There’s a new heartbeat pulsing through Cleveland’s bayside air. The Grand View Hotel — affectionately known as the GV — has reopened its doors and with it, Queensland’s oldest licensed pub steps confidently into a grand new era.
Perched above the glittering waters that stretch toward North Stradbroke Island, the GV has long been a place where generations have gathered — for first dates and family lunches, for raucous celebrations and quiet sunset drinks.
Now, after more than a year of meticulous restoration, this beloved 174-year-old landmark emerges renewed — a seamless blend of heritage and modern hospitality.
Stepping through the doors feels like walking into both history and possibility. The familiar warmth of the heritage-listed hallway still greets you, its timber floors whispering stories of another century. The Cleveland Room, untouched and proud, holds its graceful charm. Yet just beyond those walls, the space opens up — light floods in, glasses clink and the scent of wood-fire and charred steak drifts from the gleaming new kitchen.
It’s a transformation that honours the past while embracing the future. A rediscovered 1855 well — unearthed during renovations — now takes pride of place as a centrepiece, a tangible link to the days when Cleveland was little more than a coastal outpost. Around it, the new GV buzzes with life: families gather on the pet-friendly lawn, couples sip cocktails on the upper terrace and music drifts from the marquee as the sun melts into the bay.
The numbers alone tell a story of ambition. A purpose-built function marquee now hosts up to 150 guests, while the entire venue can welcome more than a thousand. Australia’s largest rotisserie oven anchors a multimillion-dollar kitchen, joined by a Josper grill and an Italian rotary pizza oven — culinary tools designed not just for show, but for flavour.
The expanded bar boasts twice the taps, new beer lines and multiple service points, including a dedicated outdoor bar that keeps the drinks flowing and the wait times short.
Kickon Group founder Craig Shearer calls the transformation "a safeguard for one of Queensland’s most historic venues.” It feels like more than preservation — it’s a rebirth. "The Grand View isn’t just a pub,” he says. "It’s part of Queensland’s story.”
Indeed, that story continues to evolve. With live music from Thursday to Sunday, sports streaming on a giant outdoor screen and a menu that celebrates everything from rotisserie-roasted meats to wood-fired pizza and fresh seafood, the GV has become a modern gathering ground once again — vibrant, relaxed and irresistibly local.
As twilight falls and laughter spills out toward the sea, it’s easy to see why the reopening has stirred such excitement. The GV isn’t merely reopening — it’s reclaiming its place as a cornerstone of community and connection.
A grand new era has dawned — and the Grand View Hotel is ready to raise its glass to the next 174 years.
