Have a drink at The Walkabout Creek Hotel (BL6)
The quintessential Australian Movie Crocodile Dundee was partly filmed here in McKinley. The pub, which was originally known as The Federal, was subsequently changed to cash in on the tourist trade.
Its certainly a step back in time as you enter the pub. A lot of country pubs are. They have changed little in the decades since they were established to meet the needs of the weary traveller or thirsty local.
Walkabout Creek Hotel has plenty of photos and references to the Movie and even has the original vehicle parked out the front.
Even though it was only 10.30 in the morning when I arrived, it just doesn’t seem right to walk into a pub and order a squash straight off the bat. So a beer it was and then wandered around taking everything in. Some tourists are rude enough to walk into the pub, head for the toilet, walk around taking photos and then walk out again without spending a cent. Most though buy a soft drink or a coffee. A sign at the bar encouraging those that don’t want to buy anything to at least make a donation to the Royal Flying Doctor Service by putting some coin in the tin provided. There is also a sign indicating the stools at the bar are phone free, encouraging conversation. The old girl behind the bar was engaging and happy to answer questions but gave short shift to anyone who was there to gawk and not willing to part with some of the folding stuff.
While there is a lot of memorabilia inside the pub, it is not actually the pub from the movie set. The set is actually out the back in the beer garden. I had heard that snippet of information from another traveller so asked the bar lady if I could go out the back and have a look. I was there a good half hour and no one else went out back. Apparently if you don’t ask/know then you don’t get to see the real macoy. So a lot of people left thinking they had seen it all and really hadn’t.
With a population of just 30 people, The Walkabout Creek Hotel relies heavily on the tourist trade. Worth stopping for a beer, a looksee and a yarn.
rayaroundoz 