The Pineapple Hotel is one of Queensland’s great treasures. Established in 1864, only five years after Queensland became a state, The Pineapple Hotel is the fifth oldest pub in Queensland. Its name stems from the pineapple plantations that dotted the Kangaroo Point area in the mid 1900s. Its unique name and long and colourful history make ‘The Piney’ not only one of Queensland’s oldest pubs but also one of its favourites.
The hotel has had an interesting array of owners and many changes to suit the times, but also managed to retain its individuality. Pat Palmer was one of its more colourful owners. Rumour has it that after a lucky strike in the gold fields, Pat rode his bicycle all the way from Charters Towers, placed a bag of gold on the bar and bought the hotel in 1923. He then renamed it ‘Palmers Hotel.’ Grazier Sid Guthrie bought the hotel in the early 1950s, immediately restoring the original name ‘The Pineapple Hotel.’ The Guthries eventually sold the hotel to Bob and Heather Singleton in 1989.
The Singletons have been gradually restoring the hotel with Tasmanian oak wall panels, brass fittings and leadlight windows. Verandas, one of the original features of the hotel in the early 1990s, have been reinstalled on the exterior of the hotel to restore the sense of history.
While maintaining the charm of the yesteryear, the hotel is also changing with the times. In 2006 the drive-thru bottle shop was removed and the hotel now includes a premium wine store, new bar and dining areas, a glass-house beer garden with air conditioning and children’s playground, all overlooking The Pineapple Park.
The Pineapple Hotel, one of the few remaining family owned and operated pubs in Queensland, proudly continues under the care of the Singleton family, whose hope it is that the hotel remains in their family for generations to come.