End of an Era: Broken Hill's Historic Junction Hotel Calls Last Drinks After 130 Years

A Farewell to a Beloved Local

For more than six decades, Harry Plane has had a ritual – a designated seat at the Junction Hotel in Broken Hill. This month, that cherished routine came to an end as the historic pub, a cornerstone of the Outback mining city for 130 years, called last drinks for good. As Mr. Plane sipped his final beer, memories flowed as freely as the ale once did.

“We used to have the mine boys in here every night, afternoon shift, or day shift,” Mr. Plane reminisced. “It used to be pretty wild.”

The Junction Hotel, named after the nearby Junction Mine, first opened its doors in 1891, serving as a vital gathering place for miners, footy players, and railway workers through generations. Its recent closure, with new local owners unlikely to reopen it as a pub, marks a profound loss for many.

“It is a very sad day,” Mr. Plane lamented, expressing what many felt. “I reckon there will be a few tears.” The camaraderie, he says, is what he will miss most.

The Vanishing Pubs of Broken Hill

Once a booming mining town, Broken Hill boasted more than 70 pubs during its late 19th and early 20th-century heyday, when its population soared past 35,000. Today, the city's pub numbers have dwindled dramatically, mirroring a significant population decline. Since 2000-2001, the population across Broken Hill and far west NSW has fallen by 18 per cent to approximately 17,500 residents, largely driven by the modernization of mining operations requiring fewer workers.

The Junction Hotel is the latest casualty in this trend, joining a growing list of iconic establishments like the South Australian, Old Royal, Excelsior, and Southern Cross that have shut their doors, some permanently closing after the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adapt or Perish: The Modern Pub Challenge

Dean Trengove, a state council delegate for the Australian Hotels Association and owner of another Broken Hill pub, understands the tough climate. His establishment has diversified its offerings, incorporating poker machines, a restaurant, and a drive-through bottle shop.

“Society’s changed and people are moving away from everyday drinking culture that sustained a lot of pubs,” Mr. Trengove explained, also citing rising cost-of-living pressures and strict compliance regulations. He asserts that survival in Broken Hill’s competitive hospitality scene now hinges on adaptability. “It’s survival of the fittest and it’s about the facilities that you offer... You’ve got to try and offer as many services as you can to maintain and give people a reason to come to the pub.”

The Poker Machine Factor

For Grant Williams, likely the last publican of the Junction Hotel, the fate of the venue was sealed well before its final closure. Mr. Williams managed the pub when it was sold in 2022 to a Sydney investor who opted to move the hotel's nine poker machines to a different city.

“Once the pokies went, we didn’t make any money,” Mr. Williams stated plainly. “The hotel was losing a lot of money every week because I lost 50 regulars because they like to play the pokies. If you haven’t got pokies, you haven’t got a chance.” Data from Liquor & Gaming NSW reveals the significant role of these machines, with 469 in clubs and 51 in hotels across Broken Hill and Wentworth collectively earning over $11 million between December and March.

More Than Just a Pint: A Cultural Loss

Emily McInerney, who has chronicled the unique history of pubs in Broken Hill and far west NSW, emphasizes their deep cultural significance. The city was once famed for having a pub on every corner, with names like the Silver King, Bonanza, and Exchange reflecting its mining heritage. These establishments were far more than just drinking venues; they were crucial meeting places for trade unions, social clubs, and even political rallies.

“Even if people aren’t using it as a pub, it’s still a function centre,” Ms. McInerney noted, highlighting their role in life's milestones – weddings, 21st, 30th, 40th, and 50th birthday celebrations. The closure of The Junction, she concludes, represents a “loss of culture.”

While society changes and economic pressures make frequent pub visits less affordable, the absence of these historic watering holes leaves a void.

A New Chapter, A Lingering Legacy

Despite the sadness, Harry Plane and his mates are resilient. “All the mates will go somewhere else, so I’ll probably go with them,” he said, determined to find a new spot. Indeed, at another local hotel not far from where The Junction once stood, Mr. Plane and his friends have already playfully christened a section of the bar ‘the Junction refugees’.

Their story, however, underscores a broader narrative in Broken Hill: the end of an era where traditional pubs defined the heartbeat of the community. While new establishments may emerge, the unique history and social fabric woven by places like the Junction Hotel will forever be etched in the city's memory.