Local legend Frank Deshon has saved the pub and people of Hebel from fading off the map by buying every business in town.
Hebel is a tiny town in south-west Queensland, on the Castlereagh Highway, just a few kilometres on the Sunshine State side of the border with NSW. It counts around 60 residents across the district.
The Hebel Hotel & General Store is a classic single-storey timber structure, with a tin roof and wrap-around veranda, fronted by convenient racking rails to tie up your horse.
The pub offers fuel, cabins and free camping, but for around a year it was closed due to COVID, threatening to relegate the township to history.
To the rescue came third-generation local businessman farmer Frank Deshon, who bought up the entire commercial business portfolio of Hebel.
Hebel has seen seven years of drought, bringing water rations and buy-backs, and ongoing disruption to tourism courtesy of closed borders.
Since Deshon bought the place and things have reopened, the visitors have begun to return – the pub seeing around 100 people on a weekend when the border is open.
Deshon hopes to introduce more dining options in town, which offers day trips to the opals of Lightning Ridge, but the immediate plan is for a large caravan park.
Hebel Hotel publican Merv Pullen told the ABC since reopening he has smiled ‘til it hurt. Offering he has lived in a lot of places, he believes Hebel is the spot, and lauded Deshon – the “people’s king” – who also introduced the policy of giving two home-delivered meals each week to elderly locals.
“I’m really settled in life here. It’s a really kind place.”
Frank Deshon on his property near Hebel