The hotel, named after the teamsters it catered to, quickly became a bustling hub for both locals and travellers under the management of its first licensee, Edward “Ned” Dugan. Known for his genial nature, Dugan made the Jolly Waggoners a welcoming place during his tenure from 1881 to 1884. After leaving the hotel, Dugan continued his legacy in Bourke, managing both the Shakespeare and Carriers Arms Hotels before his untimely death in 1890.
In 1884, John Murray took over the hotel, but tragedy soon followed. In January 1886, a fire broke out in Patrick Murray’s store, next door to the Jolly Waggoners. Despite a valiant effort by night watchman Thomas Scriffin and the hotel’s new licensee, John McLoughlin, the fire caused significant damage. The newly introduced Climax Fire Extinguisher, provided by Ghest and Co., played a crucial role in saving the building, though much of the hotel’s furniture was destroyed, and a bedroom was partially ruined by a well-meaning neighbor wielding an axe in an attempt to contain the blaze.
The 1890 flood brought another trial for the hotel, as water from the inundated town rose to a foot deep inside the building. However, this did not deter McLoughlin, who kept the hotel open, with customers paddling in and out while he splashed behind the bar, serving drinks to the determined patrons.
The early 1900s saw further challenges. In 1902, another devastating fire engulfed the hotel, destroying the western section, including the bedrooms and bar. Despite the town’s efforts to save the building, the losses were extensive, estimated at £3500. Still, the hotel endured, and under licensees like Charles Campbell (1904–1907) and George Wall (1908–1924), it remained a vibrant if sometimes chaotic venue in Bourke.
However, the hotel’s fate changed in 1924 when the State Government’s Licenses Reduction Board cancelled its licence. In 1928, Mr. J. P. O’Mara purchased the building, converting it into a bakery. This marked the end of the Jolly Waggoners’ era as a hotel. O’Mara later sold the bakery to Mr. D. Cottee in the 1950s, but in 1957, a fire gutted the building, destroying the bakery’s oven and bread-mixing plant, effectively closing the chapter on this once-lively establishment.
Read Bruce Gray’s colourful story on the Jolly Waggoners Hotel.
The Pubs & Breweries of Bourke
From its earliest days Bourke has always had a reputation as a drinking town and it’s no wonder as it was, in fact, founded by publicans!