The Criterion Hotel, on the banks of Lake Mulwala, has a long and deep connection to Yarrawonga.
Built in 1882 at the north-west corner of Belmore and Witt Streets it has been a central part of the Yarrawonga community since.
The hotel underwent some early changes: a second storey and balcony were added in 1888.
In 1902 the Benalla Standard recorded something of a tribute to a departing owner of the Criterion. The article noted “Mrs M. Edwards bought the hotel from Mr and Mrs E.J. Prevot, the last remaining of the pioneer hotelkeepers of Yarrawonga.”
E.J. Prevot was a well-known name in Yarrawonga at the time. The Yarrawonga Mercury and Mulwala on 20 September 1894 notes he was president of both Yarrawonga Football and Cricket Clubs.
The Criterion has played a central role in the life of Yarrawonga for 142 years, hosting events, celebrations and day-to-day catch-ups. On 29 October 1907 the North Eastern Despatch reported on a farewell for a local identity associate with the Yarrawonga Rifle Club. “Members [of the club] and several townspeople assembled at the Criterion Hotel to bid farewell to their captain, Mr Robert Ford, who is taking departure from the district.”
It was a busy year in Yarrawonga. The report said for the year ending 30 September [1907] 844 horses, 298 cows, 247 heifers, 518 calves, 443 steers, 91 bullocks, nine bulls, 324 sheep, 7,347 lambs and 1946 pigs were sold at the Corporation yards, Yarrawonga.” There would have been plenty of notes to compare among local farmers meeting for a drink at the Criterion.
Stewards and members of the Yarrawonga Coursing Club met at the Criterion where speeches were made “including one by the ‘father of the club’ Mr G. Bushe, who with his characteristic humour kept his audience in great spirits.”
The Criterion was renowned in the district as a first-class public house. On 1 September 1922, in the North Eastern Ensign reported that the Criterion Hotel – “conducted by Mrs Heavey”- had changed hands. “One of the local papers – The Chronicle – says that the outgoing lessee lifted [The Criterion] into the first rank of Yarrawonga hotels”.
Today The Criterion is well-known for its outdoor dining area with a deck overlooking Lake Mulwala and the Mulwala Bridge, which is celebrating its centenary in 2024.
As Broadsheet wrote in 2022: “The Criterion Hotel is a classic corner pub, but it makes the most of its prime Lake Mulwala location by offering lakeside dining on its outdoor deck. Heaters come out in the cooler months, while a robust deck-top smoker is responsible for mouth-watering meat extravaganzas like Bavarian-style pork knuckle and Cajun lamb shank.”
The Criterion is the place to settle in with a bite and a beverage to enjoy this magnificent view.
