One of Australia’s most famous outback pubs is for sale, boasting a 600-kilometre patron catchment and a room full of ladies’ underwear.
Daly Waters was once Australia’s piece of the Wild West, with its history of murders and shootouts in the main street.
But for some time the Daly Waters Pub has been more of a magnet for tourists and tit-slingers than gun-slingers, and gone from a dusty outback drinking ‘whole’ to a tourist pilgrimage outpost.
PubTIC’s Greg Smith profiled the Daly Waters in the April edition last year (view online here).
GIVE US TODAY OUR DALY WATER (extract)
There’s a hitching rail and water trough (an old bathtub), next to the parking meter, below the disconnected telegraph line, which are across the road from the ‘chopa’ (helicopter) that sits on the roof of the ‘holesail outlet’. It’s all part of the colour and history of the Aussie outback.
Owners of Daly Waters Pub, Lindsay Carmichael and Robyne Webster, have worked hard for the past 15 years to make this wonderful piece of our history into today’s family-oriented, fun stopover out the back of ‘whoop whoop’, which attracts more and more tourists every year.
Robyne says the tourist seasons have changed since they arrived.
“Once, there would be days during the wet when we’d see no more than half a dozen people. But now, we’re always busy,” she says.
Robyne has noticed that tourists who used to stay away during the wet season now want to experience it for themselves.
“We’ve also worked hard to build a good reputation for our food. We’ve won lots of awards, and our reputation is spreading amongst the caravanners as well as the locals.”
Daly Waters Pub is hundreds of miles into the red centre, so I ask: who are the locals?
“You know, from Darwin and Katherine. I drive to Darwin to have my hair cut. It’s only 600 kilometres,” she answers, amused at my reaction.
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The tradition of women adorning the pub with bras and knickers apparently began after a bet between a tour bus driver and a female passenger, 30-odd years ago. It has become something of a rite of passage for bold women who pass through Daly Waters. The most senior lady whose bra hangs in the bar was 87 years old.
Carmichael confirmed yesterday to the ABC that all the undergarment decorations case as part of the sale.
“We actually had some girls put some knickers up yesterday afternoon,” he added.
