Author Archives
A journalist, writer and 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 Australian pubs and associated industries for over 30 years. He is working on a comprehensive history of the hotel and liquor industry in the Illawarra region of NSW. Besides writing a number of history books, Mick managed several community newspapers. He has been 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 Limited), the Sydney city newspaper, City News, and Torch Publications based in Canterbury Bankstown, NSW.
-
Tragic death of the founder of Prospect’s Royal Cricketers’ Arms
FORMER publican, Jim Manning had been missing for over 24 hours when his son discovered his blood saturated body in bushland in Sydney’s west in 1927. Jim’s death at the age of 73 was a tragic end to the life… Read More ›
-
Queensland pub recalls shameful death of Aboriginal woman, Kowaha
I SUPPOSE it should be expected that a pub named after a shameful and tragic event in Australian history, should harbour a few stories of misery alongside tales of cheer. The Leap Hotel, located on the Bruce Highway, about 20… Read More ›
-
Melbourne’s historic Mitre Tavern has served-up beer for over 150 years
LEGEND has it that Melbourne’s historic Mitre Tavern spawned the name of a well-known Australian hardware store. The story goes – well, according to the pub’s folklore – that two of the founding members of the hardware store, Mitre 10… Read More ›
-
Pub compliance crackdown this Australia Day
Liquor & Gaming NSW inspectors will be active over the Australia Day weekend to check venues are complying with liquor laws and COVID public health orders. Liquor & Gaming NSW Director of Compliance, Dimitri Argeres, said inspectors will be out targeting… Read More ›
-
Road Trip: The pubs of far north Queensland’s back country
By MICK ROBERTS © THEY’RE a hardy bunch, those who call far north Queensland’s back country home. They have to be. It’s harsh country, as we discovered on our road trip to Chillagoe, 200km west of Cairns, late in 2020…. Read More ›
-
Kalgoorlie’s pub riots: WA Premier threatened at Wilkies in 1898 and two men killed during 1934 racial riots
A NUMBER of disturbances between miners and the authorities in Kalgoorlie centred on the pubs – the diggers unofficial meeting places. One of the first occurred in March 1898 when Western Australian Premier John Forrest visited the goldfields to officially… Read More ›
-
Constables caught-out having after-hour New Year’s Eve drinks at Erskineville’s Imperial Hotel
FOUR Sydney police constables were caught-out on New Year’s Eve 1930 when they called into an Erskineville pub for after hours’ celebratory drinks with the publican. Constables Robert Ramsay, Alfred Costello, William Mowbray and William Grover were each fined 10… Read More ›
-
Study finds despite Covid-19 pub restrictions, Aussies did not “get on the beer” at home during lockdowns
NEW research has revealed Australians did not “get on the beers” at home during the nation’s COVID-19 lockdowns despite the closure of licensed venues. On-premises alcohol consumption was prohibited in Australia in March following the closure of pubs, clubs, restaurants,… Read More ›
-
Mayor redeveloped Ballina theatre into the Australian Hotel
By MICK ROBERTS © THE tamed applause from opera at a Ballina theatre, was replaced with the raucous shouting, laughter, and bawdy tunes of a pub in 1895. Where Gilbert and Sullivan’s lolanthe had entertained from the stage, beer suddenly… Read More ›