Lees Hotel To Open Slim Dusty Festival Art Exhibition

June 25, 2013 - PRLog -- Lees Hotel owner Charles Ryman said the artwork depicts the warmth and engagement that took place during the Pub WIth No Beer Festival on April 20.

The festival brought to life the history of the Pub With No Beer, which was the inspiration behind Slim Dusty’s worldwide number one hit song of the same name.

He said the oversized canvasses, one at 11 metres long and the other nine metres, would be a real feature of the hotel and hoped they would become a draw card for those passing through.

“If you went to the festival, or even have heard about the festival, then you will probably recognise your face or the faces of the friends of the Pub With No Beer Festival in one of the pieces of artwork,” Mr Ryman added.

Officially opening the exhibition will be Hinchinbrook Shire Council mayor Rodger Bow.  There will be champagne on arrival with a gold coin donation going towards the Leukaemia Foundation.

This will be the second exhibition Mr Ryman has opened at the hotel in the last two years. In June 2011, the hotel commissioned Icons of Hinchinbrook – a permanent art exhibition to be displayed in the hotel and motel.

The works depict the natural beauty of the area including well-known landmarks such Wallaman Falls, Crystal Creek and Cattle Creek.

The opening of this exhibition also marked the commencement of a multi-million dollar refurbishment to return the old pub to its former glory with great care taken to preserve its history.

Mr Ryman believed the two new artworks would be a great addition to Icons of Hinchinbrook.

“It has just come together really beautifully. Not only is it an excellent reminder of what a great day the Pub WIth No Beer Festival was, but it will also continue to promote the event, which will held annually in April.”

Proceedings will commence at 5.30pm on June 28. For more information, contact 07 4776 1577.

ENDS  

For interviews contact:

Charles Ryman

Owner

P 0427 712 655

E cjryman@me.com

Issued by:

Tanya Snelling

Strategic PR

P 0417 202 663

E tanya@strategicpr.com.au (mailto:tanya@strategicpr.com.u)

ABOUT LEES HOTEL

The history of Lees Hotel goes back more than 135 years and has long been a sense of pride for the Ingham community. The hotel’s owners, Charles and Trish Ryman , are dedicated to the preservation of the hotel’s history and as such have undertaken a number of restorative works investing more than $730,000 over the last 12 months,

Lees Hotel, located in the heart of Ingham, is a truly unique accommodation product. What makes it so unique is that it is also an attraction in its own right, drawing visitors from around Australia and internationally, wanting to catch a glimpse of the original pub with no beer – the source of inspiration for Slim Dusty’s number 1 hit song. Offering such depth of history together with its Queensland iconic status, guests are given a true glimpse into Australia’s past, while still being able to enjoy all the comforts and services of its modern, sophisticated facilities.

Built as part of the original Telegraph Station, there has been a hotel on the current site located at Lannercost St in the town’s centre since 1875. It was built 35 years after Ingham was founded in 1840 and as such has become synonymous with the town’s history. Australia’s first worldwide number 1 song The Pub With No Beer was a rewrite of the poem by local poet Dan Sheahan, who penned the famous words in 1943 after discovering the American servicemen who were in a convoy traveling through Ingham during World War II had drunk the hotel dry.

In 2005 the hotel was granted iconic status by the Queensland National Trust and is the only heritage listed iconic hotel in Queensland as a result of its history and strong connection to the past. From its roots as a modest hotel, the Ryman’s set themselves an ambitious plan in 2011/2012 to grow the tourist icon and transform the hotel’s existing budget accommodation into an offering more suited to the changing nature of its visitor.