Today the hotel industry commemorates the life of John Charles Cullen, who sadly passed away 6 March 2025 and was celebrated as “an old school publican and an industry stalwart”.
Born 1 Feb 1930 to parents Millie and Charlie, John maintained he was blessed, declaring “we’re lucky people” and living his life by the Cullen family moto, Non Sibi, meaning ‘Not for himself’.
His father was an artillery gunner on the western front during WW1, and John saw a tough and humble upbringing that profoundly influenced him, instilling a determination and appreciation of the good things in life when they came his way.
He began in hotels as the first lessee to Tooth & Co at Rozelle’s new pub, the Orange Grove Hotel, in 1959.
He went on to lease the Kookaburra Hotel in Canley Vale, the Greenacre hotel and North Cronulla Hotel.
In 1965 he bought the freehold of the Liverpool Hotel, which he held for 30 years, redeveloping it with a tavern and retail spaces. In the ‘90s, in an emblematic example of his innovation, he petitioned for and got a second licence approved for the premise, creating perhaps the state’s ‘cheekiest’ establishment, the Corner Pub, in what had long been the public bar of the Liverpool. The licencing authorities subsequently changed the legislation to prevent similar applications from being successful.
In the ‘80s he built Northpoint Tavern, in North Sydney, and in the ‘90s bought the Bay Hotel in Bonnells Bay, which remains in the family.
Approaching it as a long-term investment, the veteran publican was always thinking about how to improve the Bay. This came to see a doubling of the motel and construction of an additional 20 shops, finally securing Coles as the anchor tenant.
Whatever his pub, John was dogged about ensuring it served the best beer possible.
Benefitting from the industry, he was determined to give back, which counted a decade on the NSW AHA State Council, and the managing of the Association’s cricket team in the ‘80s, which centred on matches played against the breweries and a touring Queensland team at the venerable Sydney Cricket Ground and Brisbane’s GABBA.
“On one occasion when the Queenslanders were visiting, heavy overnight rain threatened the game,” recalls his son and fellow hospitality devotee, Pat Cullen.
“This was no problem for dad. He called in a chopper to dry the SCG and the game went ahead.”
Further to the pubs, John was a founding member of Bottle Mart and appeared on the company’s first TV commercial, proudly spruiking a flagon of McWilliams sherry for $1.99.
Outside of hotels John was a lover of sport. He played over 100 first grade games for Eastwood rugby, and late 1957 was selected to play in a Wallabies trial game. He coached the club’s first grade team in the ‘70s and was inducted as a life member of Eastwood in the ‘90s.
He was also a dedicated member of Concord Golf Club for 43 years, known as ‘Blade’ due to his prowess with the putter, and acclaimed with having found two hole-in-ones over his time, the second being as a 90-year-old.
A game at Concord in 1996 led to the purchase of what would become the family home, after a slice off the 18th tee landed in front of a vacant block of land marked ‘For Sale’. It’s said he practically “bought it on the spot” and was heavily involved in the design, dubbing the dwelling ‘The Brassie’ and mounting a brass nameplate over the entrance.
But John maintained that his “greatest stroke of luck” in life was the night he met Margaret Hatton at a dance at Concord Hospital. The couple went on to have seven children and be married for 67 years, two months and three days.
And demonstrative of his personal creed, John was also a devoted blood donor, making over 100 blood donations to the Red Cross, before becoming dependent on transfusions to help treat his Leukemia in his final years.
“Dad always said you get out of life what you put in … “ adds Pat.
The funeral to remember John Cullen took place today.
