Recent Posts - page 2
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Melbourne’s Apollo Inn traded for over eight decades
By Mick Roberts © ALTHOUGH Melbourne’s Apollo Inn clearly displayed 1844 on its parapet, there seems to be a discrepancy in the pub’s establishment year. The Apollo Inn was rebuilt from a single-storey structure, containing four bedrooms and four sitting… Read More ›
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Darwin’s ravenous termites devoured 80 barrels of beer
BEFORE the days of steel kegs, Northern Territory publicans had an ongoing battle with termites attacking their timber beer barrels. With nests rising like skyscrapers to heights of three metres or more, there are some weird and wonderful stories told… Read More ›
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Road trip: Pubs of the Northern Territory’s ‘Never Never’
By MICK ROBERTS © THE pubs of the Northern Territory are full to the brim with terrific tales – some tall, some true – but most of all, entertaining; Like the one about when the host of Mataranka Hotel, Nellie… Read More ›
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The inns and taverns of old Maitland
THE following story, published in the Maitland Weekly Mercury on December 24, 1927, gives a glimpse into the inns and taverns trading in the lower Hunter Valley of NSW, between the years of 1847 and 1851. Inns and taverns of… Read More ›
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The Aussie pub named after a French president: The Cropper family’s two bush pubs
By MICK ROBERTS © THE Cropper family had a tragic start as hoteliers in the New England region of NSW. The family helped establish the historic Marshal MacMahon Hotel at Wallabadah, about 18 kilometres south of Tamworth, when William Cropper… Read More ›
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Against all odds: Despite an abusive husband, hotelier Margaret Radestock became a successful business woman
By MICK ROBERTS © DEFYING the odds, Margaret Tabitha Radestock was a successful hotelier, who despite an abusive husband, and antiquated licensing laws, became a wealthy and respected South Australian businesswoman. The daughter of German winemakers, Margaret, after almost 20… Read More ›
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Fifth generation publican buys Newtown institution, Milton Hotel
SYDNEY publican William Ryan seems to have a penchant for historic, landmark inner-city hotels. Ryan has bought one of the oldest pubs in Newtown. He has taken the reins of the King Street institution, Kuleto’s Bar, sold by Donna Asensio late… Read More ›
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Notorious Austinmer coal miners’ pub became club before burning to the ground
By MICK ROBERTS © THERE are some pubs that even the bravest men would fear to tread. The North Illawarra Hotel at Austinmer, south of Sydney, had that reputation. A coal miners’ pub, it was one of the toughest in… Read More ›
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The mysterious Jim Cavill and his Surfers Paradise Hotel
By MICK ROBERTS © WHAT could be a more fitting story for Surfers Paradise then the rags-to-riches tale of a barber, who rose to become one of Queensland’s most successful businessmen through clever exaggeration, media manipulation and showmanship? James Freeman… Read More ›
Featured Categories
Hobart hotels ›
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Hobart’s Liverpool Street was ‘infested with prostitutes’ and pubs that were the ‘worst dens of infamy’
June 11, 2023
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Hobart’s hoteliers founded Australia’s first industry advocacy group
June 7, 2023
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Beer drums on trial
August 26, 2019
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The pubs and brothels of Hobart’s Watchorn Street
June 17, 2019
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Hadley’s Orient Hotel, Hobart
August 17, 2017
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Pugnacious publican
February 25, 2017
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Early pubs of Hobart: The romance of Tasmania’s hostelries
June 11, 2016
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Publican painter
May 4, 2015
Darwin hotels ›
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Darwin’s ravenous termites devoured 80 barrels of beer
May 20, 2023
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Hotel Darwin
August 17, 2017
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Taxi driver bitten by crocodile in the bar of the Hotel Darwin
March 15, 2017
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Darwin beer supply ‘white-anted’
March 9, 2017
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The Vic survived three cyclones…
December 24, 2016
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Darwin hotel explosion
October 19, 2016
Perth Hotels ›
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Policeman shot dead in bar of Perth’s Brisbane Hotel
August 1, 2020
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Perth publican ‘Old Penn’ was a colourful character: A history of the Woodbridge Hotel
June 7, 2020
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Three Western Australian publicans from the past
March 28, 2020
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Zandra the pub nude made Chloe look like ‘an elderly spinster in a red flannel negligee’
March 9, 2020
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Perth newspaper vendor, Jimmy could make beer run up hill
January 14, 2020
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The Battle for Beer
December 18, 2019
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Perth’s SP bookies were not only blokes
August 31, 2019
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Boxing champ behind the bar
August 4, 2019
Melbourne Hotels ›
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Melbourne’s Apollo Inn traded for over eight decades
June 1, 2023
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Olive’s three ‘petticoat pubs’ were run entirely by women
October 4, 2021
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Melbourne’s historic Mitre Tavern has served-up beer for over 150 years
January 29, 2021
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Carlton’s United States Hotel publican charged with murder after shooting dead an intruder
September 3, 2020
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The flash bars of Melbourne’s Royal Mail Hotel
February 29, 2020
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Melbourne hotelier, Jimmy Richardson
November 12, 2019
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Naked woman takes a dip in pub’s water trough
August 18, 2019
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They learnt Australian ways
June 30, 2019
Sydney hotels ›
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Identity of man found dead at North Sydney hotel remains mystery almost 60 years later
August 2, 2023
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Surry Hills’ notorious bloodhouse, the Sunbeam Hotel
August 1, 2023
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Against all odds: Despite an abusive husband, hotelier Margaret Radestock became a successful business woman
February 17, 2023
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Fifth generation publican buys Newtown institution, Milton Hotel
February 9, 2023
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The White Horses of Newtown & St Peters: Three pubs with a rich & sometimes dark history
December 23, 2022
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Changes afoot at one of Newtown’s oldest pubs: Looking back at the Milton Hotel
December 16, 2022
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Long awaited re-opening of Sydney’s Abercrombie Hotel: A 180 year history continues
December 6, 2022
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The Plasto pubs: Four Sydney publican brothers, Frank, Bob, Reg and Len
November 8, 2022
Adelaide hotels ›
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Mine’s a ‘Lady Blamey’: Beer served-up in cut-off beer bottles
September 15, 2023
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How a thatched tavern in Adelaide’s south-west doubled as a church: The Brighton Metro Hotel
November 16, 2020
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Adelaide’s last barmaid: When women were barred from behind the bar
December 31, 2019
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Commercial Hotel is Port Adelaide’s oldest licensed pub
June 5, 2019
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Rebel Irish flag at Adelaide hotel
March 14, 2019
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Golfers tee-off with milk and rum before making a strategic beer break
October 6, 2018
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Walter sat at the same table in Adelaide’s Exchange Hotel for 42 years
August 8, 2018
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Car runs into the bar of Adelaide’s Selborne Hotel
November 9, 2017
Brisbane hotels ›
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Wealthy Brisbane publican died penniless after she was hit by a tram
December 25, 2021
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Blackbirder established the Queen’s Hotel on the Brisbane River wharves
December 5, 2021
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Royal Hotel, Queen Street, Brisbane: 1862-1970
May 31, 2020
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Drinkers join the Salvos in Christmas carols outside South Brisbane pub
December 24, 2019
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The Treasury Hotel, Brisbane
November 19, 2019
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Hen gets ‘clucky’ on beer
July 23, 2019
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Publican, Rose Rooney: Sydney’s Diamond Queen
June 4, 2019
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Treasury Hotel, Brisbane
April 15, 2019