While we might take a quick stop for fuel or a coffee in a local town, our rigs have the capacity to take us 800km in one day (or more if you’re not following fatigue management guidelines). Meanwhile, many of the towns that are now bypassed are really suffering.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Many towns are ‘reinventing’ themselves. To this end, pub licencees are looking to harness their unique character and history to draw travelers off the highway. A great option offered by many is the ‘Free Camp’ sites in the historic grounds of their old pubs. Some offer hot showers, communal fire pits and a place to sit back, relax, and soak-in the ambiance. And all of them offer a feed.

So, why not make the journey the destination? … Take a lesson from our forefathers and stop overnight in a pub. You’ll be doing yourself a favor and you’ll sure as eggs be helping out a local business. Especially in regions where drought has struck hard and rural people are struggling more than ever.

After all, when was the last time you drank an ale or ate a meal in a pub that once served Henry Lawson or bush-rangers Ben Hall and Captain Moonlight?

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