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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St Leonards Inn: A South Australian pub hosted by a family for almost a century
AFTER an unbroken record of close to 90 years the licence of the St Leonards Inn, in the South Australian bayside town of Glenelg, finally left the McDonald family on September 11 1933. The pub had been handed down among… Read More ›
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Serves ’em up fast, does Mollie…
Mollie Hanley, 19-year-old champion Townsville barmaid, pouring beer at the record rate of 18 glasses in 20 seconds. Townsville drinkers nominate her to beat any girl for speedy beer serving. – Wellington Times Monday 17 January 1944
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First Nugget Hotel, Bathurst
STRANGE HOTEL PENALTY. For one hour drinks were off at First Nugget Hotel, Bathurst, as the result of an order made by Mr. Le Brun Brown (chairman of the Licenses Reduction Board) for the license of the hotel to be… Read More ›
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Road Trip: The Cobb & Co trail
IF you follow the old Cobb & Co coach route between the two historic country cities of Bathurst and Goulburn, through former gold mining villages and settlements in New South Wales’ mid-west, it should take you about three or four… Read More ›
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Victoria Hotel, Geelong
Sucked Beer Through Garden Hose MELBOURNE, Tuesday. – The story of the disappearance of a nine-gallon barrel of beer from the Victoria Hotel, Geelong, on May 5, and the subsequent discovery of five men seated round the barrel sucking the… Read More ›
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Early taverns of South Australia
THE historic South Australian Hotel will soon undergo changes which will convert the old-world Adelaide landmark into one of the most modern style hotels, modelled on London and Continental lines. The management changed hands recently, and one of the… Read More ›
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Hadley’s Orient Hotel, Hobart
THE Cascade Brewery Co. Ltd. has imported three trial steel drums, now being used on the Mainland for bulk beer. The brewery is investigating how they stand up to cartage, and whether they affect the flavour of beer. The steel… Read More ›
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Hotel Darwin
Bare Bones Quite unaware of the novelty of his lack of attire a naked man walked into the Hotel Darwin bar on Friday night – so our usually reliable alcoholic informant tells us and picked a fight among the clientele. The… Read More ›
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Charters Towers’ pubs
COLLINS’ EXCHANGE HOTEL. One of the institutions of Charters Towers is “Collins’,” perhaps the most widely-known of all North Queensland Hotels. The proprietors, Messrs. E. Collins and E. Tubbs, were mates in New South Wales and on Gympie, and… Read More ›
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American idea of eggs in beer doesn’t catch on with Aussie drinkers
A SELECTION of Sydney drinkers mixed raw eggs with their beers recently, and most of them enjoyed the flavor. A reporter bought a bag of eggs and asked drinkers in hotel bars if they would like to mix one with… Read More ›