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 arguably Australia’s most infamous pub. While the history of bushranger Ned Kelly is well documented, the story of the Glenrowan Inn… Read More ›
From pint and long sleever, to pot, middy 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 ›
By MICK ROBERTS © A CANNY Scotsman with a reputation for being careful with his money, Jimmy Richardson, was one of Australia’s most successful hoteliers. Jimmy built an empire of Melbourne hotels, before selling them all – with the exception… Read More ›
A WOMAN turned a few heads within the bar of the Richmond Club Hotel in Richmond, Victoria in 1891 when she plunged completely naked into the outside water trough. Today the horse drinking trough outside the Swan Street pub has… Read More ›
THE tragic death of Victorian farmer Charlie Dealy while sitting on the dunny of a pub outhouse remains a mystery to this day. A North Mooroopna farmer, Charlie was in the backyard outhouse of Shepparton’s Court House Hotel when he… Read More ›
MELBOURNE, Sat — Will kangaroos drink beer? Should they be permitted to do so? The committee of the Field Naturalists’ Club of Victoria was confronted by these puzzles this week. The matter arose from a recent complaint by a member… Read More ›
And it was enacted that there be no new barmaids in the land of Victoria; but those already registered only, to continue in their calling. So it shall come to pass in the end that one alone shall be left,… Read More ›