The Twelve Months of Pub Camps is an adventure we decided to do in 2025. The initial reason is a commemorative tribute to our dearly missed friend, Simon Laverie, who left us late in 2024. Country pub camps was a regular activity for Simon and his wife Emily Laverie. It also met another purpose for our family – to get out more on the weekends and collect memories from adventures.
1. The Linville Hotel
The Linville Pub is the first on the list to start the twelve months of pub camps. It was connected to a 4wd trip by Moreton Districts Off Road Club in tribute to Simon Laverie, a trip he had taken the club on before. Starting from Jimna just outside of Kilcoy, the trip took us through farming land and along rivers.
The Linville Hotel is iconic, first existing as the Moorabool Hotel in the 1890s, the first in the Toogoolawah district. The township of Moorabool was renamed to Kannangur, then Yimbun. There is no township in Yimbun anymore, and no hotel. The hotel was moved in 1911 to Linville where it is now, around 26 kilometres by road today. Originally, they wanted to move it to Benarkin where the railway terminus opened in 1911. The range proved too difficult to move the hotel over, so it ended up in Linville. It was renamed to The Linville Hotel in the 1960s, after first changing to Club Hotel, and Pioneer Hotel.
The Linville Hotel has a great atmosphere with live music on weekends and great food. Lunch took a while to come out as it was Australia Day and our group was around 50 people as it was. Fiona and I couldn’t stay Sunday night, with an airport pickup for that night, so we camped the night before the 4wd trip instead.
The campground is across the road, with the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail running by the edge of it. Camping is free but there is a donation box to drop in some funds to help look after the place. There are a couple of powered sites available, otherwise there is ample space. There was still room available on an Australia Day long weekend. There are rooms available at the hotel as well if you want to room stay instead of camp.
2. Harrington Hotel
Okay, this stay was a cheat because I didn’t camp. The idea to go to a pub camp every month in 2025 was thought of but not planned until later – at least not scheduled. The real problem was we simply ran out of weekends in February. I flew down to Sydney to purchase our Grand Cherokee from New South Wales. After a parkrun in Rouse Hill, I headed off back to Brisbane in our new Jeep.
Long drives of over 500 kilometres is not an ability I care for these days and had no intention for a one-day drive between Sydney and Brisbane. I didn’t plan exactly where I was going to stay but settled on dropping into Harrington. Distracted with a few brown signs, I left it too late to book into the caravan park. Harrington Hotel had some rooms available, so there is where I stayed.
I wasn’t all that hungry but with warning of the kitchen closing soon, I hurriedly purchased a pizza. It was enough for two people but I managed to get through all eight slices of wood-fired supreme pizza, washed down with a schooner of Hawkes Lager.
The room was simple but served its purpose and it had air conditioning. There was little more space than the bed took up, with a side table on each side. Not a pub camp and they don’t have provisions for it (on their premises or other space to camp at), so Harrington Hotel can’t be recommended for pub camping. As I mentioned, this pub stay was a cheat.
3. The Royal Hotel in Tiaro
This was our first proper-planned pub camp stay. Scheduled in two nights before heading there, it was the last one assigned to the calendar. Following on from cyclone Alfred, we hoped Tiaro had recovered enough from any flooding that had been inflicted to South-East Queensland.
To our boys’ delight, the flood waters had receded enough for them to try out some fresh water fishing at the nearby Petrie Park. They had plenty of bites, but catches were limited to small catfish and grunters. Boadie managed to catch one decent sized catfish, but it was thrown back with the rest of them. The photo is not the big one.
Fiona and I was happy that the free camp area was in good order and we could stay. We didn’t think to check if the free camp was available to camper trailers, as some free camp sites are only for caravans and motorhomes. We enquired, and tent and camper trailer camping isn’t really catered for, but they generally don’t mind. Another camper trailer arrived on the day we left.
The camp is located behind the pub and has a walkway to the Tiaro Memorial Park (and the Tiaro Visitor Information Centre). Tiaro Memorial Park looks to have recently been renovated, with some parts still being constructed. It has a free BBQ, sheltered picnic tables, toilets that were clean, and a single unisex shower is available. At the camp site, there is a sink and a bunch of wheelie bins. The main issue is space. There was plenty of space and I don’t think anyone missed out, but it is a risk if you arrive too late.
The pub is fairly small but had quite a few patrons, indulging in St Patrick’s Day themed decorations, hats to wear (if you didn’t have your own green outfit), and a band playing. Our boys had extended their fishing a little too long, so we headed straight for a meal before the kitchen stopped taking orders. Regular pub meals, we had chicken schnitzel, a Greek Parmy (topped with feta and olives), steak and chips, and a pizza. All the meals were yummy and filling, especially the pizza.
We briefly spoke to Don, the owner of the pub, and Kelly, the head of the kitchen. They were friendly and inviting, and Don was in a good mood to let me take a souvenir from the pub (a memento with significance with Simon). Don and Kelly are sure to make you feel welcome if you drop into The Royal Hotel in Tiaro.
One thing we were disappointed with, and it is a schedule issue, is that the butcher with its famous bacon, and the Bush & Bay Cafe, are closed on Sundays. We didn’t realise until we reached the closed doors on Sunday morning. Fortunately, the Retro Cafe is open on Sundays, so we were still able to get our morning coffee fix (without setting up our stove at camp).
Leisurely travelling from or to Brisbane, Tiaro is a great place to stop. The free camp is for up to 48 hours, so you could potentially get in a Friday/Saturday/Sunday weekend, as long as the sites don’t run out. There is also some free camping at Petrie Park if you get caught out.
They boys tried some more fishing on Sunday. One of the revellers at the pub on Saturday night suggested we head to Teddington Weir, where you can get a good catch of Bass. What we didn’t know, is you really need to have kayaks to head downstream to get the best chance of catching them. There were a few people trying, but the only ones that were successful had kayaks.
As the first weekend with our twelve pub camps adventure, Tiaro and The Royal Hotel was a successful and fun weekend away.
4. Theebine Hotel
The fourth pub camp is a hotel we have been to before but not stayed. Theebine is a true country pub, with little more in the township other than a few scattered houses, a dance hall, and a church that meets on the 2nd and 4th Sundays. The historic Theebine Hotel was built in 1909 and is still the original building from when it was first built. Other than the odd update here and there, it has the feel of the original hotel.
The free camping is a popular option at Theebine, but we were lucky to have the camping space to ourselves. It is the first true pub camping spot, being space on the pub’s land, rather than camping area next to or near the pub. Camping is free with patronage of the pub, but you can pay extra for power if you need it.
It was also the first of the monthly pub camps that others joined us. We planned the monthly pub camps with Emily Laverie, Simon’s wife, and this was the first month that we didn’t have clashing schedules. Amber with her partner Ronin came for their first camp with us anywhere.
Knowing that it can have a lot of campers, we wondered how they would fit. We spoke to the owner of the pub, and he informed us they frequently sent campers across the road next to the railway, as well as some land across the side street when it is really busy. They had not long acquired additional land behind the pub and waiting for the ground to dry out (there had been a lot of rain the weeks prior) to start building a road and campsites.
Theebine Hotel was originally known as the Kilkivan/Theebine Junction Hotel, with Theebine being a small railway station town north of Gympie. A new building behind the pub has been built to imitate the look of a railway building. It will be used as a stage for entertainment and additional toilet and shower facilities to support the pub camping.
We also found out the owner also owned The Royal Hotel in Tiaro (as well as another that I can’t recall). This confused us a little and later wondered if he was related to Don (the “owner” of The Royal Hotel). We’ll have to find out the next time we visit.
For dinner, we ordered a variety of meals. I decided to have a pizza instead of my usual staple, the Parmi. While I was happy with the pizza, which tasted great and was filling, I had ordering regret. The Parmi was top quality, terrific chips, and one of the best salads on the side we have seen, with whole egg and apple included.
My pub camp meals have so far been Parmi, Pizza, Parmi, Pizza. Next month will surely be Parmi to maintain the pattern. After my ordering regret at the Theebine Hotel, the pattern may break and become continuous Parmi orders.
While it was a quiet weekend for camping at the pub, it was noticeably quieter compared to The Royal Hotel in Tiaro. There is no main road, so no heavy vehicles driving through during the early hours. It was the 1st Sunday of the month, so no church service across the road in the morning either. Unfortunately, there is a railway line and the periodical freight trains rolling passed the hotel is really noticeable. Thankfully, there are not many, and we enjoyed a good night’s sleep.
The morning was sleepy and a lazy start had us enjoying breakfast at different times. We packed up late and left Emily to stay a little longer to enjoy a pub lunch (like me, Emily had pizza for dinner – needed to try the Parmi?). We enjoyed our stay at Theebine Hotel, and thus far has been one of our favourites.
5. Royal Hotel at Leyburn
The fifth and coldest pub camp this year was at Leyburn, where we learnt how to pronounce it correctly. I have been calling Leyburn as lay-burn. This is not so, it is lee-burn, and to help us remember we were told the local slogan to remember it – no-one gets laid in lee-burn.
The free camp is not at or near the pub, it is at the showground on the other side of the creek. It isn’t far to walk so no worries about who is the designated driver.
We left home mid-morning, heading to Leyburn via Toowoomba and a stop at a coffee shop for a caffeine fix with Jennifer and Chris. Emily headed there Friday evening to challenge herself climbing the range at night in the motorhome. John and Lorraine where there a couple days before to enjoy the wet weather.
By the time we arrived, the wet weather had all but disappeared. After setting up camp, we went for a look around. Leyburn is famous for being the first Grand Prix race location in Queensland, in 1949, the fourteen held in Australia. It was on the site of a WWII airport that closed a few years earlier. There are memorials for both not too far from the township so Chris, Jennifer, Daniel and myself had a look at them.
The sky remained overcast most of the time, but the rain stayed away so we could enjoy a fire and tell tales of Simon. Jennifer and Chris didn’t know many of the stories, so it was great to be able to share the fun times and laughs we’ve had over the years.
The temperature dropped quickly once the sun had gone down, and a chill in the breeze kept it fresher still. Beanies, hoods, and layers were used by all. The short walk felt longer in the cold but the warmth instead the Royal Hotel from the fire was welcomed.
Even though Fiona and Boadie didn’t come with Daniel and myself, it was the largest group so far (excluding Linville). We had to rearrange the tables so we could sit together, choosing the spot next to the fireplace. We ordered a mix of dishes, I chose the Parmi so I didn’t regret my menu choice like I did at Theebine. Dessert was considered but we opted to head back to camp to tell more stories around the fire and maybe roast a marshmallow or few.
We had a lazy morning, waking to a crisp but clear day. We headed back home with Chris and Jennifer along the Gatton Clifton Road, which looks like the most direct route, but it is a steep and winding road. It is quite scenic, and probably more enjoyable during the day and downhill, unlike Emily when she drove uphill and night in the motorhome. We stopped at a park next to Heifer Creek for a quick break and a late lunch, itself a nice little spot for an overnight camp (but no pub).
Daniel and I stopped at Lake Apex in Gatton for a quick look (chasing a couple of brown signs) and ended up looking through the Queensland Transport Museum, which was mostly heavy military vehicles including trucks and armoured vehicles. It was a great finish to a great weekend.
6. Sandy Creek Pub at Allan
When we mention we are heading to Allan for the weekend, the response is always “never heard of it, where is it?”. Mention Sandy Creek Pub near Warwick, only a handful have heard of it. It was originally called Darling Downs Hotel, a name that is still on the front of the building, it seems to be known more by its newer name.
We left home early on Saturday morning to do a Parkrun in Ipswich on the way. It felt freezing to say the least, taking 2-3 kilometres of running before we started to “warm up”. Daniel and Boadie opted to stay in the car while Fiona and I ran, possibly an intelligent option. It made us wonder what the temperatures were going to be like for the night.
A true pub camp, the grounds are part of the pub and shared with a couple of alpacas wandering around. Pens have goats and pigs, and the children’s play area is shared with lambs, chickens and turkeys. We told the boys not to name the animals because we could be having them for dinner.
There was plenty of space but we were worried it could fill up when quite a few arrivals came in mid-morning. It seemed to be a rush that didn’t continue so it was okay and concerns of keeping a spot wasn’t necessary. There was ample space for the boys to practise volleyball and the llamas graze freely. Having done parkrun in the morning, the hot showers were very welcomed, although a shower required a payment of $5 each.
One aspect we didn’t realise beforehand was the karting track next door was having a practise day. They were entertaining to watch for a while but they continued all day, until around 4.30 or 5pm. Our chosen camp spot was next to the racetrack, which can be seen behind our camp, but it was loud just about everywhere outside so it didn’t matter where the camp was.
Into the pub for refreshments, a XXXX Gold as Simon would have traditionally gone for, we found the sounds of the karts didn’t reach the front porch. There was only a slight sound and once we heard what seemed to be a car alarm going off for a while. After a couple of drinks, we headed back to camp to find out it was our Jeep’s alarm going off, perhaps over sensitive to the constant kart rumblings.
It wasn’t specifically planned for but the last weekend of the month is pig on the spit night. A whole pig cooked on the spit is the only meal option for the night. Daniel and Boadie wanted the Parmi, rather than the spit roast, and we were told that they don’t cook other meals on special nights. No concerns of Parmi regret this weekend!
The evening was cold but wasn’t as bad as we were expecting. It had become overcast which seemed to keep the night temperature up a little. Sandy Creek Pub have a few fires around the place (with fencing around them) that you could stand around and keep warm outside. They also had outdoor gas heaters around some of the tables.
Sunday was overcast all day with scattered showers during the night. Emily left mid-morning after breakfast. We left later hoping for the canvas to dry out, but we were caught with more rain before packing, so unfortunately, we had to set the camper up when we returned home to dry out. Still, we had a look around at a few place around Warick before we headed back.
We checked out a couple of brown signs, which is along the Sprint Route tourist drive (that goes through Leyburn where we went last month) before heading into Warwick for a hot coffee and hot chocolates and a quick look around. We then headed towards Lake Leslie and found a couple more brown signs, including the museum which unfortunately closed just as we arrived. It wasn’t yet closing time but they said there was no point without enough time to look around – next time.
Lake Leslie, and Leslie Dam, was interesting to have a look at and possibly another location to go for a camp. We’ll have to get my brother to come along and bring his boat with him 🙂
We’re halfway through the year of pub camps. Each has been different, and we have a few more to look forward to.
7. The Grand Hotel at Wooroolin
The biggest pub camp of them all, Cooyar Hotel was meant to be the place to go in July. Like Linville, this pub camp was organised as a club trip with Moreton Districts Off Road Club. Cooyar had an event and wouldn’t be able to cater for a large group arriving, so we changed the pub to Wooroolin (and we’ll go to Cooyar later in the year).
On the way, the trip included a stop at the Moore Stonehouse. The Moore Stonehouse was part of the old coach road between Esk and Nanango. Some of the stone buildings are still intact, while some are ruins with the roof and some walls collapsed.
While at Moore Stonehouse, the impending weather started to make itself known. It was only spitting but we knew a lot more was coming. John and Pam Skipp had already gone ahead, having been to the stonehouse before and wanting to set up camp before the rain came.
We lined up for the bus to return to Moore (a shuttle bus takes you from Moore to the Stonehouse and back) and with the oncoming rain, many others had the same idea. Luckily we were at the front of the line and would get on the first bus, because there were only two busses and around 5 bus loads of people lined up and growing.
The event was concerned on the number of people lining up and for some reason unknown, moved the back of the line to the front so now we were at the end. Perhaps 30-40 minutes later, we got on the bus to return to our vehicles. Trent, Teena, and Josh headed straight to Wooroolin while the rest of us stopped at Blackbutt to get some bakery treats.
The rain started falling solidly and we knew that it was set in for the afternoon and evening. Jasmine, Thomas started to continue onto Wooroolin but decided to throw in the towel with Willow not feeling the best and knowing it will be a wet camping night. Fuelled with pies from Blackbutt Bakery, we continued to Wooroolin with Emily.
Arriving in a downpour, we found Trent and Teena managed to set up their camp just before the heavy rain came down. John and Pam had already set up before them. We knew Emily will be okay, only needing to know where to put the handbrake on the motorhome for her camp setup to be complete, we tried to work out if we could put up our camper trailer under a tarp.
With the help of many, from supplying shelter during the heaviest falls to holding the tarp and poles in place while ropes and pegs were hammered in, the camper trailer was put up almost completely dry, except underneath on the water-logged ground. The essentials were put inside and a quick change into dry clothes before heading to the pub.
There are public toilets at Wooroolin, with a hot shower in the Men’s and Women’s toilets. The camping is in a free camping park with short stay camping allowed.
The Grand Hotel in Wooroolin had the wood fire roaring hot, the first place we headed to. With some of the chill removed, we then headed to the bar, starting with a XXXX Gold to make a toast to Simon. Next we found our table for the evening, next to the cowhide patterned pool table. A few games were had, some between club members, some with the locals looking for someone to play against.
The next day, we were welcomed to sunny, blue skies. After breakfast and packing up, we headed back to Brisbane but found a couple of brown signs to stop at on the way. The first was Mount Wooroolin Lookout, which is closer to Kingaroy than Wooroolin. It is a tall hill that has views over Kingaroy, with a very steep hill to drive up to the top.
Emily drove ahead to our next stop, Pottique Lavender Farm, as she was concerned about driving up the steep hill in her motorhome. With limited parking, she headed home before we got there. At the lavender farm, we had a look around the antiques and ordered some lavender scones, lavender tea, and some lavender sausage rolls. Trent and Teena picked some fresh lavender to take home too.
Seeming to lose one vehicle at each stop, John and Pam left the lavender farm to head home. It left us and Trent, Teena, and Josh to head to the Booie Bora Ring, and Aboriginal ceremonial place. We had been here before and had noticed how poorly maintained it had been. We noticed some progress had been made but it would be good to see its restoration completed.
We had thought this to have been our last stop and said goodbye to the Trent, Teena, and Josh. Driving through Nanango, we spotted a brown sign I hadn’t seen before, Pioneer Park. A quick turnaround and visit to Pioneer Park finished a busy July pub camp.
8. O’Shanley’s Irish Pub at Clifton
We had been looking forward to this pub camp since near the beginning. We initially pencilled it in earlier in the year, but Emily suggested it is a good pub for winter. O’Shanleys is one of three pubs in Clifton, but the only Irish pub.
We decided to go to ParkRun near home before heading off, so we arrived after Emily who had already set up camp when we arrived. Free pub camping is available, as long as you are patronising the pub, with space for a few camps at the back of the pub. There is a toilet to use outside, which is handy, but no shower facilities for the free campers.
The prominently displayed sign at the front of the pub is XXXX. I normally grab a XXXX Gold in honour of Simon Laverie at every pub, but Emily assured that he would grab a Guiness at O’Shanleys… when in Rome and all. So a Guiness was the tribute drink for August, followed with Kilkenny. We had been discussing South Park and “oh no, they killed Kenny”, and Emily went to the bar and ordered a pint of South Park. It became the in-house joke between us and the bar for the night.
Fiona and Emily chose the Irish Guiness Pie, deconstructed, with mash and veges. I stayed within my new pub camp staple category, ordering the BBQ Meat Lovers Parmi with chips and vege, with the Irish twist being a pot of Irish curry sauce to dip the chips into.
We later settled at our camp with a warm fire in the cool evening, reminiscing with stories around Simon and life in general.
In the morning, we packed up and went to the Clifton Historical Museum. We were fortunate enough to get one of the volunteers to personally tour us around the museum and demonstrated the use of a machine to strip the corn kernels from a cob of corn.
Leaving Clifton, Emily headed to see a friend in the area, while Fiona and I headed to Nobby for lunch. We then came across a Steele Rudd related brown sign, a grave of Jack Slattery, a local who was the inspiration for one of the characters, Cranky Jack, in the Steele Rudd novels.
9. The Longhorn Bar & Grill at Deepwater
September has come faster than we thought, already three-quarters through our 12 months of pub camps. There are two pubs in Deepwater that offers a free pub camp, The Longhorn Bar & Grill is where Simon and Emily Laverie had stayed previously. The pub looks rough from the outside, and to a degree, it looks rough on the inside too. It is a bit of a patchwork with the original part of the building a Cobb & Co stop. It has been extended over the years with additions and alterations.
Deepwater is the furthest pub camp we have gone to, excluding Harrington which I stopped at on the way back from buying our Grand Cherokee. Although, I could argue it was a 650 kilometre drive from Harrington, and over 1,100 kilometre return drive to Deepwater (with our extended stay and drive).
Our stay in Deepwater didn’t begin at the pub. Well, sort of. We arrived at the Longhorn Bar & Grill and quickly set up our camper while it wasn’t raining too much. We hadn’t fully unpacked, only enough to take advantage of a light rain window before dashing over to the Deepwater Brewery before they closed. They are not open on Sunday and we needed to make sure we got in before closing on Saturday. We had already missed the bakery – also not open on Sundays.
Returning to the Longhorn Bar and Grill, we finished unpacking and explored the pub. Free power for campers is great, especially when your solar is being rained on. Hot showers and toilets are also next to the camping space, and washing machines are available if needed.
Daniel and Boadie were happy to find a pool table inside, essentially defining where we’d be spending most of our time at the pub. It was conveniently next to the wood fire heater, so win-win for them and us. There is a pool table outside as well, but with the cold temperatures, we were preferring the indoors.
Once again, the conflict of what to order came about. We spotted a couple devouring a pizza and it looked pretty good, so we all ordered pizza, including Emily. Fiona decided something different, ordering the pork chops with two chops covering well over half the plate. There was a lot of pizza left over and no fridge to keep the leftovers in. Drinks were very economical, somewhat dangerous. Beers started at $5.00 and a glass of wine started at $7.00. The wine glasses generous too, as you can see in the photo below.
I had a chat with a couple of the locals and learnt some of the history of the pub. A dining area is where the original Cobb & Co building was. It had a fire, destroying a lot of the building but the main walls stood well and some of the frames of the windows and doorways were strong so they remain in place, still with the burnt blackened wood. On one side of the dining room is three doorways, where held criminals being transported were kept (on the right side in the photo below) while staying overnight to sleep and rest the horses. They are boarded up, as the other are now part of different rooms accessed elsewhere.
At the front end of the bar area is a stage. Music acts are held there from time to time but usually it is used as a prop for guests to hop up and have a photo while riding a boar. Most of the strings on the guitars are missing and the mic is not plugged in. Probably a good thing for Boadie and me, otherwise we’d have not gone on stage. Fiona probably didn’t go on stage because the guitar strings were missing. Emily and Daniel were not going up either way.
The night was freezing cold, not what we’d expect in Brisbane. It was cold for Deepwater in September as well, but not unheard of. The upside of the temperature dropping low is the leftover pizza kept well for breakfast the following morning.
On Sunday morning, we headed off for a drive to Emmaville. We initially looked at going on a walk in Torrington State Conservation Park, but decided against it due to time constraints. Fiona, myself and the boys were staying in Deepwater an extra night but Emily had to drive home that afternoon.
We continued on and stopped at the ruins of the Ottery Arsenic Mine, before heading to Emmaville and visiting the Mining Museum. Emily left us from Emmaville to head home, and we continued to Glen Innes before returning to Deepwater for the second and colder night.
We enjoyed our stay at the Longhorn Bar & Grill and could have spent more time to explore the area. We managed to visit the bakery on Monday morning, before leaving to camp for a few nights at Boonoo Boonoo National Park. We also visited Bald Rock National Park and Basket Swamp National Park. Our last stop on our way home was at the Granite Belt Christmas Tree Farm, recommended by one of the locals at Deepwater.
10. Cooyar Hotel at Cooyar
Three months after originally planning to go to Cooyar, the pub camp ended up being a smaller event than it was going to be in July. It was organised as a club trip with Moreton Districts Off Road Club, but Cooyar couldn’t cater for us with a Christmas in July event and around 30 members registered to go (we went to Wooroolin instead). This time, only four members attend, three of us staying overnight.
On Saturday morning, Fiona and I attended the Harris Avenue Parkrun before stopped at Blackbutt Bakery to try another one of their yummy pies. We spotted scones and on impulse purchased them before realising we had no butter, jam, or cream to have with them. A visit to Foodworks solve this problem and we set off for the rest of the trip.
We were the first to arrive at Cooyar and found a spot that would remain shaded most of the day and not too far to walk between camp and the pub. The campground is a free camp area, not actually part of the pub, so there is a short walk between them. Actually, the public toilets are further away than the pub. With only Fiona and I camping this month, we used our swag again.
Brian Miller from Moreton Districts joined us, bringing his updated Pajero for a drive. He wasn’t staying overnight but decided to attend and join us for the day. The temperatures were starting to rise while we sat around in the shade waiting for Emily to arrive. Unfortunately, the motorhome was still not ready and Emily arrived with her car and a booking for a room in the hotel.
Being a club trip, there were a couple of points of interest to visit in the area. We were already camping near the Swinging Bridge, so we left that for later. The Palms National Park and Muntupa Tunnel were the other two places to check out while we were there.
We piled into Brian’s Pajero to head to Boldery Park at the Palms National Park, a small rainforest reserve fed by a spring. It is a short walk with quickly changing vegetation. The whole walk is only 650 metres, seeing a large fig tree and grey gum. The ground is boggy in sections but there are boards and a bridge to cross over the worst parts. Brian spotted an echidna, half buried in the undergrowth beside the track.
Next we headed to the Muntupa Tunnel. The tunnel is along a disused railway line, that was used to top of the Great Dividing Range. It is the only railway tunnel that enters the western side of the Great Dividing Range and exits on the opposite eastern side, a perfectly straight tunnel 287 metres long. It is still the largest single-bore railway tunnel in Australia.
Above the tunnel are a few remnants of the town that once existed while the tunnel was being built, including a school and bakehouse. The ruins are all but gone, with a few stumps and stones remaining.
The railway line and tunnel were built in 1912 and operated until it was closed in 1964. The tunnel is in good condition but has been gated off to protect a colony of bats that make it home now. Both sides of the tunnel can be accessed with the gates part way in. Which side is best to visit? It depends on the direction of the wind. The Oakey side was down wind, bringing all of the smells of the bat colony with it. You can walk further into the tunnel on the Oakey side, but the smell is certainly a consideration.
Returning to Cooyar, we started to get ready for heading to the pub while Emily checked in to stay. We sat outside for a couple of drinks before heading in for our meal. I stayed true with my order selection, choosing the special, garlic prawn and avo parmi. A glass of XXXX Gold in tribute to Simon Laverie helped wash it down. Fiona had steak and chips, Emily had pizza, and Brian opted for fish. Everyone was happy with their meals.
After our meal, we retreated back to the table out the front for a last drink before Brian left us to head home. The evening brought in cooler temperatures, relief from the high temperatures of the weekend. In the morning we cooked up a breakfast of bacon and scrambled eggs, with some chorizo sausage left over from nibbles the day before, and followed up with scones with jam and cream.
We then had an explore of the swinging bridge, created so residents across the creek could get into town, especially while the creek was in flood. It stood well until 1988 when a flash flood completely destroyed the bridge. It has been rebuilt at a higher height, with the same wobbly swinging motion that delights children and adults alike. Although it also has some adults vowing to never cross it again.
Further into the camp area is a white picket fence square. It marks where a headstone has been placed for Ethel Tebb, a 4yo girl who drowned in the creek nearby. She ran ahead of her mother heading to a dipping spot at the creek to collect water. The mother arrived and her daughter was not there, assuming she had changed her mind to play with her friends. When she wasn’t to be found, they found she had fallen into the creek and drowned.
We packed up and headed home, stopping at Yarraman for a cold drink and try a pie at the bakery there (nothing compares to Blackbutt). We have spotted a brown sign for Yarraman State Forest a couple of times so Fiona and I decided to have a quick look. We found a beautiful little reserve inside Yarraman State Forest, called Rogers Park, with Jacarandas in flower and fallen petals colouring the ground underneath.
The drive home slowly became darker as storm clouds came in. The bright sunny skies and hot dry air turned into a dark and wild storm just as we pulled into the driveway, a lightning bolt hitting nearby as Fiona got out to open the garage so we could put the Jeep under cover. This pub camp finished with a bang!
11. Crown Hotel at Maryvale
Getting close to the end of the list, the Crown Hotel in Maryvale was a great pub to camp at. As was last month, this too was run as a Moreton Districts Club trip, meeting at the bakery at Aratula. Before going to Maryvale, we headed to Spicers Gap, the first gazetted road over the range in the 1840s. Cunningham’s Gap, while known before Spicers Gap, wasn’t officially opened until the 1920s.
The drive up to Spicers Gap is steep and sign posted as 4WD Only. Without knowing what it was like, Emily parked her car (yep, the motorhome still out of action) and jumped in with John and Pam Skipp. The road was mostly in good condition, except it became very steep in some sections. John’s Triton was overheating pulling their caravan up the hill, so we found a spot where it could be disconnected while we visited Spicers Gap.
At the parking area, there was a small hatchback car there. Emily probably could have taken her car up, and John and Pam jumped in with her :). There are four main points of interest at Spicers Gap. The first, at the camping ground, is the pioneer graves. The graves are not marked but there is a monument for them. Returning the parking area, we spotted a koala in a tree having a feed of eucalypt.
From there we headed to Moss’ Well. A gruelling 160-metre walk to a permanently filled water well used for hydrating bullocks back in the day. Then we headed to the top of the track to a parking area, from where you can walk to Governers Chair Lookout. Governers Chair Lookout has been one of my favourite lookouts since I started the Brown Signs website, and I wanted to share it. Bush fires in surrounding areas (no where near where we were) made the air quality very poor and the view screened by the smoke. It didn’t live up to the hype I had told Fiona for years.
At the other end of the parking area is the fourth point of interest, the start of the walking-only section of Spicers Gap Road. It shows an example of early road engineering in Queensland, using placed stones to form the road and whoa-boys for erosion control. We walked part of the track and saw some of the road construction, but with the hot weather we decided to turn back early.
We stopped to pick up John and Pam’s caravan and continued on to Maryvale. We arrived to a large crowd, and the back of the pub where you typically camp, full. Behind the pub is limited space anyway, so the space near the community shed is where we set up camp. It is a short drive around to there, but little more than a walk across the road with a walkway through the fence.
We congregated back at the pub for a couple of drinks and reminisce of adventures with Simon and the stories he told. The weather was warm and sunny, and not as hot as it had been last month in Cooyar.
We found out later that the free camp situation has changed, with an unknown local complaining to the council to move people on. There is another free camp location less than a kilometre down the road, but not exactly a short walk if you want a few drinks. With our camp already set up, we stayed for the night, but in the future, we’d need to look at the other camp spot if this issue isn’t resolved. The free camps near small town pubs are great for bringing in tourists and a bit of extra funds to the town.
The pub itself is very welcoming. We learned the “campers” at the back of the pub were not vans of campers, they belonged to the new owners who had only taken ownership of the pub weeks prior. We spoke with the publicans and a couple of locals. A strong campaign was raised to get us to join in with the karaoke but we held firm that our singing talent wasn’t what brought us to the pub.
Once again, I found myself torn between a parmi or a pizza. The pub had only had a new pizza oven installed the two days prior. Fiona and I shared a parmi and a pizza – can’t regret not choosing either. Not long after our meals had come out, a storm arrived with near-horizontal rain… okay, maybe 45 degrees. Either way, our table was getting just as wet as the tables without any cover. We huddled into a nook to keep the rain off our meals and successfully became fed and satisfied. In the commotion of the storm and trying to eat our meal before it became a soup, I forgot to get a photo of our meals.
The rain persisted through the night, testing our swag in wet weather for the first time. We remained dry and warm, so happy with our “us only” setup. Emily remained dry in her room at the hotel. We woke to an overcast morning but without rain. There were kangaroos grazing around us, and a couple of kangaroos in a fight. We cooked up some breakfast and let the swag dry out for a little before packing up.
Emily left for home, and we decided to drive the scenic road from Maryvale with John and Pam. The countryside is beautiful there and we spotted a wonderful place to camp next to a creek that we want to investigate another time. We arrived at the start of the other side of the Spicers Gap road. We found a gate and narrow tracks, so John and Pam decided to head home too, rather than try the track with the caravan on.
Fiona and I went ahead and found the tracks to be a little muddy in sections, after the rain the day before. There were also some steeper rocky sections, a good thing that John and Pam hadn’t come through with their van. We let the tyres down so that we didn’t cause damage to the tracks. There were a few gates to open and close along the way and had to wait for some locals to move of the track a couple of times – cows don’t hurry if they don’t want to.
The track then starts climbing up, ending at the western end of the walking-only section of Spicers Gap Road. At the parking area itself, you can see the same stone construction as we saw the day before. Instead of walking this part, we instead walked towards Mount Mathieson to an old Jinter left when the area was used to fell timber.
Returning to the Jeep Grand Cherokee, we drove back out on the same track we came in, then headed through the more modern Cunningham’s Gap and home.
12. Rudd’s Pub at Nobby
The last of the pub camps for 2025, Rudd’s Pub is a piece of Australian literacy history, named after Steele Rudd. Fiona and I left late morning, going to Parkrun before leaving home. Have way to Nobby, we stopped for a quick break and felt the heat we were heading to. For some reason, I still bought a Jalapeno steak pie.
Emily had stayed at Aratula on the way and had already arrived at Nobby while we were at the bakery. Trent, Teena, and Josh arrived and had set up camp before us. Once again, we opted to swag it for the night which doesn’t take long to set up, so left it until later when it wouldn’t be so hot.
Everyone congregated under Emily’s side awning with a variety of cold drinks. The art of a hot day is don’t move, unless it is to bend your elbow or refresh your cool beverage. Cooyar was a hot weekend but we still went for a drive to look at some points of interest in the area. This is how I know it was hotter in Nobby, there was no discussion or interest to drive to anywhere. Sit, be still, stay cool, wait for dinner time.
The afternoon started to cool a little as we headed to Rudd’s Pub, approaching to the time the kitchen was opening. Fiona and I set up our swag and we all headed over to the pub. We found our table and ordered our first drinks and raised our glasses to toast Simon. Having already discussed the “should I get a parmi” dilemma, my choice of meal was easy. Not one to like too many choices, there were 5 schnitzel options.
The choice was clear for me, it had to be the “Cranky Jack”, with bacon, cheese, and BBQ sauce. Not so much for the toppings as Emily’s choice, the French Schnitzel with avocado, bacon, cheese, and Hollandaise, sounded great too. Cranky Jack is a character for Steele Rudd’s books, who in turn is based on a local Jack Slattery, so that was my choice.
Trent also had the Cranky Jack, Fiona had Chicken Neptune, grilled breast with creamy garlic prawns, and Josh had Fettuccine Carbonara. All of the meals were generous, and we left full or over-full. I was contemplating an entree but lucky I didn’t, the parmi was a mission to get through — one of the best, if not the best, in 12 months of pub camp meals. The chips were top rated too, cooked with a crispy outside and fluffy inside.
We stayed around the table for a while, enjoyed another drink or two while telling stories and solving nothing of the world’s problems. The air cooled nicely for the evening, we headed back to our camp and a last drink before going to bed.
The morning came with the sun bright and ready for another hot day. We brought everything for a cooked breakfast, learning that if we didn’t, Emily will probably cook bacon and eggs in front of us and we’d have breakfast regret. However, still feeling full from dinner the night before, Fiona and I had a yoghurt and some fruit. And a coffee from Emily’s Nespresso machine.
With the heat already starting, all of us were keen to head home. The night before, I spotted a brown sign in a photo in a book about Steele Rudd. One that I hadn’t seen before, I asked one of the locals. I was referred to another and directed to where I could find it. We headed to The Firs, a farm owned by the Davis family (Steele Rudd is the pen name of Arthur Davis).
There isn’t a lot to see there, but we also dropped into the Steele Rudd Selection, sort of on the way home. I had been there once before, nearly 7 years before. Then it was night, so it was good to see it during the day. It is where Arthur Davis’ parents acquired their “selection” to build a farm.
We had a good look around, and headed off to return home, and concluding our 12 months of pub camps.
