community recreation and 

entertainment for many decades; this role is enhanced by its prominent corner location in the centre 

of town. 

The Marong Family Hotel is also of aesthetic/architectural significance (Criterion E). Although built in 

the Federation period, and substantially intact to that date, it is essentially Victorian in form and 

proportions. In its moulded parapet, and low, spreading proportions, it parallels a number of other 

single-storeyed former hotels in the former Rural City of Marong. The prominent and ornamented 

parapet, including finials and semicircular pediments with rising sun ornamentation in cast cement, 

which give emphasis to the corner and ends of each street elevation, is a distinguishing element of the 

Marong Family Hotel. The hotel is also a prominent element of the streetscape, being located at the 

town’s principal intersection, and opposite the former Shire of Marong hall. 

Recommendations 

The property is recommended for inclusion in the Schedule to the Greater Bendigo Heritage Overlay. 

The recommended extent of Overlay coverage is indicated in the above map. The focus of significance 

is on the main historic building component, and its corner presentation. The elements on the north 

side of the hotel, including the open-sided gabled shelter, are not significant. In preference, the 

external paint treatment should be removed, and the original facebrick presentation of the building 

reinstated. 

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External Paint Colours No 

Internal Alterations Controls No 

Tree Controls No 

Outbuildings and fences exemptions No 

Victorian Heritage Register No 

Prohibited uses may be permitted No 

Incorporated plan No 

Aboriginal heritage place No 

Identified By 

Andrew Ward, 1998. 

References 

Mike Butcher and Gill Flanders, Bendigo Historic Buildings, National Trust of Australia (Vic), 1987. 

Ruth Hopkins, Moving Forward Looking Back, Shire of Marong, 1985. 

David Horsfall, Kangaroo Flat, A History, Gold, Goats and Peppercorns, Back To Committee, 1993. 

Andrew Ward et al, City of Greater Bendigo Heritage Study (Marong) Study Area, Stage 2, 1998. 

Specific: 

1 

Ken Arnold, Bendigo its Environs, The Way it Was, Volume 1, Crown Castleton Publishers, 

2003, p. 123. 

2 

Andrew Ward, City of Greater Bendigo (Marong District) Heritage Study (Stage One Report), 

unpaginated. 

3 

Ruth Hopkins, Moving Forward, Looking Back, The History of the Marong Shire, Shire of 

Marong, 1985, p. 13. 

4 

F F Bailliere, in the Victorian Gazetteer and Road Guide, 1865, p. 238. 

5 

F F Bailliere, in the Victorian Gazetteer and Road Guide, 1865, p. 238. 

6 

‘Marong hotel’ citation, Andrew Ward et al, City of Greater Bendigo Heritage Study (Marong) 

Study Area, Stage 2, 1998. Source uncited. 

7 ‘ 

Marong hotel’ citation, Andrew Ward et al, City of Greater Bendigo Heritage Study (Marong) 

Study Area, Stage 2, 1998. Source uncited, possibly pers comm., Jean Thomas interview with 

Ray Wallace (historian), 11 March1999. 

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