About Us

In the 1860’s this was the site of a wooden building called Ayres Hotel.  

Later part of what is now the Imperial Hotel, was built for Thomas Mather and was known as Mather’s Hotel.  

The Masonic Lodge started at Inverell in 1876 and held the first meetings in the hotel, where the Imperial  stands today.  

Mather’s Hotel was expanded and became known as the Imperial Hotel in 1889 . At the time it had forty four rooms for rent and was considered the premier hotel in Inverell.

‘In the era when it was built, an important part of the hotel’s clientele consisted of commercial travelers and country people who often stayed in town when they came to shop.  However several VIP’s have also stayed here, including Prime Minister Robert Menzies, politicians Holt, Fadden, Evatt & Caldwell and sport personalities Frank Sedgman and Lew Hoad’ - Source: A Heritage Walk in Inverell.