It’s the end of an era at one of Outback Australia’s most iconic hostelries, with the Daly Waters pub finally being sold.
After a year on the market, the grey nomad magnet – which is famed for its bras and undies décor – has been bought by a South Australian businessman.
The former stock driver watering hole in the Northern Territory’s Top End has been owned by Lindsay Carmichael and partner Robyn for the past 18 years.
“It’s a bit like your grandma,” Mr Carmichael told the ABC. “You gotta look after her, you gotta make sure she’s comfortable and make sure she’s happy.”
After years of marathon stints behind the bar, Mr Carmichael said it was time to go … but he would miss socialising with the grey nomads and others who pop in for a drink or two.
“It’s the enjoyment of meeting people, more than anything else; we don’t have locals, it’s all visiting people,” he said. “They come with their stories and their yarns and their tales and all their anecdotes and all that sort of thing, and it’s just enjoyable to meet them… and have a chat with them and listen.”
As well as its remote location and underwear-festooned ceiling, the Daly Waters pub is also famed for its epic misspellings. The venue has a ‘reecepshun’, and sells ‘stake samiges’, ‘am buggers’, and ‘Te and Koffy’
Over the years, the pub has apparently “witnessed murders, shootouts in the main street, cattle stampeding through the town and the odd drunken brawl”.
Mr Carmichael and his partner – who plan to move to Darwin and then go travelling in Europe – hope the new owners maintain some of the atmosphere and collectables.
“Modernise where you can, but don’t modernise to the point of ridiculous,” Mr Carmichael told the ABC.
It is not known how much the pub sold for. Earlier this year, another Outback icon, the Birdsville Bakery sold for an eye-popping $1.2 million.
Our favourite memories of Daly Waters would have to be the incredible amount of junk used to decorate the place, including the Helicopter sitting on the roof of the old Garage, just across the street from the pub. good luck to Lindsay & Robyn in there next venture.
what a GREAT place