In 1874 the Emu Park Hotel was the second hotel to be built in the town. The hall (above left of photo) was built beside the hotel and was known as Comley’s Assembly Hall. This hall housed Emu Park’s first school before it was completed on its present site and again when the State School burnt down in 1946. Although it was used for skating, dancing and entertainment, the hotel used it for accommodation if bookings exceeded capacity.
In the beginning the hotel dining room was located under the hall. However, when three cottages were added to the southern end of the hotel the dining room was removed.
In 1927 the hotel was renamed ‘The Riviera’. This rambling hotel required much maintenance and had many licensees. The hall was destroyed by a cyclone in 1949 and in the same year the hotel was destroyed by fire.
This made four hotel fires on four different sites in Emu Park.
