Exchange Hotel

The Exchange Hotel (known to locals as the “Top Pub”) was built by John Bond on the corner of Twelfth St and North Terrace, a large building with a bar at the corner entrance and a series of rooms, some with fireplaces extending westwards to form an internal quadrangle.

It comprised four quarter acre blocks of land with a stone wall around the two internal sides, with stabling backing onto the wall on the western side. Along the southern wall the restoration group volunteers uncovered a baking oven, although the history and use of this oven is yet to be discovered.

There were also three timber and corrugated iron houses on the Exchange land, facing Twelfth St. The one right next to the Hotel itself appears to have been a residence used by the Publicans as it has a doorway to connect into the hotel.

The building in the centre appears to have been a local Hall, with a central space and then several storerooms around it. The site plan was updated at some stage to indicate that this building burned down however we do not know exactly when that occurred.

The most southerly building appears to have had three bedrooms, a parlour and a veranda and is believed to have been used to accommodate boarders who would have taken their meals in the hotel dining room.

We have managed to get hold of a very detailed Site Plan for the Exchange Hotel through the South Australian Archives. It is fascinating to look at the detail of everything they had around the Exchange. Take a look at the plan and photos below.

Exchange Hotel Plan

Exchange Hotel Cottage around 1930

Exchange Hotel around 1930

Exchange Hotel around 1921