THE current owners of the first pub built on the Wakool River 160 years ago have reached a quarter century milestone.
Since Henry Talbett built the Kyalite Hotel in 1854, the pub has been an icon of the small farming township.
The existing hotel was built in late 1890s, and its reputation among fishermen and campers sees tourists return to the pub each year.
For the past 25 years, they have been met by the friendly faces of owners Vicki and Ken Barnes.
Both originally from Robinvale, the pub at Kyalite isn’t the first hotel the Barnes have owned.
Their first foray into the industry took them to the Yanco Glen Hotel, on the main road between Broken Hill and Tibooburra in far west New South Wales.
“That was a culture shock,” Vicki says.
“It originally started as most of those hotels in the outback, for the stage coaches.
“There used to be a hotel every 12 miles between Broken Hill and Tibooburra — it was a very old pub.”
So old in fact that it did not have power or running water, meaning water had to be carted out to the property and a generator supplied the electricity.
“It originally started as most of those hotels in the outback, for the stage coaches. There used to be a hotel every 12 miles between Broken Hill and Tibooburra — it was a very old pub…”
But when it burned down in 1984, they spent five years operating out of temporary premises before selling their licence and moving on, settling at Kyalite in 1989.
“I had never been here until the day we went to the auction, but Ken had,” Vicki says.
Since then, they have enjoyed 25 years in Kyalite, watching the town and surrounding area change, as people moved on, farms grew in size and industries in the area grew and ended.
“The farming practices have changed,” Vicki says.
“When we came here 25 years ago, every farm had a truck and the line up to Pearsons would be nearly to the t-intersection at the pub, but now it is just a few of the smaller trucks and mostly B-doubles.
“There was also the closing of the general store about 12 years ago, that was on the main road and they had fuel and food there.
“We never did food at the hotel traditionally… we did the beer and pub thing.”
When that store closed, the pub expanded and now caters for dinner on Friday and Saturday and lunch on Saturday and Sunday, with other days available if booked.
The pub also encompasses the caravan park, which is located behind the hotel, increasing the pubs appeal to travellers.
But the areas popularity is constantly changing and like many towns in the region comes down to one thing — water.
When the river and lakes are brimming, people flow through town on fishing trips and sightseeing, but when the rain dries up so do the travellers.
“[Drought in the early 2000s spanning for ten years] had a big impact, but having said that we were lucky because we did have water in the Wakool and the Edward, but not in a lot of lakes where people were fishing and camping,” Vicki says.
“So we did have people in the area, whereas a lot of caravan parks didn’t have anyone.”
But it was a black water event in 2010 that had more of an impact in Kyalite.
Black water occurs naturally, but weather conditions where there is prolonged drought followed by heavy flooding contribute to the severity of these events.
Water quality was lowered and fish stocks depleted, sending the fishermen away to more fruitful waters.
But the river has since recovered, and the travellers returned, boding well for Ken and Vicki.
“All Ken and I ever wanted to do is to run our own business and have happy and healthy children,” Vicki says.
And they have been successful in achieving their dreams, with three boys — who are now adults with families of their own — and have been in the hotel business for three decades.
“The pub culture has changed, once it used to be men and the ladies were in the lounge…”
After 32 years owning hotels, why is it that pubs have endured as the heart of small, rural farming communities, when other industries have fallen? — According to Vicki it comes down to Australian culture.
“It is probably because of the Australian tradition of the pub as the hub of the town and a social meeting point — when you live in these communities there is no where else,” she says. “Many still have a hall, but there is no where else you can go and meet your neighbour… it has become a family thing too.
“The pub culture has changed, once it used to be men and the ladies were in the lounge.
“Pubs used to be predominantly for drinking, but now you provide everything — food, a place for the kids to play… trends change but the grassroots are the same.”
The Barnes will continue to celebrate their 25 year anniversary through to Sunday.
There are prizes and a DVD containing 650 photos of their quarter century at the hotel and of people from the surrounding areas.
The main prize will be drawn at lunch at the pub on Sunday.
