THE publican of Carlton’s United States Hotel had endured four raids by thieves within nine months before shooting dead an intruder in May 1925. Publican John Maxwell O’Shea shot Henry ‘Pony’ Dodds while he was attempting to climb over the… Read More ›
The Midnight Prowler IT was dark when Burnett, and I pulled up at Sunder’s pub and asked the distance to Muralla. We had just finished a droving contract and were bound for that one-horse township to see if we could… Read More ›
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 ›
The Royal Mail, Bourke and Swanston Streets, Melbourne CHARLES LEECH, Proprietor. THIS famous hotel is a notable landmark of Melbourne, and is one of the most popular houses of call in the city. Under the energetic guidance of the present… Read More ›
By MICK ROBERTS © IN a secluded, heavily timbered valley in the Victorian Highlands, about 20 km north-east of Morwell, once traded a small timber inn, famous for serving-up to its guests mouth-watering roast beef, crisp brown potatoes, and ‘long-uns’… Read More ›
By MICK ROBERTS © THE Glenrowan Inn where the bushranger Ned Kelly’s ‘last stand’ took place in 1880 is likely Australia’s most infamous pub. While the history of bushranger Ned Kelly is well documented, the story of Glenrowan Inn host,… Read More ›
From pint, to long sleever, to pot and schooner By MICK ROBERTS © THE ‘long sleever’ was an impressive looking beer glass that stood 45cm high and held an Imperial pint, or 20 fluid ounces. In colonial times, when… Read More ›
MELBOURNE, Tuesday – The woman licensee of a Ballarat hotel raided at midnight, told police who found three bottles of beer in the lounge: “They don’t belong to me Father Christmas must have dropped them through the roof”. Ownership of… Read More ›
By MICK ROBERTS © A HUGE crowd gathered at Billy O’Connell’s remote pub in the Victorian highlands waiting for its official opening – and free beer. They were to be disappointed. The Melbourne Herald reported on June 15 1937 that… Read More ›
