NameThe New Royal HotelTypeBuildingHotelDescriptionIn 1872, Robert Martin’s Settlers Arms Hotel burnt down. The vacant site was purchased by Henry Frederick Mood, Coachbuilder and Alderman of Shellharbour, who built the ‘New Royal Hotel’ in 1891.
The ‘New Royal Hotel’ was built of weatherboards and was two-story's high with a corrugated iron roof and stained glass windows. Water to the hotel was supplied from an underground tank.
The first proprietor of the hotel was Mr. William Charles Yell. In 1894 Yell applied for a transfer of license to George Lewis, Sydney, late of Narranderra. Just a few months later, the license was transferred from George Lewis to John Curr.
John Curr eventually owned the hotel (by at least 1911), and Selina Dickson was the proprietress for many years.
The launch of GL Fuller’s coastal steamer the 'SS Dunmore' built for the blue metal trade was celebrated at the opening of the hotel.
By 1920, Edwin Clay owned the hotel. In about 1925, Clay sold the hotel to Henrietta Bush, who renamed it, the 'Ocean Beach Hotel'.
Mrs. Bush purchased another site near the harbour, and built a new hotel on that site in 1929. She transferred the license and name of the ‘Ocean Beach’ to this new site.
The former ‘New Royal Hotel’, like the ‘Settlers Arms’ that came before it, was destroyed by fire in 1931.
‘The large two-storied wooden building in Shellharbour known for many years as the Ocean Beach Hotel under the direction of Mrs. Dixon, was destroyed by fire on Wednesday morning. The wind was blowing a gale at the time from the west. In a terrific roar, the flames went straight into the air and by three o’clock the building was but a heap of ashes with only the chimney standing.’ (Kiama Independent 1 August 1931)