There is something about an Aussie pub that resonates with our culture. Whilst they may have their roots in the British and Irish public houses we have made them our own. The country pub was much more than a place to have a few beers. They became part of the fabric of regional Australia. By 1901, Australia had over 10,000 pubs.
They served as meeting places, community hubs, and a place to lay your head at night. Many country towns still boast buildings from the late 19th century with interiors often featuring very high ceilings often embellished with elaborate plaster panels and cornices. Some feature embossed tin panelling on the ceilings and decorative leadlight glass panes. With main bars in the biggest pubs featuring large and very impressive serving bars.
Sadly many no longer operate as pubs and sit as reminder of an earlier time. Often pubs sprang up with the expansion of the railway in Australia, it’s not unusual to see names like “The Railway, The Federal, The Royal and The Criterion” pop in in towns.
Now that we have relocated onto the Darling Downs we find there is an abundance of country pubs we can visit. This is excluding any in the nearby city of Toowoomba.
Below is some of the choices we have to visit country pubs within 220km from home.
- Bellview Hotel – Bell
- Bowenville Hotel – Bowenville
- Bull & Barley Inn – Cambooya
- Clock and Bull Brewhouse – Cabarlah
- Cooyar Hotel – Cooyar
- Criterion Hotel – Helidon
- Esk Grand Hotel – Esk
- Exchange Hotel – Jandowae
- Highfields Tavern – Highfields
- Hotel Radnor – Blackbutt
- Jandowae Hotel – Jandowae
- Jondaryan Hotel – Jondaryan
- Maidenwell Hotel – Maidenwell
- Meringandan Hotel – Meringandan
- Murphys Creek Tavern – Murphys Creek
- O’Shanley’s Irish Hotel & Restaurant – Clifton
- Pioneer ARMS Hotel – Goombungee
- Pioneer Hotel – Kulpi
- Queensland National Hotel – Laidley
- Royal Hotel – Leyburn
- Rudd’s Pub – Nobby
- Southbrook Hotel – Southbrook
- Stockman Hotel – Texas
- The Bun Hotel – Kaimkillenbun
- The Farmers Arms – Cabarlah
- The Linville Hotel – Linville
- The Wheatsheaf Hotel – Greenmount
- Warra Hotel – Warra
- Yarraman Hotel – Yarraman
