ICONIC WALKABOUT CREEK HOTEL UP FOR SALE
Decorated in memorabilia, cheeky jokes and faded photos, the walls of the Walkabout Creek Hotel are alive with 121 years of history.
But it’s the worn wooden floors – scuffed from innumerable boots and the sliding of chairs – that tell the story of how loved the venue is among locals and tourists alike.
Since it was showcased to the world in the 1986 film Crocodile Dundee, the north-west Queensland pub has made a name for itself as much more than Mick Dundee’s prized watering hole.
Now, after nearly a decade of calling the Walkabout pub home, owners Deb and Frank Wust are passing the torch and preparing to retire.
“One thing that will always stick in my mind is when we first took over the joint, we had to keep pinching ourselves,” Mr Wust said.
“We were like, ‘Holy moly, we own the Crocodile Dundee pub!’
“It definitely took a bit of getting used to, but honestly, we’ve been living the dream.
“Who doesn’t want to own a pub? Any time you want a drink you just go behind the bar and help yourself.”
Mr Wust said travellers from the UK and the US had travelled all the way to Australia just to see the pub.
“One fella came in and when he left we asked what his next stop was,” he said.
“He just said, “I’m going back home now.'”
Film history makes bucket list
Crocodile Dundee has been criticised for its portrayal of women, Indigenous people and the Northern Territory, but in 1986 it was the highest grossing film of all time in Australia.
At a time when audiences ate up movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark and Romancing the Stone, Crocodile Dundee exploded internationally.
Mr Wust said tourists still flocked from far and wide to see the original set and props used in the film.
“It’s on a lot of people’s bucket lists,” he said.
“They built a set behind the pub where most of the scenes were filmed, because the actual bar area is a bit too small for cameras.
“It’s in good nick — we’ve actually got the bar and everything set up out in the beer garden.
“People love getting their photos taken.”
In 2016, the Dundee Fest was held to mark the film’s 30th anniversary.
“The 40th anniversary is coming up, so hopefully someone will have a crack at that,” Mr Wust said.
‘So many great characters’
While ties to the film have put the pub on the map, the loyalty of patrons and locals are at the heart of the Walkabout’s success, Mr Wust said.
“One of the highlights has been meeting so many different people from different walks of life and experiencing their stories,” he said.
“And the people out here are outstanding.
“Outback people are just a bloody different animal all together.”
As Mr and Mrs Wust search for the Walkabout’s next publican, they say it will be a sad day when the pub is in the rear view mirror.
“I’m really gonna miss the people out here — there are so many great characters,” Mr Wust said.
“But I reckon we’ll be back each year.
“It’ll be exciting to see what the next lot do with it — if you’re gonna buy a pub, may as well make it a famous one.”
Source: www.msn.com/en-au/money/markets/iconic-crocodile-dundee-pub-the-walkabout-creek-hotel-up-for-sale/ar-AAZQ85m?fromMaestro=true
