20250626 Qld Cracow

20250626 Arriving at another of our favourite Hotels, the Cracow, she still stands tall and proud over a town that was once a thriving community in the 1800’s when the mine was at its peak until the closure in the 1970’s, which saw a decline and many houses abandoned. The mining of gold has since reopened and although the town has little left to offer there’s no going past the historical old pub. No longer owned by Fred Brophy, icon of the Australian tent boxing scene, but is now in the hands of another tent boxer who worked with Fed in his youth, who went under the nickname of "Kid Goanna". Stuart and Nikki Burke, his wife, meet at the Cracow over 20 years ago when she was working behind the bar. When the pub came up for sale the Burkes family decided to buy the Pub, in the hope of containing the Cracow story. Now! With their children, Brophy and Chilli at there side a new chapter of their life begins, in the town where their parents meet.

Chilly, the new barmaid who serves you with a big smile and is always happy to take your money and Dad, not as pretty but he’s good for a yarn.

Des and I wondered down for a few drinks where we meet a local whose parents came from Redland Bay and John Moore was his godfather. John Moore, a mechanic use to own and run the small garage in Redland Bay in the 1980’s, the only one at the time. There was a pool comp which brought the locals flooding in and the winner got $100 and was kind enough to shout the bar, who was left. The girls by this time were getting a bit pissy and put their dancing shoes on for a boogie to some old music around the pool table. The atmosphere in the Pub transported me back to the fun times at, what was once a great country Pub, until Woolworths took it over, the Redland Bay Pub. After a hard day on the farm we would call into our local drinking hole where you knew all the locals, hi Mate. We would laugh the night away, often driving home afterwards, thats when there was no drink driving, the good old days.

The walls are covered with Fred Brophy’s memorabilia, the last of the tent boxing.

The Last of the famous Boxing Tent, signed by Fred and also our new publican Stewart (Kid Goanna) and many others.

These vintage boxing gloves represent a piece of boxing history and the evolution of the sport's equipment.

This blue boxing headgear was made of Composition Leather by "JRE” and is designed to protect the head during boxing training or sparring.

The new fire Pitt, compliments of one of the locals who created it. 

We noticed everyone jump up from their seats, what’s going on, another kind of local who likes to climb around the balcony appeared and apparently, he pee on you when eating.

Des got to talking with Stewart about his bike rides and the conditions of the rooms so Stewart invited us upstairs to checkout the new upgrade, what a transformation. Since taking over the Pub they have put in a great effort in cleaning it up, which I might add, needed it. There's the Africa room, grandma's room, the jungle room and more, about 10 rooms and a balcony to throw a swag or three.

Des in the Jungle Room, I can just see Des swinging off those vines. 🤷‍♀️😂

I’m pretty sure this was called the furry room, this one’s for Benny.😂

And this is the African Room, I might put Wendy in here, she’s a bit of an animal.😂

  

I found this tree of mowers in the park opposite the Pub, thats one way to deal with old relics.

We were first in Cracow in 2016 before the camp ground was extended and more power stations were put in, then returned in 2020 when we got to meet and have my photo taken with Fred and here we are again in 2025 with the new owners of the Cracow and still having fun. 

I wrote our names on the door architrave in 2016 but it’s since been painted over, Not Happy Jan.

Once upon a time someone brought some Guinea foul that have now taken ownership of the town and are breeding like rats, their everywhere.

The proof is in the photo, there was a Ford Dealership in Cracow in the very early days when the population was around 10,000, but I couldn’t find any history of it.

The start of a new history with Stuart and Nikki Burke who were living on the Western Downs when the Cracow Pub went on the market, there immediate thought was to buy the pub where they first meet, so with their children at there side they packed up and moved back to there old stomping grounds. Their new life begins and three years on they have dusted scrubbed, painted (over my signature), chopped down trees and turned the bedrooms into some funky design’s, you could even go as far as a bit kinky 😆 if you please. With new owners comes new blood, great ideas, good food and an even better atmosphere. Keep up the great work guys and hopefully we will meet again one day soon.

Another Great Time at the Cracow