Historical information

In the early 1900s a new Coffee Palace was erected on the first railway land to be leased for private business in Wodonga. This Coffee Palace (later to become Glenburnie Guest House) was situated in High Street opposite the former Customs House which at the time was being used as the Wodonga Police Station. It was built by Mr Denny Donovan and operated by his wife.
An article in the Wodonga and Towong Sentinel declared that “No expense has been spared in the erection and fitting up of the Palace, which is intended to supply a long felt want”. The building consists entirely of brick and the rooms are lofty, spacious and well-ventilated. The bedsteads are modern, and will satisfy the most fastidious. The motto of the proprietress is “Cleanliness, civility and attention”.
Mr Donovan died in January 1908 and in 1909 the Wodonga Coffee Palace was sold by Mrs Donovan to Mrs P. Egan who advertised hot and cold shower baths with meals at all hours.
In 1913 the Wodonga Coffee Palace was taken over by Mrs Cuthbertson and Miss Steele.
In 1921 Wodonga Coffee Palace was taken over by Julia Ronan who had successfully conducted the dining rooms at the Wodonga Saleyards for 15 years until those premises burned down.
The Wodonga and Towong Sentinel on 10 January 1936 reported that “the business premises formerly conducted by Mrs Ronan have been renovated and refurbished. The new proprietresses are Misses Breen, who have had extensive experience in managing such businesses. The new premises will be known as the Glenburnie Guest House.”
Changes of ownership continued with Mrs M.E. Elliot taking over in December 1940, followed by Mrs Stella Victoria Wong in 1945. In 1953 it was again taken over by Mrs E.M. Moran.
The date of the closure of Glenburnie Guest House is uncertain but the building was demolished in the early 1970s.

Significance

This image is significant because it is one of the few remaining links to an important Wodonga business.

Physical description

A photo taken from a newspaper article about Glenburnie Guest House