Geham Hotel

Travelling north on the highway today past Cabarlah, you see Argyle Homestead and the remains of the Argyle Sawmills on the left (a few stumps). On the opposite side, Geham Station Road leads to two more hotels. The first hotel was on portion 146 at Perkins Flats, which runs off Station Road. Note the Geham Station to the south on por 140.

A licence for the hotel was granted to Terence McCaul 15 Sept 1885.

In 1892 it was reported that a strong storm blew the roof off (Twmba Chronicle 7 Jan 1892) with glass smashed from large hailstones the size of “teacups”. 

In 1894 Thomas Watson was registered as the licensee. An application by Thomas Watson to have music and dancing on his licensed premises at Geham, was granted. Fire destroyed the premises in 26 May 1897. The Electoral List of 1897 has Thomas as left and in 1898 has him as "disqualified".

• 1885 Licence Terence McCaul

•  1892 Violent storm causes damage

• 1894 Thomas Watson as licensee

• Applied for renewal 12/04/1897

• May 1897 Destroyed by fire. 

In the 1894 Post Office Directory, the hotel keeper was Thomas Watson. In the same year he was granted permission to have “music and dancing on his licensed premises on the 6th instance” (DDG 08 Oct 1894)

There may have been another hotel for a short time run by Donald McIntosh (Spring Creek Inn) on the Geham Road. This Inn could have been anywhere, as in 1866 the term "Geham Road" could have been quite close to Toowoomba or on the other side of Geham.

On 19 April 1866 an article in the TC&QA (page 2) states: “Donald McIntosh's house — to be known as the Spring Creek Inn, was not completed. Applicant stated it would take about three weeks to finish the work. The Police Magistrate remarked that he had received several letters stating the opening a house in the locality referred to would be a great public convenience, and he would therefore grant a license, to be in force this day month, provided the premises were finished.  He also applied for a Bush licence in 1871 (DDG 19/04/1871) on Oakey Creek, but it was refused. 

Approximate position of the Geham and the Perkins Hotels