Australia's Old-School Country Pubs

If you want to see, hear and feel the real Aussie spirit, one of the best ways to do it is to load up the 4WD and head for the pub. I’m not talking about just any old place in the suburbs, though. I’m talking about a spot that’s country to the core.

The kind you’ll have to choke down clouds of dust and replace your dentures when you finally get there – that’s a real old-school watering hole! Yep, these kinds of places really get my motor revving and, while they’re slowly catching up with the times, there’s no doubt they still have that good old country charm.

They’re a bit like an oasis when you’ve been blasting down remote and dusty tracks for a while. And, as much as I like the peace and solitude of the bush, I’d be lying if I said grabbing a cold one at a pub with character didn’t turn out to be the highlight of many a trip in the past. Yep, the memories are flooding in right about now and it’s got me grinning like a five-year-old kid that’s just found the Nutella!

To be honest, it’s not just the liquid gold that tickles my fancy. I get a real kick out of reading the stories on the pub walls; it’s probably one of the best history lessons you could take, bar none! There are photos of damn right crazy, yet insanely inspirational, people on epic adventures who are often very creative with a whole lot of quirky thrown in.

Like the fella who drove the Old Tele Track back in the 80s in an old vintage car. Or that guy who’s been walking around Australia continuously for nearly 20 years. There are tales of yacht races in the middle of the desert, some of the biggest road trains in the world and adventures with the most unlikely of company, like goats and camels.

So what am I trying to say here? Well, it’s pretty obvious – you’re missing one of the best parts of Australia if you haven’t spent a few nights in a true-blue, old-school country pub. Or maybe I’ve just made all this up in an attempt to talk the other half into doing an epic cross-country pub crawl? Your call!

Check out the full feature in issue #102 July 2016 of Camper Trailer Australia magazine. Subscribe today for all the latest camper trailer news, reviews and travel inspiration.