One of four
hotels built on allotments purchased in the first land sales in Emerald Hill in
1852, the Phoenix, a ten-room
brick hotel with a slate roof, was first licensed by Thomas Dollard
in 1854.His wife’s funeral proceeded
from the hotel on 9 June 1859.There are reports that the Phoenix was used as the
headquarters of Emerald Hill’s first local paper, the Weekly Times. The Phoenix was renamed Star
Hotel in 1862 by Christian Henry Heier, who had
previously been a publican of the Star Hotel in Swanston Street. Architects WH Ellerker & Co called for tenders for alterations in
1871. The hotel was auctioned on 1 June 1874.It was rebuilt in 1877 by Thomas Cowen,
formerly of the Market Hotel.During the
early 1990s, the Star Hotel converted to a nightclub and today is considered
one of Melbourne’s premiere live
entertainment venues featuring Australia’s leading cover
bands, hottest DJs and special events.
