ANU's Fellows Bar reopens after six-year restoration following hailstorm
ANU's University House reopened after a six-year restoration. A 2020 hailstorm had forced the closure.
University House at ANU was damaged in a 2020 hailstorm that forced a six-year closure. University House has now reopened its hotel and the beloved Fellows Bar basement venue.
The bar traces its roots to the late 1960s when it was changed from a laundry into the Cellar Bar. A 2008 redesign followed, then another redesign after the storm damage.
The new design restores polished terrazzo floors, copper details and timber panelling that echo the building's mid-century origins. The Duke of Edinburgh officially opened it in February 1954.
ANU staff are returning to their daily rituals, a noon beer under the Fellows Garden plane tree. This ritual had stopped during the six years but has resumed.
The bar is open to the public and offers a view of campus heritage.
- 2020
- Damage year
- Six years
- Closure duration
- February 1954
- Original opening
- Cellar Bar (late 1960s)
- Bar's earlier name
Why it mattersHeritage buildings and staff gathering places support university life and community identity. Their loss and restoration shape how people experience shared spaces.
AustraliaANU's flagship heritage precinct is restored, bringing back a gathering place for Canberra academics and the public, and marking the end of a major campus closure.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 3 d ago
