Our Story Begins in 1899
For more than 125 years, the Winton Hotel has stood as part of the story of Winton — welcoming generations of locals, travellers and families through its doors.
Established in 1899, the hotel’s story begins with one of its earliest proprietors, Eli Williams.
According to history passed down through the Williams family, Eli purchased the old Corfield Hotel and used parts of the building to construct the Winton Hotel. Those materials were reportedly transported from Corfield to Winton by bullock train — a remarkable beginning for a pub that would go on to serve the community for well over a century.
The connection ran deeper than simply owning a business. One of Eli Williams’ descendants recalls that her father was born at the Winton Hotel in 1910, a small glimpse into a time when a country hotel wasn’t just a place of business, but a family home as well.
The Winton Hotel, circa 1905
Generations Behind the Bar
In November 1920, the Winton Hotel began another long family chapter when Ellen Evert purchased the hotel.
The Evert family’s association with the Winton Hotel continued for decades, eventually including Tom and Maureen Kelleher (née Evert). The hotel remained in the family until the 1970s, when it was sold after the Kellehers left the district.
At another point in its long history, the hotel was also owned by the Lowth family.
Through changing owners and changing times, the Winton Hotel remained a familiar part of life in town — a place to meet, share a meal, have a drink and catch up on the news of the day.
27 Years at The Winton
For 27 years, Kevin and Jo Fawcett were the familiar faces behind the Winton Hotel.
Over nearly three decades, Kev and Jo made the Winton much more than a business. It became the kind of country pub where people knew one another, locals felt at home and visitors could walk through the door and experience genuine outback hospitality.
When the time eventually came to sell, finding the right person to take over mattered to them. After almost three decades at the Winton, they wanted to know the pub was being left in good hands. According to the ABC, Kev and Jo turned away numerous prospective buyers before deciding they had found the right person to carry the hotel forward.
That person was Kay Trembath.
The Next Chapter
In November 2025, Kay took over the reins of the Winton Hotel.
After more than 20 years owning motels in regional Queensland, Kay had retired to Hervey Bay. But retirement — and coastal life — wasn’t quite the right fit.
Travelling through Queensland reminded her how much she missed the country. Then she found the Winton Hotel.
“Yep, this is the one.”
For Kay, taking on a hotel with more than 125 years of history isn’t about reinventing what generations before her have created. Her approach is much simpler:
“I won’t change anything; I’ll just enhance it.”
It’s a philosophy that fits the Winton Hotel perfectly.
Kay Trembath, writing the Winton Hotel’s next chapter
Today, the pub continues to be a place where locals can relax, families are welcome, travellers can settle in after a day exploring the outback, and everyone can enjoy good pub food, a cold drink and some genuine country hospitality.
The building may have changed over the years. The faces behind the bar have certainly changed. But more than a century after Eli Williams welcomed his first customers, the heart of the Winton Hotel remains much the same.
A local pub.
A meeting place.
A home away from home.
And now, under Kay's watch, the next chapter of the Winton Hotel's story is just beginning.
EAT + DRINK at The Winton