THE UKI community is breathing a collective sigh of relief as the new $2.5 million Mount Warning Hotel finally begins to rise from the ashes on Monday, October 20.

A fire caused by an electrical fault devastated the Tweed Valley rural community hub 20 months ago and it's expected to take six months to complete the new building.

It's been an emotional roller-coaster for pub owner Brett Watson to resurrect the establishment while meeting the strict criteria of its national heritage status in the Uki Village Urban Conservation Area.

"The community has been brilliant and we're just so sorry it's taken so long to get going, but because it was part of a heritage-listed village, there were so many hurdles we had to jump," he said.

The new pub will be made of fire-resistant imitation timber and brick, in the traditional colour palette of burgundy and cream walls and a bottle green roof.

An excavator and dozer will take to the Kyogle Rd site on Monday operated by Barry Harding, of Uki.

Mr Harding has been a pub regular since he was nine up until the devastating fire in February 2013.

He said the community was heartbroken the six month-long project would miss the pub's 100th year celebration in December.

"Twenty months was way too long to wait for approvals," he said.

"It's something that should have been fast-tracked because there aren't many jobs ... and the existing businesses who fed off the visitors to the pub were also struggling."

According to a former employee, celebrities who've graced the hotel included former prime minister Bob Hawke, Kylie Minogue and Ernie Dingo.

But its most important role was as the social centre of the Kunghur, Doon Doon, Mount Burrell, Smiths Creek, Rowlands Creek, Mebbin and Midginbil villages.

"It's an important part of the community; where tradies went to find jobs, where locals were employed and where the residents may have had their only source of social interaction," said Bec O'Brien, of Kunghur.