QHA_February_Mag_Web

Osbourne Hotel, Fortitude Valley
NEWS
Photo: Seth and Vicki’s Australian Travels
GHOST TOWN PUB
TO REOPEN
It’s been a long time between drinks at the
Betoota Hotel.
On a lonely road 170km east of Birdsville, the outback
town of Betoota has been uninhabited since its
publican and sole resident shut shop in 1997. Now a
Brisbane resident and long-time fan of the pub, Robert
(Robbo) Haken, has bought it and plans to reopen it in
time for the Betoota races in August.
Robbo recently told the Brisbane Times that he first
visited the pub 30 years ago, but after seeing how
derelict it had become by 2015, he knew he had to
restore it.
“When I walked into the place I just thought, what an
amazing bit of Australia history and why isn’t someone
doing something with it,” he said.
In partnership with three friends, Robert is now
giving the old hotel a much-needed makeover and is
confident it will become a popular stop for thirsty, tired
and curious travellers.
“There are a lot of grey nomads that go through there
and they’re all fatigued by the time they get to the
centre, so basically we looked at it and thought we
could be assistance there,” he said.
“The response that we got from everybody in the bush
out there, from the shops, to the hardware, to the local
bakery, to people wanting to help us, including the
local police, was absolutely astronomical.”
In its heyday Betoota a busy Cobb & Co. change
station and meeting point for pastoralists and drovers
moving herds of cattle through customs and onto
markets in South Australia.
07 3252 8899
info@brandandslater.com.au
www.brandandslater.com.au
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