Only 5 and a half hours from Brisbane, Nindigully Pub, affectionately known as “The Gully”, is arguably Queensland’s oldest pub. The dispute comes from the fact that other pubs got their liquor licenses before The Gully, which got its license in 1864 but, unlike other similarly storied hotels, Nindigully Pub has not stopped working as one since its beginnings, and is the oldest one located in its original condition and position. The pub did change names on numerous occasions: Sternes, Tattersalls, Sportsman’s, and The Grand are just some of the names it has borne.
Located on the charming banks of the Moonie River near St George in the Balonne Shire, The Gully originally operated as shearers’ accommodation for the Nindigully Station, and later on also served as a Cobb & Co coach changing station between the late 19th century and the early 20th century.
A half hour’s drive from St George, Nindigully essentially consists of four houses and the pub sitting on the riverbank, but even if just for The Gully itself, it’s worth a visit! In fact, the pub has another claim to fame: Paperback Hero, the 1999 rom-com starring none other than Hugh Jackman and Claudia Karvan was filmed in the town and in the pub itself! It was even temporarily renamed the Lucktown Pub for the movie, in which Jackman plays a rugged truck driver who secretly writes romance novels under the pseudonym of Ruby Vale, his best friend and Karvan’s character. We won’t spoil the rest, but you can probably see where this is going. You can watch it on Amazon Prime Video or for free with ads on SBS On Demand.
Besides its long history, The Gully offers an airy verandah and beer garden, where you can enjoy fresh air, free live music by country artists every weekend between Easter and November, and, of course, a cold beer. You better make sure you bring your appetite as well, because Nindigully Pub is known for their famous “Road Train” burger, which is a whopping 1.2 kg of juicy beef patty meant to feed around 4 hungry people! They can also make even bigger burgers — does 5 kg sound like enough? — but those have to be ordered in advance.
And, since 2004, on the last Saturday in November The Gully hosts the annual Nindigully Pig Races! The day features live musical performances from favourite local artists, raffles, auctions, market stalls, a jumping castle, fireworks and, of course, the pig races. The best part is, it’s all for a good cause, as the event is thrown with the goal of raising money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. This year’s races will take place on Saturday, November 29 and tickets will cost $50 per adult (over 15 year old).
You can even stay in the hotel and feel like a part of history, as they have 5 rooms in the original end of the pub! Or, if you really want to have the ultimate outback experience, camping is ample between the pub and the Moonie River, with toilets and showers are available.
📍Nindigully Pub, Sternes street, Nindigully, 35 kms north of Thallon