CLIVE Kitchen is a long way from his Brisbane base in the front bar of Winton's famous North Gregory Hotel but spiritually he's right at home, rubbing shoulders with stock agents and thirsty locals.
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Fast-forward 24 hours and the North Gregory is filling rapidly with 170 guests for the inaugural Vision Splendid dinner, a celebration of all the good things about Winton, and Clive Kitchen looks equally comfortable.
The two nights, each very different, encapsulate Clive’s vision for the North Gregory Hotel.
“It’s about making the North Gregory a ‘destination hotel’ – a place locals feel comfortable going for a beer or a meal and a venue tourists and visitors seek out because of its great reputation for outstanding food and country hospitality,” he says.
The North Gregory was once regarded as one of Australia’s best hotels – a newspaper cutting from the 1950s declaring just that hangs proudly in the front bar.
Back then the hotel, rebuilt for the fourth time in 1955 having been destroyed by fire on three occasions previously, was operated by the council.
It instructed the manager to run the place on “first class lines” - the best food and wine, silver service and excellent accommodation.
“My vision is to restore the hotel to its former glory. We have lots of good ideas and over time we will deliver a great product,” Clive said.
The North Gregory Hotel opened its doors in 1879 and is famous as the location for the first performance of Waltzing Matilda, penned by Banjo Patterson during a stay with the Macpherson family at nearby Dagworth Station.
The hotel’s history is as colourful and dramatic as any in the bush and is told via “story boards” at the front entrance.
One of its most famous visitors, Lydon Johnson – the 36th president of the United States, has a room named in his honour – the LBJ suite.
Johnson stayed at the North Gregory in June 1942 when “Swoose” the USAAF B17 aircraft he was a passenger on crashed at Carisbrooke Station.
Clive Kitchen says this great history helps give the North Gregory an important point of difference and it is also very much a part of the hotel’s future.
Hotels and bottle shops have been a large part of his life for many years. But it’s a coming home of sorts to be involved in a country pub rather than the Sydney and Brisbane hotels he has been connected with previously.
Clive grew up in Narrabri in Northern NSW and says “returning to the bush” via the North Gregory is pretty special.
“I love country values – the people are open and enjoyable to be around.”
“Over time I hope people can appreciate what we are trying to do with the hotel and it helps contribute to the town’s prosperity.”
