Caledonian Hotel

A hotel had existed on this site since about 1840 beginning with The Home. In 1842 a new timber hotel was erected named the Red Cow. Subsequently the name changed to the Royal Oak, and in 1863 it became the Horse & Jockey. The Caledonian Hotel came into being in 1867 when James Given took over as licensee from William Thompson.  Many more licensees were to follow.

In 1875 Mrs Barbara Given, the licensee, purchased the Caledonian for £565 at auction from the Horton Estate.

Twenty-one years later in 1896 a new 2-storey brick building was erected on the spot. The old building that was "removed"  to make way for the new structure was 54 years old and the first wooden building ever erected in Ipswich. The new hotel was designed by local architect H. E. Wyman with a basement, front and back parlours, bar, dining room, 6 bedrooms on the first floor, coffee room, bathroom, scullery and stable. Hanby & Dangerfield installed the modern plumbing. Alfred Horatio Roberts was licensee at this time. His brother was A. E. Roberts the coachmaker in Gordon Street.

The Caledonian Hotel was remodelled in 1938, and renovated in the Art Deco style. For this major work F. J. Lye was the contractor with George Williams supplying the brickwork, T. A. Rock supplying signs, H. G. Walker installing electrical equipment, Cuthbert & Sons providing plumbing works, Bemi & Russell performing painting and papering, and Arthur Foote Ltd. supplying joinery and fixtures.

For several decades (from 1860s to 1910) the Australian Joint Stock Bank was a near neigbour, located on the corner of Bell Street. Mrs Perry's Boarding House was also close to the Caledonian. In 1950 the Sunshine Cafe was next door and a cake shop conducted by Mrs N. Streiffe was on the other side of the cafe. 

In May 2007 the Caledonian Hotel was bought by Crown Hotel Group for $7.5 million however the pub closed its doors at the end of March 2017.

In 2022 the historic hotel is again operating as a food and drink venue.