An increasing number of grey nomads are discovering the joys of visiting Outback pubs and an increasing number of Outback pubs are discovering the joys of hosting grey nomads.
Of course, many remote hostelries were not quite as welcoming to a weary traveller as they are now … in fact many of them have quite a wild and woolly history. It’s a reputation that pubs like the Kambalda Hotel, 50 kilometres south of Kalgoorlie in WA, are working hard to lose.
Indeed, the bar once dubbed ‘The Swinging Arms’ due to its reputation as the place to go for a brawl is seeking a new name as it seeks to distance itself from days gone by.
The pub’s new management team at the pub has launched a competition to give the place a new name … as it says the old name doesn’t reflect the type of place it is now, or that it wants to be.
“The Swinging Arms is not and will not be an option,” a social media post read. “That was a nickname only, from many moons ago, when it was known as a place to go if you wanted to have a fight.”
The ABC reports that Kambalda was recently a booming nickel mining town, but a prolonged downturn has seen people move away, houses stay empty and the local football team struggles for numbers.
And from 2012 until earlier this year, the town did not actually have a fully functioning pub.
Graham ‘Grumps’ Eldridge launched a bid to re-open the pub, and after a major clean-up of the hotel complex in the middle of town, the doors of the pub opened again in April.
Mr Eldridge told the ABC that the recent appeal to the public for a new name for the bar had helped drum up attention.
“It’s going alright actually,” he said. “Since we’ve suggested it, we’ve had quite a few actually come over the bar — bits of paper with their name and their phone number.”
Some suggested names include references to mining and old explorers while many entries give a nod to the feral goats that roam freely in the town.
The Nickel Bar, The Nickel Goat, The Golden Goat, The Grumpy Goat, Lefroy’s Lounge are some of those, but despite their best efforts, the old nickname is still popular.
The Kambalda Hotel, which can cater to 2,500 people, boasts an enormous u-shaped bar snaking through different sections of the establishment.
“The vibe around town is pretty good, we’ve got families coming back into town,” Mr Eldridge told the ABC. “The pub is a focal point for the town; people can come down, chat with each other, have a drink, play pool, play darts … she’s open now and she’s staying open.”
