Author Archives
A journalist, writer and historian, Mick Roberts specialises in Australian cultural history, particularly associated with Australian pubs. Mick has had an interest in revealing the colourful story of Australian hotels or pubs and associated industries for over 35 years. Besides writing a number of history books, Mick has managed several community newspapers. Editorially, he has managed the Wollongong Northern News, The Bulli Times, The Northern Times, The Northern Leader and The Local - all located in the Wollongong region. As a journalist he has reported for Rural Press, Cumberland (News Limited), City Hub Sydney (City News), and Torch Publications (based in Canterbury Bankstown, Sydney).
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Carcoar’s Stoke Hotel
One of the oldest and most , historic hostelries in the western districts the “Stoke Hotel,” at Carcoar, which is nearly 90 years old, has ceased to exist as an hotel. It has been purchased by Messrs. Hugh Heavener and Co., from the estate of the… Read More ›
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Pub resorts to sawn-off bottles, jars and enamel mugs during war time beer glass shortages
AUSTERITY BEER MUGS BEER AT Hides Hotel, Cairns, is served in sawn-off beer bottles, coffee jars, enamel mugs, and honey jars. The manager says all the hotel’s drinking glasses have been “souvenired.” Prices for drinks range from 9d to 3/6,… Read More ›
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Publicans were buried in the backyard of Oberon’s notoriously ‘flimsy’ Brighton Hotel
By MICK ROBERTS © IN its final days, the Brighton Hotel, in the NSW Central Tablelands’ town of Oberon, wasn’t the place for the faint-hearted. Remembered as a ‘blood house’, due to the frequent fights in its bar, many unsuccessful… Read More ›
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The McLeods and Dungog’s Royal Hotel
The McLeod family ran the Royal Hotel at Dungog in the Hunter Region of NSW for 15 years. Tom McLeod was granted the license of the pub in 1925, and his son, Arthur took the reins in 1931. The McLeods… Read More ›
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Richmond’s Royal Hotel has traded for over 155 years
The Royal Hotel at Richmond, north-west of Sydney, was built in 1864, and licensed in 1865. William Reid called for tenders to build his two storey brick inn at the corner of Windsor and Market Streets in February 1864…. Read More ›
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Here’s how you can help your local pub during the coronavirus lock-down
Carlton & United Breweries and the Australian Hotels Association have teamed up to help pubs survive the coronavirus crisis. For the Love of Your Local campaign is calling on drinkers to visit the ‘Love of Your Local’ website then nominate their… Read More ›
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A rare look inside a 1920s outback pub: Stuart Arms Hotel, Alice Springs
The above slide show is a rare glimpse inside an Australian outback pub in 1921. What’s also is remarkable about these images are that each photograph identifies the men inside the bar of the Stuart Arms Hotel, and some of… Read More ›
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The adventures of Bluey & Curley in our Australian pubs
A POPULAR Australian newspaper comic strip during the war years, ‘Bluey and Curley’ was written by artist, caricaturist, and cartoonist Alex Gurney. Gurney was renowned for his generous habit of giving the original art work of his caricatures, cartoons, and… Read More ›
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Road Trip: The pubs of the O’Connell Plains
By MICK ROBERTS © THIS Time Gents’ road trip took us from the city of Sydney over the Blue Mountains into the green valleys west of Oberon and the O’Connell Plains, where we visited three special pubs, and interviewed two… Read More ›
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Three Western Australian publicans from the past
Bob Connell Burlington Hotel, Bunbury Mine host of the remodelled Burlington Hotel, in Victoria-street, Bunbury, Bob has proved one of the most effective workers in the interests of the town and district. No man is better versed in the potentialities and the… Read More ›