The story of the bush isn’t written down, it’s told face-to-face by the people who live there, and it’s experienced one-to-one by the people who visit. Most of all, it’s celebrated in places that curate, relate, and create the story of the bush, the pubs.
As inland Australia developed, towns like Walgett, Bourke, and Cobar became centres for mining and pastoral trade, with smaller villages growing around them to support labour needs. Pubs in these communities quickly became central to social life, connecting locals over long distances.
Along major routes, inns and pubs sprung up every 10 to 20 miles, offering rest stops for travellers and coach horses. Many of these establishments faded with the rise of modern transport, leaving scattered ruins as memorials to Australia’s frontier history.
The Pub Route connects travellers to the history and stories of the forgotten ‘pub spots’ that shaped the region. Although many of these pubs no longer exist, keep an eye out for the historical markers along the routes which indicate approximate locations of these pioneering hotels.
Travellers can discover the history of each location by using the maps and information provided on the Pub Route website and within the pages of the book available from local information centres along the route. Refresh your information with Pub Route facts and links at all of the hotels along the way.
It’s time to take one of the untravelled roads on your journey, and experience some of the story you’ve only ever read about. This website is just your conversation starter, there are plenty more stories to be told, and many new memories to be made in the quirky, welcoming, essential pubs of the bush.
The Pub Routes
Quench your thirst for stories, take a pub crawl through history, and get to know the locals at their local, as you discover the watering holes of the West.
Keep an eye out for historical markers and read the stories of these pioneering pubs.
Please Note: Pub Spot Historical Markers are at approximate locations and not intended as map reference points. Please don’t leave the roadside to look for hotels, it is mostly private property and not safe to explore, nor legal to trespass.