Hotel Marlin, Ulladulla – post WW2 luxury

Officially opened in August 1948, the Marlin Hotel on the Princes Highway in Ulladulla became the first hotel to open in New South Wales after World War 2.

Hotel Marlin Ulladulla 1950s

Built by Mr and Mrs A.L Pitman for £40,000, the Marlin is an art deco style brick building, with square entrance columns. As bricks were in very short supply after the war, locals tell stories of how they were supplied through the machinations of notorious Sydney crime figure Tilly Devine.

Mrs Pitman was well-known for her decorating style and the entire hotel was furnished and decorated in the latest mid-century style from Anthony Horderns and Sons Ltd in Sydney, which also supplied the state-of-the-art catering equipment.

Canberra Times October 1948 Advertisement for the Marlin Hotel, furnished by Anthony Horderns

New decorating ideas of the time were shown in the cream venetian blinds in the main Dining Room, chromium-framed furniture in the Sitting Room, and inlaid marble linoleum floor covering and glass-topped tables in the Club Lounge.

The hotel was sold after only two years to Ansett Transport Industries after which it became a destination for Ansett bus tourists and a stopover point on the route between Sydney and Melbourne.

Hotel Marlin in Ulladulla c1960 with northern extension

The building of the luxurious Marlin Hotel also began a shift in development and commercial focus from the old town of Milton to the rapidly expanding Ulladulla.