Two pubs in Kangaroo Point have been listed among suburban venues identified as potential contributors to Brisbane’s hotel room supply as the city prepares for increased accommodation demand ahead of the 2032 Games.
A Prolonged Slowdown In Hotel Development
Brisbane’s hotel supply has struggled to keep pace with demand, following a sharp decline in new developments over recent years. Industry research shows the number of hotel rooms delivered between 2019 and 2024 fell by around 90 per cent compared with the preceding five-year period.
Construction challenges, rising costs and reduced investment activity have all contributed to the slowdown. Over the same period, the cost of building a hotel room increased by almost 40 per cent, making many traditional projects harder to deliver.
Suburban Pubs Enter The Accommodation Conversation
To help address the shortfall, a suburban pub strategy has identified around 70 pubs across Brisbane located on sites of 2,000 square metres or more. Of these venues, only 15 currently provide accommodation.
Analysis suggests redeveloping just 20 suburban pubs could add more than 1,600 hotel rooms to the city’s supply, offering an alternative to large-scale inner-city hotel developments.
Kangaroo Point Venues Listed
Within Kangaroo Point, the Story Bridge Hotel and the Shafston Hotel have been listed among suburban pubs without existing accommodation. Both venues are located on large sites and have been identified as part of the broader assessment of potential locations capable of supporting additional hotel rooms.
No redevelopment plans have been confirmed for either site, with the listings forming part of a wider city-wide review rather than site-specific proposals.
Smaller Projects, Faster Delivery
Smaller-scale suburban pub redevelopments have been highlighted as potentially quicker to deliver than major hotel towers. One recent suburban pub redevelopment elsewhere in Brisbane was completed in just over a year, demonstrating how modest projects can add capacity within shorter timeframes.
These developments are also considered more accessible for smaller construction firms, which face fewer capacity constraints than those delivering large infrastructure projects.
Visitor Growth Intensifies Demand
More than nine million people visited Brisbane in 2024, contributing $13.7 billion to the south-east Queensland economy. Hotels recorded higher occupancy and stronger returns per room compared with pre-pandemic levels, further tightening availability.
Next Steps
Public consultation on the suburban pub strategy remains open until 28 February 2026. Feedback will inform future planning approaches aimed at increasing accommodation supply while maintaining long-term residential availability in surrounding suburbs.
Published 17-Dec-2025
