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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Jim Cavill’s Surfers Paradise Hotel
LARGE HOTEL DESTROYED Damage Estimated at £30,000 PRIVATEL ZOO SAVED. Brisbane, Monday: The well known Surfers Paradise Hotel near Southport was destroyed by fire early this morning. The hotel was destroyed, with the exception of a number of detached living cabins and a comprehensive private zoo. The… Read More ›
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Queensland’s longest running country brewery: Fitzroy Brewery, Rockhampton, 1880 – 1976
Rockhampton’s famous Mac’s beer The Fitzroy Brewery was the longest running brewery in country Queensland, spanning a period of 96 years. The brewery was established by Frederick E. Russell in 1880 in partnership with A. L. Bourcicault in Quay Street… Read More ›
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The lure of a Sydney brewery: Huge turn-out for three job vacancies
Bar Tip Would you like to make a small donation towards the publication of The Time Gents website? If you would like to support my work, you can leave a $2.50 donation here with your credit card, or you can… Read More ›
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Towers Brewery, Charters Towers
The Towers Brewery was established by J. A. Benjamin in 1894 in Charters Towers, Queensland. It was bought out by Northern Breweries Ltd in 1899, which continued until 1936. Bar Tip Would you like to make a small donation towards… Read More ›
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Hill End once had 28 pubs… Now there’s just one
IT is difficult to find a place in Australia where there is not someone, who, at some time or other, has been connected in some way, with the old mining village of Hill End (NSW). This is not to be… Read More ›
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Commercial Hotel, Woods Point, and the glory that was…
Many towns in Australia are but shadows of what they were in the “good old days,” but surely Woods Point (Vic.) beats, them all. According to official figures compiled in the hey-day of gold-mining, it was an evangelist’s heaven. There… Read More ›
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Barman charged with smuggling gold: Metropolitan Hotel, Paddington
By MICK ROBERTS © A YOUNG barman at Paddington’s Metropolitan Hotel was lucky to have escaped with a £75 good behaviour bond after he was caught smuggling £200 worth of gold out of Australia in 1948. While visiting the subcontinent on a… Read More ›
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The resurrection of a city pub: The Belvedere Hotel, Sydney
Belvedere Hotel, Sydney 1930. Picture: Noel Butlin Archives, Australian National University. By MICK ROBERTS © SOME pubs just refuse to die. The Belvedere Hotel at the corner of Kent and Bathurst Street in Sydney’s CBD returned from the dead after closing… Read More ›
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Romano’s Hotel, Wagga Wagga
BELLAIR’S HOTEL is the leading- house on the Southern line, and commands a large business from the travelling- public. The hotel has been in the hands of the Bellair family for over 25 years. Our illustrations show the hotel property… Read More ›
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‘B’ Day brings celebrations after six month brewery strike ends
IN what can only be described as typical Aussie humour, when the beer began to flow again across NSW following a six month strike at Tooth’s Kent Brewery in April 1946, it was quickly declared “B-Day”. Tooth’s were the biggest… Read More ›