History

Originally owned by David Bugden in 1860’s, the Criterion was once a single storey brick hotel, that was family owned & operated until the early 1880’s. JW Quinn took over operations, until the hotel was acquired by Jeremiah Allman in 1887.

Mr Allman arrived in Australia frolm Ireland in the mid 1860’s and quickly established himself in the Darling Downs region by acquiring a hotel in Stanthorpe. By the early 1870’s Jeremiah Allman was married to Mrs Mary Dawn, who was the licensee for Warwick’s Sportsman’s Arms Hotel. This is where the Allman’s remained until the moved to the Criterion Hotel in the mid 1880’s.

Mr. Allman became a prominent figure in the Warwick community, and played a key role in the town’s development, even serving as Mayor in 1895 & 1902. During this time, his first wife Mary unfortunately passed away. Sometime after, Jeremiah remarried to Catherine King, also known as Kate.

The license of the Criterion was transferred to Mrs. Kate Allman in 1908, prior to Mr. Allman’s passing in the later months of 1910. Unfortunately Mrs. Allman shortly passed herself, and the property was transferred to the sons, Daniel, Patrick Joseph Dalton & John Logan Allman.

By 1917, the original structure of the Criterion Hotel had been demolished to make way for the new and improved, two-story brick hotel. At the time, it was noted that “when completed, the new Criterion will be one of the most imposing & finest hotels in the State”.

The hotel remained in the Allman family until 1968, and saw numerous owners and refurbishment between then and now. The Criterion Hotel was also listed on the Queensland Heritage Register in October 1992.

In mid 2023, Waymark Hotels, a privately-owned Australian hotel and property group, acquired the Criterion Hotel. Built over a period of more than 60 years and with a heritage originating in the Northern Territory and Queensland outback, the group has been leading projects that have brought vital infrastructure and amenities to communities since the 1950’s.