Australia's 13 Most Iconic Outback Pubs

These iconic watering holes offer an unforgettable glimpse into the heart of the Aussie outback.

There’s nothing more quintessentially Australian than our outback pubs. These rustic establishments are not just places to grab a cold beer; they’re the heartbeat of remote communities, brimming with history, character and some seriously memorable characters.

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From weathered tin roofs to walls lined with quirky memorabilia, each pub tells a story of the rugged and resilient Aussie spirit. Here are the must-visit outback pubs that deserve a spot on your bucket list.

1. The Birdsville Hotel, Qld

Birdsville Hotel window — The Birdsville Hotel is as spirited and dynamic as times past. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Nestled on the edge of the Simpson Desert, the Birdsville Hotel is as legendary as the tiny town it calls home. This historic pub has been a refuge for weary travellers since 1884, offering ice-cold beers and a lively atmosphere. Whether you visit during the famous Birdsville Races or stop by for a yarn with the locals, you’ll leave with stories to tell for a lifetime.

Address: Adelaide St, Birdsville

2. Daly Waters Pub, NT

This quirky watering hole in the Northern Territory is famous for its eccentric decor, with walls covered in bras, banknotes and oddities left by travellers from around the world. The Daly Waters Pub serves up hearty meals and good times with a side of live entertainment. Don’t miss their famous beef and barra feast for a true taste of the Territory.

Address: 16 Stuart St, Daly Waters

3. Prairie Hotel, SA

desert view of Prairie Hotel — The Prairie Hotel emerges from the desert setting. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Located in the Flinders Ranges, the Prairie Hotel is a destination in itself. Famous for its inventive ‘feral’ menu, featuring kangaroo, emu and camel dishes, this pub redefines outback dining. Add in stunning desert views and a warm outback welcome, and it’s easy to see why the Prairie Hotel is a must-visit.

Address: High St and West Terrace, Parachilna

4. Tilpa Hotel, NSW

exterior of The Tilpa Hotel — The Tilpa Hotel has been a cornerstone of the region since 1894. (Image: Destination NSW)

Set on the banks of the Darling River, the Tilpa Hotel is as remote as it is iconic. This one-room pub is famous for its graffiti-covered walls where travellers leave their mark, and it’s the perfect spot to unwind with a beer after a day exploring the outback. Pro tip: order the steak sandwich – it’s legendary.

Address: 1 Darling St, Tilpa

5. Grand Hotel Kookynie, WA

Grand Hotel in Kookynie — Sip a cold beer and enjoy the dreamy outback ambience. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Step into the past at the Grand Hotel Kookynie , located in Western Australia’s Goldfields region. This pub has been serving travellers since the early 1900s and exudes old-world charm. Make sure to say hello to Willie, the resident horse who often hangs out at the bar – an outback experience like no other!

Address: 54 Britannia St, Kookynie

6. Nindigully Pub, Qld

Nindigully Pub exterior — Established in 1864, the Nindigully Pub is Queensland’s oldest continuously licensed pub. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Step back in time at the Nindigully Pub , which has been welcoming patrons since 1864. Perched on the banks of the Moonie River, this charming establishment is known for its enormous burgers – big enough to feed a family – and its warm country hospitality. Whether you’re camping nearby or dropping in for a feed, this pub promises an unforgettable experience.

Address: Sternes Street, Nindigully

7. Marree Hotel, SA

At the crossroads of the Oodnadatta and Birdsville Tracks, the Marree Hotel is a slice of Australian history. This heritage-listed pub has been serving adventurers and locals since the late 19th century. Don’t miss the Tom Kruse Room, dedicated to the legendary outback mailman who delivered post to Australia’s most remote communities.

Address: Lot 200 Railway Terrace South, Marree

8. The Silverton Hotel, NSW

exterior of Silverton Hotel — Get a taste of the cinema at this iconic hotel. (Image: Destination NSW)

You’ll feel like you’ve stepped onto a movie set at the Silverton Hotel . Located in a ghost town in Outback NSW, this pub has starred in countless films and TV shows, including Mad Max 2. Grab a cold one, snap a selfie with the Mad Max car out front and soak up the quirky charm of this cinematic pub.

Address: 12 Layard St, Silverton

9. The Blue Heeler Hotel, Qld

Located in Kynuna, the Blue Heeler Hotel is steeped in history and Aussie folklore. It’s said to be the inspiration behind Banjo Paterson’s Waltzing Matilda. Stop by to enjoy a beer, chat with locals and immerse yourself in the stories of Queensland’s outback.

Address: 16 Hulbert St, Kynuna

10. William Creek Hotel, SA

The laid-back atmosphere of this remote pub is not to be missed. (Image: South Australian Commission)

Sitting on the edge of Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre, one of Australia’s best pink lakes, the William Creek Hotel is the definition of remote. It’s a lifeline for adventurers traversing the Oodnadatta Track, offering hearty meals, cold drinks and the chance to swap stories with fellow travellers. Don’t forget to sign the visitor book before you leave.

Address: Lot 1 Oodnadatta Track, William Creek

11. The Lion’s Den, Qld

Visitors of Lion's Den Hotel — The pub is on the bucket list of adventure seekers in Cape York. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Nestled in the rainforest near Cooktown, The Lion’s Den Hotel is a must-visit for adventurers exploring Cape York. This historic pub, established in 1875, features walls covered in signatures and mementos from travellers over the decades. Relax with a cold drink and soak in the charm of this iconic watering hole.

Address: 398 Shiptons Flat Road, Rossville

12. Matso’s Store, WA

Matso's Brewery — Matso’s is the only microbrewery in North West WA. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Located in Broome, Matso’s is a beloved institution known for its unique craft beers. Try their famous mango beer or ginger beer while soaking up the laid-back atmosphere. It’s the perfect spot to cool off and enjoy a refreshing drink after exploring the Kimberley region.

Address: 60 Hamersley St, Broome

13. The Palace Hotel, Broken Hill, NSW

The Palaca Hotel in Broken Hill — The Palace is located in the heart of the heritage-listed city of Broken Hill. (Image: Broken Hill City Council)

With its grand facade and famous murals, The Palace Hotel is an outback pub with a difference. It shot to fame in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and continues to attract visitors with its vibrant art, live music and icon status in Broken Hill. Stay the night in one of their heritage rooms for the full experience.

Address: 227 Argent St, Broken Hill

Located just an hour north-west of Melbourne, the largely undiscovered Macedon Ranges quietly pours some of Australia’s finest cool-climate wines and serves up some of Victoria’s best food.

Mention the Macedon Ranges and most people will think of day spas and mineral springs around Daylesford, cosy weekends away in the countryside or the famous Hanging Rock (of enigmatic picnic fame). Or they won’t have heard of the Macedon Ranges at all.

But this cool-climate destination has been inconspicuously building a profile as a high-quality food and wine region and is beginning to draw serious attention from oenophiles and epicureans alike.

The rise of Macedon Ranges wine

liquid gold barrels at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — Barrels of liquid gold at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

With elevations ranging from 300 to 800 metres, Macedon Ranges vineyards are among the highest in the country. This altitude, combined with significant day/night temperature swings, makes for a slow ripening season, in turn nurturing wines that embody elegance and structure. Think crisp chardonnays, subtle yet complex pinot noirs and delicate sparkling wines, along with niche varietals, such as gamay and nebbiolo.

Despite the region’s natural advantages – which vary from estate to estate, as each site embodies unique terroir depending on its position in relation to the Great Dividing Range, soil make-up and altitude – the Macedon Ranges has remained something of an insider’s secret. Unlike Victoria’s Yarra Valley or Mornington Peninsula, you won’t find large tour buses here and there’s no mass marketing drawing crowds.

Many of the 40-odd wineries are family-run operations with modest yields, meaning the wineries maintain a personal touch (if you visit a cellar door, you’ll likely chat to the owner or winemaker themselves) and a tight sales circle that often doesn’t go far beyond said cellar door. And that’s part of the charm.

Though wines from the Macedon Ranges are just starting to gain more widespread recognition in Australia, the first vines were planted in the 1860s, with a handful of operators then setting up business in the 1970s and ’80s. The industry surged again in the 1990s and early 2000s with the entry of wineries, such as Mount Towrong, which has an Italian slant in both its wine and food offering, and Curly Flat , now one of the largest estates.

Meet the new generation of local winemakers

the Clydesdale barn at Paramoor. — The Clydesdale barn at Paramoor. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Then, within the last 15 years, a new crop of vignerons like Andrew Wood at Kyneton Ridge Estate , whose vineyard in 2024 was the first in the Macedon Ranges to be certified by Sustainable Winegrowing Australia; Geoff Plahn and Samantha Reid at Paramoor , who have an impressive cellar door with a roaring fire and studded leather couches in an old Clydesdale barn; and Ollie Rapson and Renata Morello at Lyons Will , who rapidly expanded a small vineyard to focus on top-shelf riesling, gamay, pinot noir and chardonnay, have taken ownership of local estates.

Going back to the early days, Llew Knight’s family was one of the pioneers of the 1970s, replacing sheep with vines at Granite Hills when the wool industry dwindled. Knight is proud of the fact that all their wines are made with grapes from their estate, including a light, peppery shiraz (some Macedon wineries purchase fruit from nearby warmer areas, such as Heathcote, particularly to make shiraz) and a European-style grüner veltliner. And, as many other wineries in the region do, he relies on natural acid for balance, rather than an additive, which is often required in warmer regions. “It’s all about understanding and respecting your climate to get the best out of your wines,” he says.

farm animals atKyneton Ridge Estate — Curious residents at Kyneton Ridge Estate. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Throughout the Macedon Ranges, there’s a growing focus on sustainability and natural and low-intervention wines, with producers, such as Brian Martin at Hunter Gatherer making waves in regenerative viticulture. Martin previously worked in senior roles at Australia’s largest sparkling winemaking facility, and now applies that expertise and his own nous to natural, hands‑off, wild-fermented wines, including pét‑nat, riesling and pinot noir. “Wild fermentation brings more complexity,” he says. “Instead of introducing one species of yeast, you can have thousands and they add different characteristics to the wine.”

the vineyard at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — The estate’s vineyard, where cool-climate grapes are grown. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Most producers also focus on nurturing their grapes in-field and prune and pick by hand, thus avoiding the introduction of impurities and the need to meddle too much in the winery. “The better the quality of the fruit, the less you have to interfere with the natural winemaking process,” says Wood.

Given the small yields, there’s also little room for error, meaning producers place immense focus on quality. “You’re never going to compete in the middle [in a small region] – you’ve got to aim for the top,” says Curly Flat owner Jeni Kolkka. “Big wineries try to do things as fast as possible, but we’re in no rush,” adds Troy Walsh, owner and winemaker at Attwoods . “We don’t use commercial yeasts; everything is hand-harvested and everything is bottled here, so we bottle only when we’re ready, not when a big truck arrives.” That’s why, when you do see a Macedon Ranges product on a restaurant wine list, it’s usually towards the pointy end.

Come for the wine, stay for the food

pouring sauce onto a dish at Lake HouseDaylesford — Dining at Lake House Daylesford is a treat. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

If wine is the quiet achiever of the Macedon Ranges, then food is its not-so-secret weapon. In fact, the area has more hatted restaurants than any other region in Victoria. A pioneer of the area’s gourmet food movement is region cheerleader Alla Wolf-Tasker, culinary icon and founder of Daylesford’s Lake House.

For more than three decades, Wolf-Tasker has championed local producers and helped define what regional fine dining can look like in Australia. Her influence is palpable, not just in the two-hatted Lake House kitchen, but in the broader ethos of the region’s dining scene, as a wave of high-quality restaurants have followed her lead to become true destination diners.

the Midnight Starling restaurant in Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — The hatted Midnight Starling restaurant is located in Kyneton. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

It’s easy to eat well, whether at other hatted restaurants, such as Midnight Starling in the quaint town of Kyneton, or at the wineries themselves, like Le Bouchon at Attwoods, where Walsh is inspired by his time working in France in both his food offering and winemaking.

The beauty of dining and wine touring in the Macedon Ranges is that it feels intimate and unhurried. You’re likely to meet the winemaker, hear about the trials of the latest vintage firsthand, and taste wines that never make it to city shelves. And that’s worth getting out of the city for – even if it is just an hour down the road.

Delicate dishes on the menu at Midnight Starling. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

the accommodation at Cleveland Estate, Macedon Ranges — Stay at the Cleveland Estate. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Soak up vineyard views from Cleveland Estate near Lancefield , embrace retro charm at Kyneton Springs Motel or indulge in lakeside luxury at the Lake House .

Eating there

Enjoy a four-course menu at the one-hatted Surly Goat in Hepburn Springs, Japanese-inspired fare at Kuzu in Woodend or unpretentious fine dining at Mount Monument , which also has a sculpture park.

Drinking there

wine tasting at PassingClouds Winery, Macedon Ranges — A tasting at Passing Clouds Winery. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Settle in for a tasting at Boomtown in Castlemaine, sample local drops at the cosy Woodend Cellar & Bar or wine-hop around the many cellar doors, such as Passing Clouds .

the Boomtown Winery and Cellar Bar signage — Boomtown Winery and Cellar Bar. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Playing there

a scenic river in Castlemaine — Idyllic scenes at Castlemaine. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Wander through the seasonal splendour of Forest Glade Gardens , hike to the summit of Hanging Rock, or stroll around the tranquil Sanatorium Lake.

purple flowers hanging from a tree — Purple flowers hanging from a tree. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Australia’s 13 most iconic outback pubs