Author Archives
A newspaper journalist, writer and local historian, Mick Roberts specialises in Australian cultural history, particularly associated with the Australian hotel and liquor industry. Mick has had an interest in revealing the colourful story of pubs, inns and associated industries in the Sydney and Illawarra regions of NSW for over 30 years. He is currently working on a comprehensive history of the hotel and liquor industry in the Illawarra region of NSW. Besides authoring a number of history books, Mick has owned and operated several community newspapers. He was one time editor of 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 worked for Rural Press, Cumberland (News Limted), Sydney based, City News, and is now with Torch Publications.
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Cloudy the pony enjoyed a beer at the bar
CLOUDY was a pony that made the news with his beer drinking antics in 1953. The 88cm (35 inch) pony, reported the World’s News on March 23, had raised around £800 by appearing at fairs, fetes and parades. Besides his… Read More ›
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Carlton & United Breweries rolling out 2,000 barrels of free beer to help pubs through pandemic
Carlton & United Breweries is rolling out 2,000 barrels of free beer to help pubs and clubs survive the coronavirus crisis. Having already raised more than $1 million in cash for struggling pubs and clubs through the For the Love… Read More ›
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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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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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The Royal Hotel at Richmond has traded for over 155 years
The Royal Hotel, Richmond, 1933. Picture: Noel Butlin Archives, Australian National University The Royal Hotel at Richmond was built in 1864, and licensed in 1865. William Reid called for tenders to build his two storey brick inn at the… 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 1920s look inside an outback pub: The 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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