History

Kimba Hotel Motel – Established 1924

It was in 1924 when Wally Bache transported the Yeelanna Hotel to Kimba and remained the hotelier until 1926 when the trading hours were 9-6pm. They were the days when a cellar was used to keep the beer and wine at a reasonable drinking temperature. In the early pioneering days patrons would tie up their horses and camels to the verandah posts while they purchased a flagon.

The original stone can still be seen on the corner of High and Cross streets. The hotel was added to over the years and the entire stone building exterior was refurbished and repointed in 1999. The original entrance doors to the bar, were right on the corner of the hotel.

The hotel remained under private ownership until Feb 1950, when the Kimba Progress Association negotiated with the Rositers for the purchase of the hotel lease including plant, furniture and stock. The community investors raised the subscribed capital of 8000 pounds by means of debentures. The freehold of the property for 26500 pounds was finalised in April 1951.

In 2013 the hotel returned to private ownership when Tim Thomson purchased the lease and freehold and changed the name to the Kimba Gateway Hotel.