Hurley Hotel Group, a renowned South Australian pub operator, is celebrating a special milestone of 50 years in the hotel industry.
Acquiring its first pub, the Wuddina Hotel on the Eyre Peninsula in 1975, managing directors’ Peter and Jenny Hurley’s portfolio has now grown to 10 hotels, employing 680 people across the state.
The portfolio comprises the Arkaba Hotel, Kensington Hotel, Marion Hotel, Torrens Arms Hotel, Hotel Panorama, and Hotel Royal in the Adelaide region, as well as Barker Hotel in the Adelaide Hills, Pretoria Hotel in Mannum, Port Lincoln Hotel on the Eyre Peninsula and Ivory Waterside in NSW.
“We’re incredibly proud of the five decades we’ve devoted to the hospitality industry – the communities we’ve supported, the staff we’ve employed, and the legacy we’ve built. What began as a single country pub has grown into a lifelong commitment that our children have been raised in and now carry forward with us,” stated Jenny.
The Hurley Hotels Group timeline
Jenny and Peter acquired the lease for their first suburban hotel in Torrensville, Hotel Royal, in December 1979 from SA Brewing Company, who owned over 100 SA hotel freeholds.
In 1984, they purchased the lease of another SA Brewing hotel, Marion Hotel, in Mitchell Park, which through hard work and high volumes became a success.
The Hurleys then purchased the iconic Arkaba Hotel in 1991 during the worst recession since the Second World War with a vision to reinvigorate the run-down hotel and transform it into a diverse entertainment/hospitality venue.
In 1994, with the SA Brewing Company exiting its hotel freehold holdings, Peter played a key role in a deal allowing long-term lessees to purchase their venues. The Hurleys seized the opportunity, acquiring the Hotel Royal, Marion Hotel, and Torrens Arms Hotel freeholds – one of the most significant decisions in the group’s history.
Other hotels bought and sold along their fifty-year journey have included the Tonsley Hotel in 1997, the Alma Tavern in 2000 with Adelaide Crows legends Mark Ricciuto and Simon Goodwin, the Kensington Hotel, the Hackney Hotel, the Pretoria Hotel at Mannum, the Port Lincoln Hotel in 2007, and their first interstate hotel, the Ivory Waterside in Tweed Heads. Earlier this year, the Hurleys also acquired the Barker Hotel in partnership with Mark Ricciuto and General Manager Sam McInnes.
A big investment in South Australian pubs
In 2024 the Arkaba Hotel underwent a comprehensive $12 million renovation that took over 12 months, marking the first major renovation the iconic hotel had undergone in its 60 years. Work undertaken included a new lounge, restaurant, a refurbished Top of the Ark and new look “Sportys” bar complete with a 360-degree wraparound LED screen, known as ‘The Funnel’. As a result of the renovations the Arkaba Hotel took out a number of awards including the coveted Best Overall Hotel – General Division (Metropolitan), at the 2024 Australian Hotels Association (AHA) SA Awards.
Hotel Royal, also saw an $8 million investment completed in 2024, with renovations to its bar, restaurant and upstairs function area featuring a brand new balcony overlooking Henley Beach Road.
Currently under construction is the Hurley Hotel Group’s biggest investment to date – the new $60 million Hotel Panorama which is expected to open in the first half of 2026.
When complete, the five-storey Hotel Panorama (inclusive of a basement) will feature a rooftop barwhich will face the ocean, while the two function rooms on the top floor will have views of the stunning Adelaide Hills. The ground level will be home to a cafe bar and restaurant, a sports bar and outdoor beer garden under the gum tree featuring a huge three metre outdoor screen. The hotel will also include three floors of accommodation with 77 rooms across the levels, including 26 serviced apartments, with one and two bedroom and even a honeymoon suite.
With their children involved in the business, as well as a trusted core leadership group, overseeing more than 600 employees, for Peter and Jenny, the legacy of their 50 years in pubs comes down to the people they work with and their impact on the industry within South Australia.
“Our team is the foundation of everything we do, we’ve been fortunate to have incredibly loyal and passionate people beside us, some for decades. That sense of family extends beyond blood – it runs through every part of our business,” stated Peter.
“For 50 years, we’ve built a legacy rooted in family and community. With our continued investment in South Australia, we’re not just looking to the next chapter—we’re laying the foundation for the next 50 years and beyond, guided by the generations still to come.”
Hurley Hotel Group celebrated its Golden Jubilee earlier in the year, with attendees at the festivities including Premier Peter Malinauskas, Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia, AHASA CEO Anna Moeller and president David Basheer, ex-AHASA CEO Ian Horne; members of the Coopers family and other dignitaries.
