From iconic Pub to landmark precinct: Citify to revive The Buckingham Arms Hotel in Gilberton
For more than 170 years, the Buckingham Arms Hotel stood as a cornerstone of Gilberton’s social life. First opened in 1849, the hotel quickly became a gathering place for locals, evolving alongside the suburb as Adelaide expanded north of the CBD.
Generations of families passed through its doors, with the Simpson family stewarding the venue for decades before the Matthews family introduced its famous smorgasbord in 1955, an offering that became a local institution.
When the hotel closed in 2022, it marked the end of a remarkable chapter in Gilberton’s history while setting the stage for a new era at the site.
Local builder-developer Citify secured the property and plans to fully restore the hospitality venue, returning it to its former grandeur. The project will also expand the broader precinct, incorporating a new apartment building designed to complement the heritage character of the longstanding pub.
Citify Founder and Managing Director Joel Wilkinson says the opportunity to acquire such a unique site was a no-brainer.
“Gilberton is among the top five blue-chip suburbs in Adelaide,” Wilkinson says. “It’s incredibly desirable, and very few opportunities exist to develop in such a small, prestige suburb.”
Only 22 houses in the suburb sold last year, and 2021 Census data shows just over 130 apartments in the area, making it difficult to enter the tightly held property market. “It’s incredibly competitive to get into Gilberton,” Wilkinson adds.
The Buckingham will almost double the number of apartments in the suburb. It will comprise 173 new one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, which are already proving popular with a mix of young professionals, local rightsizers, and downsizers. The development will also include 13 expansive two-storey homes with private courtyard gardens.
Future residents at The Buckingham will have private access to a significant amount of amenity, including a swimming pool, accompanied by a full pool deck with day beds and alfresco spaces, as well as a gym and sauna.
Construction has commenced, with completion expected in 2028.
Joel Robinson
Joel Robinson is the Editor in Chief at Apartments.com.au, where he leads the editorial team and oversees the country’s most comprehensive news coverage dedicated to the off the plan property market. With more than a decade of experience in residential real estate journalism, Joel brings deep insight into Australia’s evolving development landscape.
He holds a degree in Business Management with a major in Journalism from Leeds Beckett University in the UK, and has developed a particular expertise in off the plan apartment space. Joel’s editorial lens spans the full lifecycle of a project, from site acquisition and planning approvals through to new launches, construction completions, and final sell-out, delivering trusted, buyer-focused content that supports informed decision-making across the property journey
