QHA_Sep-2020_Online

TRUE GRIT SPIRIT
a very busy time of year for us, but just as we were
getting ready for the tourist season, it just got taken
away,” Sunset Tavern director, Ben Malady said.
“We were heavy in stock, heavy in food stock and
it just wasn’t going to keep frozen or be good in six
month’s time, so it was really just a matter of trying
to turn our stock back into money so we could have
enough cash and resources to get through this,” Ben
explained.
“Our tavern is at the front of the block on the beach
and our car park and driveway is at the back. So
we just opened up the roller door and set up a drive
through and did take away meals and liquor at the
back door,” Ben explained.
“Our manager, head chef and another lady who’s
been with us for quite a while have also been madly
painting and gardening at the moment. They’ve
gone from chefs, managers and bar staff to painters,
gardeners and decorators.”
Outback and country towns are often the hardest hit
when it comes to natural disasters, but they are also
quite often the towns who show strength through
solidarity and this is especially true of Home Hill, a
country town located just 12kms south of Ayr in the
Burdekin region, North Queensland.
Home Hill’s community has shown solidarity by
supporting one another, be it through shopping
locally or employing locally. While the tight-knit
community endured a hiatus from indulging in a
hearty meal and a pot of beer from their local pub,
the Malpass Hotel, patrons could still access the
bottle shop which attracted a higher number of
locals during the lockdown.
“We were able to operate our bottle shop during the
restrictions, and during that time we actually saw an
increase in our bottle shop trade of 15 per cent in
the three months. So people were still drinking, they
continued to come in but were drinking at home,”
Phil explained.
“The other thing that happened was, because of the
restrictions, customers haven’t been going over to
Ayr, they stayed local and they purchased with us.”
About two hours south of Home Hill in Collinsville,
Pit Pony Tavern owners Nigel and Janet Lobegeier
said they were the largest employer for the township
outside of mining operations.
In a town of about 1200 people, it was hard not to
feel the pressure of the pandemic with 47 of those
people being their employees. However Nigel
and Janet said their team was extraordinary and
remained positive.
“We have a community of 1200 permanent people
who live here in the town, and have a transient of
about 1000 fly-in, fly-out, drive-in and drive-out coal
miners. To describe the feeling in the town would be
to say we were very nervous, like most Australians, I
guess,” Janet explained.
Like many other hotels across the country, the Pit
Pony Tavern closed its doors, however the couple
were determined to still provide for the local town by
way of take away meals.
“We are an ageing population here in Collinsville and
we have a lot of elderly people that we need to keep
in their houses and keep them safe from what may
come in and out of the town.
QHA REVIEW | 47