Criterion Hotel

The Criterion Hotel was constructed c1859-1860 on the corner of East & Roderick Streets, Ipswich. It was just across East Street from the new Court House which had opened in September 1859, and located on what was then the main road to Warwick.

In October of 1860 the Criterion was described as being "in full trade".  It was a new brick building featuring 10 rooms, four cellars, a verandah on 2 sides, with out-houses and stables.  John Scott McDonald (Senior)  had been granted the liquor license the previous month and would remain the licensee for the next couple of years.

In mid1861, the Criterion Hotel was bought by Michael Daisey for £1400. The honeymoon period did not last long however and the hotel was offered for lease with its contents slated for auction multiple times over the following year. McDonald remained licensee throughout this turbulent period. The hotel was a favourite  meeting place for groups such as Freemasons, Independent Order of Oddfellows, Queensland Pastoral & Agricultural Society, and North  Australian Jockey Club.

In December 1888, J. W. Daisey offered the business for sale once again. The hotel soldiered on with licensee Charles Nolan. Less than three years later however, 0n 1 April 1891, the Annual Licensing Meeting decided to close the Criterion Hotel and two others in the area. A local poll held earlier had voted that the Second Resolution of Clause 115 of the Licensing Act of 1885 be reinforced, thus reducing the number of licenses available. The Criterion became a victim of this and by the end of that year the hotel was auctioned by local agents Hughes & Cameron. 

Over the next few years the old hotel rooms were rented by business people and later became a boarding house. In May 1912 the old Criterion Hotel building was demolished to make way for the construction of a new Congregational Church for Ipswich.