Insane line for the pub at 9am on Anzac Day

A giant line has been spotted outside a Sydney pub on Anzac Day as droves of eager revellers get in early to kick off festivities.

A massive queue has been spotted outside a Sydney pub just before 9am on Anzac Day as droves of eager revellers get in early to kick off festivities.

Wild video footage shows dozens of pubgoers queuing up outside the Clovelly Hotel in Sydney’s eastern suburbs at 8.45am on Friday, with the line snaking outside the building and several metres down the street.

“Anzac Day 2025 lines begin,” Bondi Lines, an Instagram page which shares live-updates on the length of lines outside the city’s most popular venues, captioned the video.

In nearby Paddington, hoards of people were queuing up several metres down the street outside The Bellevue Hotel at 9.40am before doors opened at 10am, while The Royal Hotel Paddington had reached capacity by about 10am, according to Bondi Lines.

Dozens were lining up outside Clovelly Hotel before 9am. Picture: Instagram@bondi_lines

A line was snaking down the street outside The Bellevue Hotel. Picture: Instagram@bondi_lines

Similar scenes were spotted outside a popular pub in the inner west, where lines were around the block before its 10am opening.

The Sackville Hotel in Balmain is renowned for its large Anzac Day gatherings.

Huge crowds of keen revellers were seen queing at least 20 metres down the street as they waited to gain access to the event which features DJs, grandstand seating, food and two-up from 12pm.

Lines snaked down the block from before opening time. Picture: Instagram/Sackvillehotel

Early-goers celebrated with a beer in hand. Picture: Instagram/Sackvillehotel

Bondi Lines, which has launched an app for users to check real-time queue lengths, estimated over three million people visited Sydney pubs last Anzac Day alone.

Aussies are expected to flood venues again on Friday, with many pubs hosting the popular gambling game two-up.

Popularised by Australian troops during WWI, the game is banned year-round in most states and territories with the exception of Anzac Day and other special occasions.

In Victoria, however, the law states two-up can be played during commemorative events in the seven days leading up to Anzac Day.

Another special reservation is made for the NSW town of Broken Hill where two-up can legally played all year-round, due to a special licence issued by the state government.

Originally published as Insane line for the pub at 9am on Anzac Day