A pub in the scrub with no beer

The road from Normanton to Concurry cannot be described as boring, as it constantly changes from double to single lane. You also have to be alert due to lots of road trains and caravans on the road, and with a chipped windscreen we should know! So by the time we saw a sign for Quamby hotel, some 40 kilometers before Cloncurry, we had had enough scary moments for the day, and thought this 'pub in the scrub' would offer us a refreshing break. But with Telstra phonebox and a fuel bowser and all, this was another pub with no beer....

The saloon doors were open and the pub still stood strong, and we could feel that this place had once been a lively pub with good old country music and some friendly chatter, but now there was nobody home. We didn't get a drink or a nice meal, but exploring around the old Quamby Hotel gave us a wonderful break from driving. And as soon as I got internet connection again, I had to do some research on this charming little pub that was originally built as a Customs House in 1860s, and operated as a hotel from 1920s. It had also been used as a staging post for Cobb & Co, thus the paintings of horses on the outside wall.

Chilling out at the pub in the scrub.

Quamby Hotel has some history to tell...

...and cars to drive.

The children loved exploring the ghost town of Quamby.

Rustic country look.

When driving from north, one would think this hotel is still open for business.

Some of the worst sections of the road...

...and better ones. Even then the learner driver managed to get a chipped windscreen, thanks to a passing roadtrain.