The Imperial Hotel is a well-known pub and brewery in the Sunshine Coast hinterland town of Eumundi. The establishment was founded by Ransome Jefferies in 1911 and over the years has hosted locals and tourists who listen to live music or grab some food.
But the word imperial relates to belonging to an empire or the person or country that rules it. In terms of Australia’s colonial history, it is most likely that this hotel name was derived from the British Empire.
An estimated 300,000 Indigenous Australians lived on the land for upwards of 65,000 years before British settlers arrived in 1788. The Europeans called the continent Terra Australis Incongita and for a short time the two groups lived somewhat harmoniously. However, the relationship between the Indigenous Australians and the British settlers – and Empire – turned into one of conflict.
With Australia’s history being so violent at times, should places like The Imperial Hotel be changed to reflect a more progressive point in Australia? Councillor for Division 10 David Law said some names should be changed.
“Is the Imperial Hotel a problem? Not sure, it hadn’t occurred to me,” he said. “[There are] names of towns and places and roads I would have greater concern over.”
There are many controversial locations in Queensland, from Murdering Creek Road in Peregian to Boundary Street in Brisbane’s West End. Cr Law said he believes strongly in learning from the past and making a conscious effort to create a community where everyone feels welcomed and respected.
Residents had differing views on whether The Imperial Hotel could even be considered a shameful name. On the Eumundi community Facebook page Rob Neely said the word imperial could function as both a noun or an adjective.
As an adjective it relates to an emperor, empire, or imperial authority. As a noun it has a different meaning. “For instance it can mean a type of beer (Imperial Stout) or refer to a specific measurement used in the imperial system, like an imperial pint,” Neely said.
Other locals had no concerns with the name. “Nothing shameful or negative about this historic name,” Tara Ronnfeldt said.
Eumundi is one of Cr Law’s divisional areas. He has an extensive knowledge in Indigenous relations, particularly in the First Nations Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan.
“The original names of places are starting to become far more excepted which is a very good thing,” he said. “It’s about being aware of our environment and recognising that people lived and worked and walked across this country for thousands of years.”
This article is part of a larger project called Where What Why. You can find the whole collection of stories about places and their names here.
