New owners have taken charge of the legendary Silverton Hotel in far, far west New South Wales.
Silverton is iconic Australian red earth country, more than 12 hours’ drive west of Sydney. The town of just 48 residents welcomes around 120k visitors a year and was the setting for Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior. It is also home to a population of free roaming donkeys.
The town is only a short 20-minute race from bustling Broken Hill, where a group of miners famously gathered for a beer and went on to create the world’s largest mining company, Broken Hill Proprietary (BHP).
The 142-year-old pub was put on the market by previous owners Peter and Patsy Price, who were ready for retirement after sixteen years at the helm.
New owners Liz Murphy and Norm Matau, in their 50s, had realised that while they weren’t ready for retirement, their previous careers were taking a toll on their wellbeing and physical health.
Murphy, previously a theatre nurse and Matau a pastry chef turned carpenter, had given up their jobs, bought a caravan and began to travel Australia before discovering the leasehold was for sale.
“We were saying we wanted career changes and [our friend] Pete is a hotel broker and he was saying Silverton Hotel is for sale,” Murphy told the ABC.
After meeting the Prices, the couple packed up their Brisbane home and moved to Silverton earlier this month to take up their new roles as lessees. Weeks later, the couple are enjoying their new life.
“I actually get to talk to people now. They’re not asleep [undergoing surgery],” Murphy said.
“It’s been fun hearing about where people are from and where they’re going.”
“I open up [the pub] every morning and go outside and drink my coffee and just take it in,” Matau added.
Previous owner Peter Price was happy to pass his dream on to the couple, confirming the donkeys will remain in the town. The donkeys, themselves a tourist attraction, are owned by the Prices and Petah Devine.
The Prices are remaining in town, where Patsy has spent most of her life, and are happy to still lend a hand if needed.
Murphy has found the move has given her a new lease on life and encourages others considering a career change to explore the opportunities available.
