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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Woolloomooloo water
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Road trip: Macquarie Arms, Windsor and the ongoing debate over Australia’s oldest pub
FINDING a pub in Australia that is more than 200 years old is a difficult task. In fact there are just two pubs that I know of that can lay claim to having an establishment date going back two centuries… Read More ›
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First man to discover gold in Victoria hosted Melbourne’s oldest pub, The Duke
By MICK ROBERT © WHILE in Melbourne for the tennis, an old mate of mine, Pat Adams supplied a few images and a review of the city’s oldest pub, the Duke of Wellington. Arguably, the most famous of the long-line… Read More ›
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Magistrate visits the Burdekin
The Licensing Magistrate, Mr. Laidlaw, today officially visited the inside and outside of an hotel. With inspector Fergusson he examined proposed alterations, including addition of a women’s parlor, to the Burdekin Hotel, Darlinghurst. The police are objecting to the… Read More ›
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Snippets from Sydney’s drinking past
THE Sydney Morning Herald’s Column 8, penned by “Granny”, often featured interesting and sometimes amusing snippets of pub information during the 1940s and 50s… Here is a selection… CAN’T WIN. They’re telling this tale around the city of a fellow’s… Read More ›
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The Carrington Hotel, Surry Hills
REVIEW: The Carrington Hotel sits in what was once one of Sydney’s toughest suburbs. She was a rough old pub in her day, frequented by shady characters, SP bookies, gun carrying drinkers, and customers who generally knew how to use… Read More ›
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Stolen money hidden in barman’s wooden leg
A ONE legged barman was charged with stealing £142 from a pub in an inner seaside suburb of Melbourne in 1952. The Melbourne Age reported that the employee was detained by police at St Kilda on January 20 1952 on… Read More ›
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This’ll make your mouth dry…
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Poet was always thirsty
NEAR the Hotel Wellington at Canberra stands a statue of Scotland’s Bobbie Burns. A close look at the poet’s eyes reveals that, while one of them gazes steadfastly in the direction of a nearby church, the other thoughtfully… Read More ›
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Choked on a right Royal sav
A swagman, whose name is unknown, dropped dead outside the Royal Hotel at Murrurundi on Friday night. It appears that the man bought some saveloys, took a bite of one, and apparently attempted to swallow it. The result was that… Read More ›