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The Pub Crawl

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Gawler, SA
The Pub Crawl

An Aussie bloke who loves pubs, drinking beer and history. Share in the joys of Australia's great pubs.

13/03/2026

: A bevvy with friends at the to start the weekend.

03/03/2026

The Crown & Sceptre Hotel on King William Road is an Adelaide institution.
I remember going there in the 1990s for Indie Pop nights and it's always had great character.
Sited next to a previously established hotel with the same name, the Crown & Sceptre was built in 1877.
Notably, in a city where most of the historic pubs are on corner blocks, this one is in the middle of the street.
For a period of time the hotel supplied meals for those detained at the Police watch-house in Angas Street.
It's a beautiful, street-facing pub and it's bright, clean, welcoming and full of character.
I was delighted by the old-style fridge in the main bar.
We were seated out the front, watching a steady stream of Adelaide's legal professionals come in for a bevvy.
Drink of choice? It would have been a crime not to have a Cooper's Pale - back when I was going here as a uni student it was one of the few places you could get this beautiful beer on tap. But that changed pretty rapidly soon after.

01/03/2026

: Back at the Strath. This time for a mate's 30th birthday - thanks for the hospitality, mate.
North Terrace was looking fantastic. And, how good was Pulp? ❤️

22/02/2026

: It's hard to believe I hadn't added the Joiners Arms in Hindmarsh to this page.
I've been here several times over the years, generally before heading to an Adelaide United game across the road.
The Joiners was first licensed in 1850 and was built at a time when the Hindmarsh area was full of industry and workers lived in nearby cottages.
It's a historic part of the cityscape and is only going to get busier with more housing being built on the former brewery site next door.
The pub was first built by a carpenter and undertaker, hence the name.
Nowadays it offers a place for dinner before a show at the Entertainment Centre next door, which is why we were there, or a pre-match gathering place for the Red Army.
It has a dining room, bar, beer garden and pokies.
The historic facade has been mostly maintained, there's a window peering down into the venue's cellar and stained-glass windows add an additional heritage touch.

08/02/2026

: I enjoyed lunch and a beer at the Hilton Hotel today.
It was a tough day to be a cheeseburger, let me tell you.
Cooper's Pale Ale was the bevvy choice.

25/01/2026

: The Ascot Pub and the Riverdeck Restaurant and Bar is part of the Swan River Hotel.
It appears the 'pub' part is for race days for the nearby Ascot Racecourse. It has a pool table and bar. The Riverdeck is a lovely place for a meal and a drink - great views of the river. There's also a giant checkers board should you wish to play. The hotel itself has an unusual vibe, the decor is almost humorous. Anyway, we had a nice night.

16/01/2026

: It was indeed a pleasure to visit the Boddington Hotel.
I was there as part of a team of personnel supporting the community following a bushfire that had threatened the town.
Arriving late New Year's Day, the pub opened to ensure our crew were well fed, for which we were very thankful.
Throughout our deployment in the town, the pub kept us fed.
Sadly, no beer for me, but their taps looked full with all the brands you'd expect, including Emu.
Built in 1915, not long after the town's settlement, the hotel remains a focal point for the community.
It has two bars, there's a lengthy front bar at the entry, with a dining room to the left.
There's also another bar with punting screens, dining tables, dart boards and an honour board with the names of bulk local sports legends.
Thanks for having us and looking after us during our time in Bodd.

10/01/2026

: Tonight's dinner venue.

07/01/2026

: Who'd have thought my first beers in 2026 would be in a gold mine???
I was working in Boddington, Western Australia, and staying at the mine. The Bullion Bar services the camp and is only open for four hours two times a day, meeting the needs of shifts. You're also limited to four drinks a day to ensure safety on site. It was certainly an interesting experience. Thanks for having us, Newmont.

31/12/2025

: It's New Year's Eve, I must be at The Strath.
Have a happy and safe night.
Here's to more pub visits in 2026.

31/12/2025

: A revival of the Colac Hotel was always going to meet with mixed reactions.
Those who remember the pub's seedy past will mourn its absence, while others without that experience will have a much more open mind about its new look.
I vaguely remember going here as a really young kid. It was loud and everything that Australian pubs were in the 80s, particularly before the pokes.
The old timers will tell you all about this time on pages dedicated to regional history. Boy, will they tell you.
Opening in 1885, the Colac Hotel overlooked the docks and there would be many, many stories to tell.
It was well known for its ALP history.
It has been closed for about 14 years but recently reopened with an offering entirely different to its working man's past.
Gentrification stops for no man and this venue's been designed with an eye to capitalising on the ongoing Dock One development.
Its four-year transformation has embraced touches of the pub's historic past, tiles featuring likenesses of old images, rediscovered murals and other treatments.
The Imperial Measures distillery is on site, giving an industrial outlook, while other rooms let the hotel's personality shine.
Beer drinkers looking for their standard tap bevvies will find local beers instead, which gives a hint towards the menu.
We three blokes enjoyed a pizza and a steak between us, with a side of salad.
The meals were generous in size and tasty, which is important because the prizes are a little above average for a pub feed.
If you head here understanding this, you'll enjoy your meal.
I didn't get to have a gander at the upstairs areas but did enjoy the downstairs section, the only point I might add is that it lacked a little bit of the lived-in and loved warmth that a traditional pub has. Part of this comes from the fact there's no front bar.
If you're looking for a social beer, a really good shout is to head in on a sunny day and enjoy the outdoor tables as we did.

23/12/2025

: Sporties Tavern first opened its doors in 1881 as the Globe Hotel, a name it was known by until 1983 when it became the Sportsman Tavern, which was soon shortened to its current moniker.
T. J. Brown was the first licensee from 1881-1885.
Its historic architecture has long since been replaced, or hidden by revamps, but the single-storey building once featured red brick walls and windows very in-sync with its heritage.
At one time, it was found by the local council that the pub had long ago encroached onto the road, a smart boundary redistribution saw that problem erased.
It's hard to find any history about this pub, so any further information would be appreciated.
Today, it's a modern facility with opening hours that cater to the needs of the local port community.
Its sports bar is well-equipped, while it has a spacious dining area, with booth or table options. We had a nice meal.
The beer garden is huge and well set-up with a big screen.
You'll find it at Solomontown on the Warnertown Road as you roll into Port Pirie.

Address

77 Murray St
Gawler, SA
5118

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