Sometimes there comes a time in life where you get that niggling reminder that you should stop making excuses, and start actually doing some of the things that you’ve thought about doing, or even doing again. This Christmas period, I decided to pack the car and do a bit of a busman’s holiday back down around the south east QLD corner, and in doing so, made a note to try and revisit some of the great pubs that are in that region.

The Theebine Hotel is situated well off the Bruce highway, around about 20 minutes north of Gympie, and inland next to the railway. I hadn’t visited for many years and its location was highly convenient to break for the night on my intended travels, so I did just that.

Read the rest of this entry »

The stately, State Hotel, Babinda.

The town of Babinda is one of those places that is easily missed when flitting through between Townsville and Cairns, or vice versa. It once was home to a substantial sugar mill which was immediately adjacent to the highway, with the main township itself tucked away between the highway and the hills on the western side.

These days the sugar mill is no longer, however the town soldiers on, still getting by on the back of the cane industry.

The actual town of Babinda is easily missed due to its off-highway location, and for all the years Ive been touring Australian roads, I am somewhat embarrassed that I hadn’t realised sooner that there would be far more to the town than the one or two small stores visible near the railway line and by the highway.

Read the rest of this entry »

Having seen this pub from the outside numerous times, and with the statement “We must have a beer in that pub one day” on far too many occasions, I decided to seize the moment, and I am very grateful I did. So grateful in fact that after a long time between posts, I was inspired enough to throw a few lines together to share what I found.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Burketown Pub has the claim to fame of being the best pub in Burketown.  no joke, it really is.  Actually this is a good pub, with a great story to tell.  Check out their website for some of the “tall tales” which encompasses some of this pubs colourful history.

Read the rest of this entry »

This was a super quick visit to the famous Purple Pub with Nicky Jurd and my good self.  Leaving Cairns around midday, we flew to Normanton and grabbed a hire car.  I love these outback towns – the lovely lady from Dougs Car Hire dropped off the car to the airport, handed me the keys with a smile and that was it.  No forms, inspections, safety briefings or anything.  You want a car – here it is, have a nice day.

Now – we had to drive to Karumba (for work people!) so we had to hoof it.  But I couldn’t resist stopping at the famous pub that I had heard so much about!

The beer was super-cheap.  I had a schooner and my friend had a dark&stormy… all up this round was less than $5!   I had to go back and check that I was charged correctly, but the lovely lady insisted that it was all covered.

Read the rest of this entry »

Some dumb-arse tourist that stood in front of me

What a bloody great pub.  I start this very post on the front lawn, but had to stop with the sheer beauty of the view, the wit of the company and the sheer tenacity of the beer itself.

This gem of a pub is not actually in Karumba itself, but in Karumba point as it is known locally.  It is a tops-as establishment and I would have to say that is has surprised the socks off me.

Read the rest of this entry »