Historic Wee Jasper pub and other buildings destroyed in grass fire

The NSW Rural Fire Service said the fire started about 2.30pm on Thursday and grew to 2-hectares in size before it was contained.

The Stables Tavern on Wee Jasper Road and four cabins were destroyed in the fire, according to Michael Carey who is the Wee Jasper Community Association president and area group captain of the local fire brigade.

"The hotel has been closed for a number of years," he said.

"The person who recently leased it from the owner was doing renovations with the hope of re-opening it.

"It's a pity to see the old building go. There's probably no hope now of getting it re-opened as it was."

Former policeman Adrian King moved from Sydney to Wee Jasper in November last year to renovate the site and create a tourism drawcard, comprising a pub and function centre. He was living in one of the cabins that was destroyed.

He had lost all his possessions in the fire, including family photographs.

"I was trying to sleep last night, but because it's still fresh, in my head I was going through every corner of the place to realise what was lost," he told The Yass Tribune.

"The hardest was the photos of my boy when he was only four.

"And the 2000 photos of him growing up – there's no chance of recovering any of them."

Mr King said the grass fire had been fast-moving. He thanked the Rural Fire Service for their efforts and vowed to recover.

"I just need to dust off from today," he said.

"As far as rebuilding the site, that building is heritage-listed so I'll be trying to obtain community grants to restore it. That will take time.

"But we're here for a reason and we won't lose over this.

"I'll restore the place to what it should be and what it was for tourism."

The pub had been a popular stop-off point for daytrippers. Its origins were from the 19th century.

"The stables part of it were the original horse stables from when the police barracks opened in the late 1800s," Mr Carey said.