Chapter One: 1820 – 1830
The Evolution of the Australian Pub
By MICK ROBERTS ©
THE liquor industry – particularly pubs – have played a determining role in the history of Australia. This fact is no more evident than in the Illawarra region of NSW where public houses or pubs were meeting places, where both the rich and the poor, convict and the master, would meet, socialise, celebrate and find accommodation.
Pubs were a welcoming sight to exhausted travellers, and a place where they could rest, get a home cooked meals, refreshments and find news from the outside world.
For these reasons, they were absorbing, vibrant establishments that tell a story of a way a community cultivated a culture. The history of Australia’s hotel industry is intriguing, reflecting a pioneering past and tradition that has lingered to some extent to this day.
To advance their respective communities, pubs were often the venues for public and private meetings to progress their primitive surrounds. In those long gone days, they were often the only public buildings where settlers were able to gather. It was common – and still is in some parts of the Illawarra – for the townsfolk to assemble at their local pub to formulate deputations and ideas to achieve community wants. Sporting groups and associations were formed at pubs and many made them their base, often obtaining sponsorship from ‘mine host’. This tradition is proudly continued by the hotel industry to this day.
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Unlock the rich, untold history of the Illawarra region’s early watering holes with a subscription to Illawarra Pubs. For just $4 a year, you’ll dive deep into the social and commercial fabric of 19th-century NSW through a meticulously researched, multi-part historical series.
What You Get Today:
- Instant Access to Part One (1820–1830): Over 4,000 words of engaging history paired with historical illustrations documenting the earliest days of the region’s liquor industry.
Your 12-Month Subscription Also Includes:
- Ongoing Releases: Exclusive access to the remaining seven chapters rolling out across the year:
- Chapter Two: 1830 – 1840
- Chapter Three: 1840 – 1850
- Chapter Four: 1850 – 1860
- Chapter Five: 1860 – 1870
- Chapter Six: 1870 – 1880
- Chapter Seven: 1880 – 1890
- Chapter Eight: 1890 – 1900
- The Complete Directory: A comprehensive master list of every 19th-century pub that traded in the Illawarra, complete with the names of their licensees and publicans.
Coming soon: Chapter Two – Illawarra Pubs: 1830 – 1840
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Categories: Australian Hotels, Illawarra Hotels, NSW hotels, PREMIUM CONTENT
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