Our Story

At the end of June 2017, the last operating pub in Sea Lake closed its doors. Sea Lake had no pub! A magnificent building was left idly boarded up in the middle of the main street of town. Then, word spread in October 2018 that the hotel was going to be auctioned and a group of locals started to have a look around to see what could be done to resurrect the old pub and bring it back to life. Auction was scheduled for November 2018 and the group put their hands in their own pockets to buy back the pub for the community. In the end the group of about 20 locals (mainly local farmers) and ex-pats purchased the hotel at the auction and the Sea Lake Hotel Pty Ltd was formed. As soon as the ink was dry on the purchase contract (within a week) the call went out to the Sea Lake community to join the investors for a working bee to clean the old pub up. Over 80 people turned up with trucks, trailers, tools, brooms and brushes to remove all the rubbish that had built up over the time that it had been left wanting. It was truly an amazing effort. Over the course of a few months more investors came onboard, and the company transferred to a co-operative to accommodate the growing interest. The Sea Lake Hotel Co-Operative Ltd was then created. From purchase it took only 6 months to transform the neglected old building into what we have today. On the 7th of June 2019 the Royal Hotel was proudly re-opened to the public with a grand opening weekend of celebrations.

We are very proud of our business and what it means to the community.