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Black and White Photographic Postcard of Ellen Cove and the Esplanade Hotel at Middleton Beach, Albany

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c. 1900

Overview

A black and white photographic postcard showing Ellen Cove and the jetty, with the Esplanade Hotel at Middleton Beach in the background.

Historical information

The Esplanade Hotel in the postcard is the second version of the hotel and was built in 1911 Owned by Isaac Matson, an Irishman who made his fortune in the goldfields of Western Australia. It was a thriving business with a good reputation for quality of its rooms, meals and service, attracting people from around the state. The hotel was used in the Second World War to house American sailors before reverting to its original use. It was sold in 1964, demolished and replaced with a ‘modern’ hotel/motel.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-12-2025.5.8

Item type

Postcards

Themes

Recreation
Social History

Material

Photo Paper

Width

124 mm

Height or length

90 mm

Weight

3 g

Inscriptions and markings

Front of postcard “THE HEALTH RESORT OF WEST AUSTRALIA / THE ESPLANADE HOTEL, MIDDLETON BEACH, ALBANY , W.A. / H.C. SIMS, Manager" with "POST CARD / This space, as well as the back, may / now be used for communication. / Post Office Regulations. / Inland Postage only. / The address only to be / written here. / ESPLANADE HOTEL, ALBANY, W.A." in printers ink on back.

Contextual information

The first Esplanade Hotel was a timber boarding house built by Jean Galle (a Frenchman) in 1895 and owned by Charles Patterson, with J. H. Moody as the licensee. The hotel burned down in 1908 and was replaced with a new hotel built in 1910, opened in 1911. This became popular as a road had been constructed from the townsite, along what is now Marine Drive and was promoted as a quality venue.
In the Second World War, the hotel was taken over by The Australian Government and then used from May until December 1942 by U.S. sailors attached to the Submarine Base in Albany. The hotel was left in a poor state when they left and this, coupled with post-war rationing, unpaid rent for the hotel, a shortage of beer and limited bar trade (sales on 1 day per month) led to it being unprofitable and in a poor state by 1947 when the Licensing Court required a survey of the hotel to be completed and repairs made before renewing the liquor licence beyond 1947.
The hotel was eventually sold to the Swan Brewery in 1964, demolished and a hotel/motel was built in its place. This hotel was sold at auction in 1976 then again in 1990 before being purchased by businessman and entrepreneur Paul Terry, demolished and replaced with a purpose built 5-star Esplanade Hotel and the Extravaganza Gallery showcasing historic cars, art, sculpture, antiques and wine, with a café, shops and function room for 300 people. After Terry’s death in a helicopter accident in 1993 it was awarded the Sir David Brand Award for Tourism in 1994. Sold in 2007 and demolished, the site is still empty (2025).

Keywords

Esplanade Hotel Albany

Middleton Beach

Albany

Place made

Western Australia, Australia

Year

c. 1900

Primary significance criteria

Historic significance

Social or spiritual significance

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