Are you planning a road trip between the Northern Territory and Queensland? Chances are you’ll be going past the Daly Waters Pub. Although it’s in the middle of nowhere, perhaps you’re wondering if a stop there is really worth it.
It wasn’t until I had made it all the way to Katherine on my trip around Australia that I started hearing about the Daly Waters Pub. Most travellers I met told me that I must stop there – that it’s interesting and quirky and makes for the perfect rest-stop on a long journey. Yet I still wasn’t completely convinced.
It just so happened that the Daly Waters Pub was indeed in a really convenient location along the way, so I made the detour off the main highway to stop there for a night. It was completely different to anything I’d ever seen before, and a place I’m still a bit bamboozled by! Read on to discover exactly what makes it such an interesting place, find out what you can do there, and what it’s like to stay a night.
1. It’s the most charismatic pub in the Northern Territory
Expect to be perplexed! Upon arrival into town your eyes will be overwhelmed with strange sights. Although Daly Waters is technically a town, you could argue that the Pub is the town.
Once you’re inside the Pub you will see all manner of quirky items – hundreds of bras hanging from the ceiling, thousands of expired drivers’ licences of travellers from all over the world, guitars and hats hanging on the walls, the currency of a hundred countries pinned to the bar, you might even see a goat in the beer garden.
One thing you must do is throw away your expectations of a wholesome and politically correct experience. This pub is gritty and unusual, full of stories, history, and crass quirks and decorations. There is no mention of the history of Daly Waters prior to the Pub’s establishment in 1930, which makes for an eerie kind of feeling. Nonetheless, you can spend your visit marvelling at humans and our sometimes-strange ways of passing on our stories and belongings to those who come after us.
2. It’s a long way from home
As someone who is from Western Australia – Australia’s biggest state – it’s a big call to say that the Daly Waters Pub is a long way from anything. If you’re travelling there from Darwin it’ll be about a 6 hour drive towards the centre of Australia. The closest large regional centre is Katherine, which is about 3 hours drive north of the Daly Waters Pub.
Safe to say that the Daly Waters Pub isn’t a place you would plan to go unless you were on your way past.
3. You can expect a superb pub feed
After a seriously long drive through the outback, you can expect to find some delicious food at the Daly Waters Pub to lift your spirits and energise you for the next part of your road trip.
If you’re stopping for the night, make sure that you place a dinner order as soon as you arrive (in the morning or afternoon). It’s a busy place and people flock from all over, and although the team at the Pub do an incredible job of catering for such huge crowds, the dinner options often sell out early.
The later you leave it, the less chance you have at securing a unique pub feed. The Pub offers all the usual classics, plus some more quintessential menu options like kangaroo, buffalo, and crocodile. The food is hearty and delicious, everything you’d hope for at an outback pub.
4. It’s a mecca for local, national and international travellers alike
Tourists and travellers are drawn to the Daly Waters Pub from all over the world in search of the stereotypical Aussie outback experience. You can expect to be immersed in all things ‘Australian’ and you will meet people from all walks of life on your visit.
5. All the food is sourced or grown locally
Given its remote location you probably wouldn’t be expecting the freshest produce you’ve ever had. Perhaps because of the scarcity of available resources, the Daly Waters team grow a handful of their own fresh produce to use in their menu.
All the other menu produce is sourced locally too, like the fresh Northern Territory barramundi that’s caught in the Gulf of Carpentaria from their boat Andrea D. To add to the excellent produce is the fact that all their menu items are made from scratch in their kitchen.
6. You can bring your tent, van, caravan or motorhome
The great thing about staying a night at the Daly Waters Pub while you’re on the road is that you don’t need to make a booking to camp. In fact, unless you’re travelling in a large group, they don’t accept camp bookings at all.
Once you arrive, head to the bar inside and tell them you want to camp the night. They’ll ask you what vehicle and gear you’ve got so they can allocate you the right spot. From there you’ll follow one of the staff out the back and around to their camping area. They’ll direct you all the way to your site and show you where to park.
It was crazy busy when I visited in June, but I’m certain that the entire dry season is just as busy. Although the campground is nothing too spectacular it’s got all the amenities you need – toilets, hot showers, camper’s kitchen and some lovely shady trees. There’s not much privacy and you’ll probably be very close to your neighbour, but what else can you expect for such a hugely popular place?
Camping at an unpowered site will cost you just $24 per night, or $36 for a powered site. Caravan sites are run slightly differently, costing $10 per person per night for an unpowered site, and $16 per person per night for a powered site. Check out their camping options here.
7. They’ve got cabins and rooms to suit all budgets
There are also lots of options for the non-camping travellers. The Daly Waters Pub have a range of motel-style rooms and cabins to suit all visitors. These of course are best booked in advance to ensure that you’re not left high and dry when you arrive.
The cabins are the top of the range option and cost between $135 and $175 per night for 2 people. Some of the cabins can host up to 8 people (additional charges apply). You could get a budget pub room for $80 per night, or an ensuite pub room for $120 per night. Check out all the options and make your booking here.
8. Mataranka Hot Springs are less than 2 hours away
Although the Daly Waters Pub is a long way from the bigger towns, you’ll find Mataranka only a 1-hour and 45-minute drive north. Mataranka is famous for its natural thermal springs where you can rest and recharge by bathing in one of the many outdoor baths. Mataranka is also a great place to stop for a night or two on your long journey.
9. Dinner won’t just be dinner!
So you’ve sat down with your parmi and you’re about to tuck in, but you see something strange out of the corner of your eye… a goat… in the beer garden. And a horse, and another goat!
The local larrikin Tim often brings a menagerie of animals through the Pub’s beer garden right on happy hour. He’ll give a bit of a speech on the history of the place and tell some local stories. The kids can go for a meet and greet with the horse, and you can sit back and shake your head in amazement.
10. Chances are high that you’ll see some live entertainment
Almost every night of the week at the Daly Waters Pub is entertainment night. There’s a good chance that while you’re there you’ll be able to sit in the beer garden and relax to the sound of local entertainment. It’s a lucky dip of who might be there, but you can expect anyone from Tom Maxwell the Bush Balladeer, to local band Jen & Tonic, or even a circus show.
11. It’s steeped in stories and folklore
The town of Daly Waters and the Pub itself have many stories and a long history. The pub was built in 1930 by a pair of settlers, Bill and Henrietta Pierce. It was a general store to begin with and didn’t get a liquor license until 1938.
While the Pub was growing, so too was the Daly Waters Airfield. The airfield has been used for many purposes over the years. At one time it was used as a refuelling stop for commercial flights between Western Australia and south-Asia, and was later used as an airforce base, complete with a field hospital, during World War II. More recently it has been used as a RAAF military base.
Mr Pierce not only fed the passing travellers, he also worked to refuel the planes that landed at the airport. Throughout its time, the Pub has been said to bear witness to shootouts, brawls and cattle stampedes. Given the disruptive crowds that the pub seemed to attract, local station owners were said to have threatened to burn it down. Some say that even now the pub is haunted. Read more about the tales of the Daly Waters Pub on their website.
12. You can leave your own mark
If you feel compelled to leave a souvenir for future travellers to discover, you will be more than welcome. Have a chat with the staff to find out whether your offering will be well-received before you go about redecorating the place yourself.
13. You’re sure to meet someone to have a yarn with
The Daly Waters Pub is a busy place full of people from all over. On any given night you could meet someone interesting to have a chat with. Families, couples, solo travellers, the retired, or the lost and happy, you’re sure to find your people there!
If you’re on a road trip around the top end, the chances that you’ll meet some of the same people again down the road are pretty high.
14. Visit Tim’s Junkyard
Tim’s Junkyard could be seen by many as just junk, but most would beg to differ. It’s located just across the road from the Daly Waters Pub, less than 20 steps away, and is home to treasures you didn’t even know could exist.
If you come at the right time, Tim will give you a quick history lesson about the place, and you can find restored cars, thousands of tiny knick-knacks, and they even have the police car from the Wolf Creek film.
15. There’s plenty of amenities, why wouldn’t you stay the night?
Daly Waters Pub offers the opportunity to have a rest and forget about the world. They’ve got shady trees, a pool to cool off in, cheap accommodation, phone reception, great food, intriguing stories, and friendly faces.
Perhaps the quirks will be a little bit too much for you, but at least you’ll be well-rested for the next leg of your journey.
Would You Visit?
I would love to hear your stories about your visit to the Daly Waters Pub, especially if you found it as interesting and as strange as I did. If you want to know anything else about what to expect, leave a question in the comments below.