Travellers, an Australian accommodation group, has acquired a boutique hotel nestled in a beautifully restored 19th-century homestead in Orange, New South Wales.
The Byng Street property will relaunch as the upscale Yallungah Boutique Hotel when the group takes over the business on Monday, 2 December.
Located a comfortable 3.5-hour drive from Sydney, the hotel offers an elevated destination for work or play.
Travellers Managing Director, Craig Smith, ex-Area General Manager Minor Hotels & Accor, said the new brand name pays homage to the property’s history, ‘Yallungah’ being the name of the original 1896-built homestead which is considered a significant piece of Orange’s historical architecture.
“We’re excited to build on Yallungah’s rich history, using our expertise to create an exceptional guest experience for astute travellers,” Mr Smith said.
“Yallungah is more than just a place to rest your head; it will provide a thoughtfully curated stay, with stylish inclusions and impeccable attention to detail in each of its 22 boutique rooms and suites.”
Travellers is led by Chairman Alex Dignam (formerly UBS co-head of equity capital markets, Australasia) and majority-owned by Queensland businessman, Andrew Northcott and his Brisbane-based private investment company Wattlestone.
Founded in 2023, the Travellers Group portfolio also includes best-in-class regional motels in Emerald, Queensland and Dubbo, NSW, with another Queensland property to join the collection later this month.
Mr Dignam says the group has been searching for a unique regional upscale property to launch its signature hotel portfolio.
“Yallungah Boutique Hotel is truly one-of-a-kind, allowing guests to explore a world where classic architecture meets contemporary design,” Mr Dignam said.
“Located in the centre of Orange, Yallungah is just a short stroll from the region’s renowned restaurants, cellar doors, galleries and boutiques.”
Yallungah General Managers, Donna and Chris Cochrane, will relocate from Arizona, USA to their beloved hometown for the role, having grown up in Orange and married at the church diagonally across the street from the hotel.
The couple bring with them unrivalled guest experience standards honed over decades in the hospitality industry across brands including Australian boutique hotel collection The Lancemore Group as well as Stadiums Queensland, and the Commonwealth Games.
The Cochranes will introduce their brand of understated luxury and enhance the guest experience, hinting at the addition of in-house wellness offerings, gastronomic collaborations across the hotel’s three event venues and sense of place experiences that allow guests to immerse themselves in Orange and the greater region.
Opening for bookings in late November, Yallungah accommodates 44 guests across rooms and suites spanning across the property’s original heritage wing to the architecturally designed contemporary extension.
The transaction was brokered by HTL Property Directors Nic Simarro and James Carrick and generated significant interest, demonstrating the demand for accommodation assets in regional Australian centres.
Integrated creative agency Aruga, which also manages clients including Tourism and Events Queensland, Affordable Art Fair, The Star Entertainment Group and Brisbane Festival, spearheaded the rebranding of Yallungah Boutique Hotel.
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Jessica Smith, Marketing Manager, Travellers
jsmith@travellersgroup.com.au I +61 (0)417 774 241
