case studiesThe deals that define us.
We back borrowers with real plans and the integrity to see them through. Here's what that looks like in practice.
Airlie Beach, QueenslandClub Whitsunday:
From the brink of closure to
open and thriving.
Club Whitsunday is Queensland's first true grassroots, greenfield community hospitality club built from scratch, for the community, without the backing of an established parent club. After $10 million in construction funded through grants from all three levels of government, the club ran short on capital before completing the fitout. They couldn't open. They couldn't trade. Traditional lenders walked away.
Without a solution, the club was facing the prospect of being sold to the commercial sector and being taken out of community hands.
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The GPC Approach
We put together a funding package that did three things: consolidated the debt, funded the completion of the fitout including the gaming room and machines, and brought in a project manager for three months to oversee the opening. No bank policy covered this. We assessed the deal on its merits, understood the hospitality sector, and backed the people running it
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The Outcome
Deal highlights:
Supported the renegotiation and restructuring of existing debt
Fully funded the fitout, including the gaming room and equipment
Achieved refinance into a major bank within 12 months (24 months ahead of schedule)
Delivered a strong first mortgage return to investors, with full capital repaid
testimonial"In developing Queensland's first true grassroots, greenfield community hospitality club, we found we couldn't access bank funding for fitout and operations to get the club open and trading. No banks had policies to lend unless there was an established parent club involved. After exhausting all other avenues, it looked like our club would need to be sold.
The difference with the specialised private credit was their intimate understanding of hospitality risks. Not only could they quantify, assess and rate those risks for investors, but they actively worked with us to mitigate those risks in the run up to opening. There is no doubt in my and the board's mind that without the involvement of Mark and the team, our club would have failed — to the detriment of the members and community."
— Justin Butler, Chairman, Club WhitsundayTocumwal, NSW/Victoria BorderTocumwal Hotel:
A neglected pub. A clear vision. Backed by a lender willing to look beyond the standard.
The Tocumwal Hotel had changed hands multiple times, with each attempt falling short. The asset was run down, undercapitalised, and located in a regional border town overlooked by most lenders. Despite this, the incoming owner brought a well-defined renovation strategy and the capability to deliver—yet the opportunity sat outside conventional lending criteria, leaving the banks unwilling to participate.
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The GPC Approach
We kept the approach straightforward. We evaluated the borrower, understood the execution plan, and built a funding structure aligned to the project’s real requirements. At its core, it was about recognising a capable operator with a clear strategy and providing the right support to bring it to life.
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The Outcome
The Tocumwal Hotel is now open and trading well. Refinance to a big 4 bank is underway.
Deal highlights:
Renovation finance for a regional hospitality asset
Funded without QS or as-if-complete valuations
Now open and trading — refinancing to a big 4 bank