Quamby Pub welcomes new owners

A once bustling railway town servicing the cattle and mining industries the population now stands at zero.

As with every country town the frequented locale is often the heartbeat of a community. Such was the Quamby Pub.

Built in the 1860s, the joint was once a favourite roadside watering hole for folk of the north. However, the pub has remained derelict and abandoned now for some time.

All that is about to change.

Nigel and Karen Sheiles, along with friends Gregory and Wendy White, are the new owners of Quamby Pub.

So why purchase a saloon in a ghost town? Nigel said it's every man's dream to own a pub.

A chance drive by on a trip home to the Gold Coast from the Cape sparked the light-bulb moment.

"Karen and I took a trip up to the Cape," Nigel said.

"We detoured through Normanton on the way home and came past Qumaby.

"We stopped in and I just thought 'this is a waste of a pub.' We walked around for about an hour and checked it all out."

Roping in their mates Greg and Wendy along the way, the long drive home was enough time for a decision to be made.

"We were just lucky enough to put in the best offer," Nigel said.

The mammoth task of rebuilding the pub to its once former glory now begins.

Fortunately, Nigel is a licensed shop fitter with a carpentry background.

"Throughout my career I've rebuilt several other pubs and shops," he said.

"I now get to rebuild my own pub. I reckon I can have a reasonable crack at it."

Greg is an engineer who worked in the aerospace building helicopters.

The two men recently flew out to the north-west to have building plans drawn up and mapped out.

"The plan is to rebuild the pub from the inside out," Nigel said.

"We'll replace the floors, rebuild the walls and extend the new roof over the balcony.

"The pool will also be rebuilt.

"We want to leave the original front facade as much as we can with original graphics."

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The co-owners plan to also reinstate the accommodation aspect of the former pub.

"We want people who are traveling by to be able to drive straight in and park easily," Nigel said.

So, the question is asked - how does one transport materials to rebuild a pub to outback Queensland? A 40-foot container Nigel said.

"If you look at my front yard right now it is full up," he said.

"We've bought ice machines, dishwashers, cookers, a bar - you name it."

With nowhere to live on site at present, the families will be living out of their caravans whilst the rebuild takes place. A start date is pencilled for the end of April.

A family affair, the couples' children will be rolling up their sleeves and pitching in to help with their respective trades.

Nigel said he hoped to have everything complete in a four-month timeframe.

"I am going to be busting my little butt," he said.

"We'd ideally love to have everything ready to go by the time Qumaby Rodeo rolls around.

"That's what we're hoping for. July is a tentative placeholder at the moment."

Nigel said the local support had been fantastic with the original Facebook announcement post being shared across the north and into the Territory through groups such as Ringers from the Top End.

"The locals have been sharing photos of the pub in its heyday," he said.

"There are images of people partying on the front deck, it's really great."

Once complete and all smooth sailing the couple plan to rotate stints at the pub on a two-month on and two-month off basis.

"I seem to keep coming out of retirement, but I am really confident in our ownership and the pub's potential.

"We have enough to get started and just give it our best crack."

The pub catchphrase? Nigel said the original Qumaby Pub in the scrub will do just fine.