Mackay Whitsunday Isaac pubs: The ultimate list for your next crawl
Come with us on the ultimate pub crawl as we check out the flurry of activity across the Mackay, Isaac and Whitsunday regions as pubs undergo renovations, change hands or are in the midst of multimillion-dollar overhauls.
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Two brave souls are diving into the deep end of the watering hole as they take on a historic pub rumoured to be haunted.
New publicans Christie Moore and Shane Wright recently bought the General Gordon Hotel at Sandiford, west of Mackay, with plans to return the “old girl” to her former glory.
Their ambitions echo a flurry of activity across Mackay Isaac Whitsunday over the past two years as a score of pubs went under the renovation hammer, changed hands, or locked-in multimillion dollar design overhauls.
See the expansive list below.
“(The General Gordon’s) one of the only pubs that I’ve ever seen that still has an Ettamogah Pub vibe,” Ms Moore said.
“They reckon it’s haunted but I don’t think so.”
Ms Moore said they spent months giving the hotel a facelift including replacing windows and dressing up accommodation rooms, and will soon open a new Ladies Saloon for high teas.
“And we’re getting an eight-seater courtesy bus,” Ms Moore said.
“I don’t want the kids driving home after they drink here.”
But while parts of the pub are polished, others will be preserved including the 136-year-old original cold room, the scalloped tin roof, and the electric collection of antiques taking pride of place over the bar, gifted by generations of generous patrons.
“None of us have been publicans before … but we have no regrets,” Ms Moore said.
“We’re trying to take care of the Gordon as best as we can.
“A year from now, it’s going to be even better.”
Pubs which were updated, changed hands, or locked-in renovations since January, 2020
Eton Hotel, Eton
About 15 minutes’ drive west of the General Gordon, the Eton Hotel also has a fresh face at the helm.
Father of two and Airlie Beach Festival of Music organiser, Gavin Butlin, said he bought the lease to the pub about a month ago in what was a full circle moment.
“That was my first pub back in ‘98,” Mr Butlin said.
The experienced publican boasts an impressive number of the region’s pubs on his resume including Kinchant Dam, Bakers Creek Tavern, the General Gordon, Langfords Hotel in Mackay (formerly known as The Old Railway), Kuttabul Hotel, and the Calen Hotel.
Mr Butlin said he would continue Eton’s good food, service and country atmosphere and introduce live music every Saturday night.
“We’ve got three acres of land there at the creek next to the hotel and we have free camping,” he said, adding there had been “heaps of platypuses” recently spotted in the creek.
Pit Pony Tavern, Collinsville
Pit Pony Tavern part-owner Janet Lobegeier said they took full advantage of the “tough” Covid-induced closures to fully renovate their gaming room.
“We were closed for three months so it was a good opportunity to do a bit of stuff around the hotel,” Mrs Lobegeier said.
The dining room also got a spruce-up, adding another notch to the improvement list Mrs Lobegeier and her husband Nigel started since buying the pub in 2015 with Collinsville graziers Diane and Clive Watts.
“When we first bought the hotel, it was called the Town and Country Hotel,” she said.
“It was very, very run down.
“We thought we needed to reinvent this hotel and of course, Collinsville is famous for its pit ponies … hence the name.
“We never anticipated it would be as busy as it is … so yes, some people have thought we were crazy but we knew the hotel had potential.”
Mrs Lobegeier, who also owns Collinsville’s Foodworks supermarket, said Collinsville had re-imagined itself as Australia’s pit pony capital with the new free recreational vehicle park helping to lure grey nomads from nearby Lake Elphinstone.
Boomerang Hotel, Mackay
The landmark pub at the junction of the Bruce Highway and Peak Downs Highway at Mackay’s city gates had a $2 million facelift towards the end of 2021.
It reopened in April this year with a new menu and kids room while paying homage to “its roots of being a family-friendly place”.
Metropolitan Hotel, Mackay
Following Australia Venue Co’s snazzy upgrade of the ‘Boomer’ is the company’s $1.6m overhaul of its Metropolitan Hotel.
Renovations are already under way on a new beer garden with a vision to create the ideal grounds for a few drinks and a bite before or after live shows.
The pub will shortly host muso Alex Lloyd and has previously been a stage for more cheeky talent like cast members from comedy series, Housos.
Works have also begun on the pub’s new sports bar with a refreshed gaming room and bistro soon to follow.
AVC CEO Craig Ellison said they were excited to give the “tired venue a modern upgrade”, making it a “contemporary pub experience” and a hub for functions and events.
“The Mackay pub will soon be the ultimate celebration destination for local residents all groups and sizes,” Mr Ellison said.
“The Metropolitan will also be home to an exciting line-up of entertainment, with an upcoming calendar jam packed with interstate and local acts locked in.”
Renovations are expected to be complete by early 2023.
Ambassador Hotel, Mackay CBD
Also temporarily closing while Covid-19 was new in Australia, the Ambassador Hotel reopened with a sophisticated twist.
The hotel’s Mojo Rooftop Bar opened in June, 2020, introducing gourmet platters, table service and private bartenders – all while overlooking the sparkling blue Pioneer River.
Kooyong Hotel, North Mackay
It is three for three for Australian Venue Co with its iconic North Mackay pub also undergoing a total overhaul.
Plans were recently approved to demolish the existing building to make way for a bold new venue.
“The appearance of the hotel and accommodation is dated (and) unattractive and as such significant improvements are needed to provide a more inviting and vibrant setting for locals to visit and socialise,” documents state.
O’Sheas Hotel, Walkerston
O’Sheas Hotel publican Andrew Guthrie said they had “basically gutted the whole hotel” in recent months.
“It’s gone from a little country pub to being like a tavern,” Mr Guthrie said.
He said the renovations also included creating a private TAB area and painting the whole back wall as a dedication to the Anzacs.
Mr Guthrie, who co-owns the pub with wife Karen, said he had about 10 veteran family members who served in Papua New Guinea, Vietnam, Korea and Afghanistan.
But with staffing “impossible at the moment”, Mr Guthrie was seeking a publican to lease the hotel so the family could “get back into one pub”.
The Guthries also own the Pinnacle Family Hotel located on a 1ha block with full camping facilities in the Pioneer Valley, currently listed for sale near the $900,000 mark.
The real estate listing for the hotel world-famous for its Pinnacle Pies states seven couples have already tried buying the pub but their finances fell through.
Baker’s Creek Tavern, Baker’s Creek
What is happening inside the Baker’s Creek Tavern remains a mystery after a Facebook post in May advertised it had shut for renovations.
This publication has tried contacting the tavern but the phone number has been disconnected.
Prince of Wales Hotel, Proserpine
Moving north to the Whitsundays, Russell Hutchinson is the new publican behind the historic Prince of Wales Hotel in Proserpine.
“I was working for a business when this was offered to me,” Mr Hutchinson said.
“We had a look at it and decided we’d have a crack at it.
“It’s our first time owning a hotel.
“It’s certainly been challenging but certainly, it’s paid off so far.”
Mr Hutchinson, who relocated to the Whitsundays from Twin Waters on the Sunshine Coas, t said it was great to be a part of the “very tight knit” Proserpine community.
Kuttabul Hotel, Kuttabul
The lovingly-crafted bar, which opened at the Kuttabul Pub in December last year, is made from recycled timbers from around the district and includes a jail cell adorned with authentic ball-and-chain ankle cuffs.
The Retreat Hotel, Epsom
This little pub had been shuttered since 2016 before falling into the lap of Kylie Fyer-Hearn and her husband Kevin.
Mrs Fyer-Hearn said they had planned to move from Mulgowrie to Townsville when they “sort of found” the Epsom pub.
“Because it had been closed for four years, it was pretty run down,” she said.
Mrs Fyer-Hearn said they renovated for a year which included redoing the entire kitchen, bar, dining room, front veranda, and 12 motel rooms.
The hotel – nestled in-between cattle properties – now lives up to its retreat name with a “beautiful fireplace” and plentiful wildlife including koalas and kangaroos.
“We class it a family hotel,” Mrs Fyer-Hearn said.
“We take caravans as well and we take a lot of grey nomads.”
Dingo Beach Hotel, Dingo Beach
Almost $400,000 has been splashed on the Dingo Beach Hotel which boasts “perfect” weather all year round.
The pub is located between Proserpine and Airlie Beach and fronts the ocean.
Publican Ian Murphy said they had refurbished the units, re-roofed the hotel and installed new refrigeration creating the “coldest” beer in North Queensland.
“The beer lines normally run between -1C to -1.9C; it’s always chill,” Mr Murphy said.
He said they were proud of their own Dingo branded heavy lager as well as the “mellow musos” who entertained the crowd every Saturday night and Sunday lunch.
The pub is currently for sale as part of a 2800 sqm package deal with the corner store, a unit and a granny flat for $3.5 million.
Commercial Hotel, Clermont
As Covid-19 forced Australians to take stock on how they socialised, a Clermont watering hole zeroed in on “great memory-making”.
Commercial Hotel bartender Georgia Allwood said they installed a new beer garden with picnic tables on a large grassy area, lit with fairy lights.
“So it’s suitable for dogs on leads and it’s a good area for kids to run around,” Ms Allwood said.
“Honestly, it’s just a great atmosphere for everyone … it’s beautiful, great photos and great memory-making.”
Leo Hotel, Clermont
It is a case of “watch this space” as the Leo’s publican Les Boal heads for retirement after almost 20 years behind the bar.
“I’ve been here since 2003 when I bought the place,” Mr Boal said.
He said the pub held “many, many memories” for him but if he wrote them down, he would have to leave town.
“After the 1916 flood … it was pulled up here holus bolus and it’s still mostly still all here,” Mr Boal said with a laugh, adding he planned to spend his retired years travelling Australia.
Tandara Motel Hotel, Sarina
The bottle-o at the ol’ Tandara Hotel is switching over from Celebrations to BWS.
Bar supervisor Amy Amiguet said while the pub had not undergone major renovations in the past 24 months, it had been extensively changed in 2018 with a new “open plan living” design and updated pokies room.
Langfords Hotel (formerly The Old Railway Hotel), Mackay
The hotel has extended the area where bands play creating more space for eating and dancing.
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