The presence of the Cleveland Foundry, railway and boat building workshops and other industries therefore attracted families to the south side of Ross Creek.

Further development between 1890–95, including the establishment of Rooney & Company's sawmill and workshop, Victoria Foundry and the Ross River Meatworks, brought a further influx of people to live in South Townsville.

[1] The corner of Main (now Boundary Street) and Sixth Avenue was an ideal location for the new hotel because it was close to the recently opened Victoria Foundry, the residential areas of South Townsville and Railway Estate and to Victoria Park, which in 1891 was the only ground suitable for playing football in Townsville.

In November 1895, prior to the completion of the second building, the site was leased to Townsville merchant firm, Samuel Allen & Company.

[1] The hotel catered largely for working people from the wharves, the railway, meatworks and foundry and at weekends, sportsmen from nearby Victoria Park.

Samuel Allen and Company, who purchased the property in 1907, retained ownership until 1945 when they sold to Emily Hall of Bondi Junction, New South Wales.

[1] Over the years other sporting venues developed, providing competition to Victoria Park, and many industries in the area closed.

It was largely due to the efforts of the hotel's patrons in attracting media attention and public support that the building was retained and underwent extensive repair and renovation.

As part of these renovations, the bar area was enlarged and new toilets constructed, but the general appearance and layout of the hotel remained the same.

The blaze was so intense that firefighters were initially unable to enter the property, and it was reported that all that was left was a "large pile of rubble".

The hotel was approximately L-shaped in plan with the roof, core structure and awnings truncated at the corner facing the intersection.

[1] Victoria Park Hotel was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992 having satisfied the relevant criteria.