A century for the Castlereagh: It's the grand pub in this region with a resident ghost

The Castlereagh Hotel was originally built on the corner of Talbragar and Brisbane streets in Dubbo in 1882 by J Ryan, where it stood for a mere eight years before it burnt down in 1890.

The hotel was soon rebuilt, only to burn to the ground again in 1922.

The Castlereagh Hotel as Dubbo now knows it was rebuilt in 1923 and has stood the test of time since.

Manager and licensee, Rhiannon Chapman, said the hotel "has been a popular destination for travellers who stay here and enjoy our majestic balcony nestled in the centre of town".

"Some were even lucky enough to meet our resident ghost, John, who has been inhabiting room 21 for over a century. Every day he flicks the TV on and loves to give us a fright," she said.

Legend has it that John can be seen on the balcony in one of the hotel pictures taken before it was burnt to the ground the first time.

No-one knows how John died, but he is a welcome addition to the hotel staff.

The grand building continues to be a place of gathering for the community and is the home of the mighty CYMS Football Club.

In recent years, the hotel staff popped cutouts of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and their guards on the balcony to mark the royal visit to Dubbo in 2018.