Nothing but the Pub

Here’s a story about a pub. Well, the remnants of what was once a pub. Actually change that to the remnants of a Wine Shanty In fact, best not to risk the ire of the probably pedantic ghost of its long time owner and give it the full regal moniker on which she insisted. Mrs Alexander, who ran the place between Holbrook and Jingellic for near half a century would promptly admonish anyone who within her earshot demeaned her house by referring to it as a ‘shanty’. Rather, it was the “Lankey’s Creek Wine Palace” and she would be ever so   thankful if it were referred to as such! She was a stickler for proper behaviour and courtesy was Barbara Isabelle Alexander, and she had no truck with any lack of respect or innuendo about her morals and class. One summer afternoon at the end of December 1919, this woman, who’s husband was absent, allegedly at the War, and who lived with her sister, had a visit from an old friend who was invited to stay for a cuppa...

So anyway, if you’re on the mid-NSW coast and you head west up the Macleay River from Kempsey, (and why wouldn't you?) the first place you’re going to want to stop is Willawarrin. And when you do maybe force yourself to ride past the pub on your right and pull up just short of the general store on the left and check out the Anzac Memorial. There’s a new one being slowly erected behind it but take a moment to read and count the names of the locals who fought in both world wars. Look around at the town and try to get a grip on just how a tiny place like this gave so many men to service of their country. Back in September 1949 my mum was 8 months pregnant with her first child when my father told her he had to go up the bush for a few days.   Dad was pretty devoted so she knew it was important.   A week earlier the worst floods ever recorded had devastated this same Macleay Valley wiping out entire communities and washing away thousands of catt...

After I got back from the bar with Rex Beaver’s second tumbler of water, at the Jingellic Hotel he told me about giving up the fags. “I used to love smoking but in ’82 I just gave it up one day and never thought about it again. I’ve got will power to do things like that. Like drinking.” Rex first gave up beer in 1974 and kept off it for nine years, “just because”. Then he went dry again in the ‘90’s when saving for his house and then he quit again in 2005 and has stayed with the soft stuff ever since. “ Make no mistake, I’ve loved every mouthful of beer I’ve ever had and the next one will be sweet,” but right now he’s doing just fine. I told him I was headed down-river to check out the ex-Dora Dora pub. “Aaaah,   had my first drink at that place.   I just went down there one Saturday and I decided it was time I had a drink so I went into the bar and old Alf Wright was there and he hadn’t met me before.   It was an ordinary 7 ounce beer and I t...