‘Everyone misses the pub’: Darkan locals rally together to reopen and revamp much-loved watering hole

Darkan locals are rallying together to reopen the town’s pub, with the way they are working together a shining example of what determined community members in small towns can achieve. The closure of the much-loved watering hole in March was a concern for many, but for several families it was a call to action and the catalyst for them to take matters into their own hands. A group of like-minded families started discussing the potential to reopen the venue as a community, with eight throwing in $1000 to examine due diligence and seek specialist advice. During the course of a few months, they delved into ways they could potentially make their dream a reality and how best to set up a community-run business. Among those is local farmer Karen Harrington, who has been integral in driving the project and said the families were motivated by the huge amount of support from others. “We are only a small community … you don’t even have to say what the importance of a country pub is to a small country town,” she said. “It meant we lost a meeting place, somewhere to eat, somewhere to get a drink, and somewhere to socialise … it has had a flow on effect to the community. “We spent a few months wondering whether we do it or not, and we just decided ‘let’s do it’.” With the owner keen to sell as soon as possible, the group set up a company called the Darkan Hotel Community Project. They made an offer and the deal was cemented in August. So far, the group has put out a community briefing sheet, drafted up a basic project cost and sent out investor forms to give people and businesses the chance to fund the project. They are aiming to complete a $1.2 million renovation in the next three to five years, a goal Ms Harrington said was ambitious but they would start with trying to reopen as soon as possible. “We want to be able to just get to open to start with, and then rebuild it in stages,” she said. “We considered what upgrades would best benefit the community and that included refitting the kitchen, making a lovely beer garden for families and people travelling through and creating short-stay accommodation in town.” While the pub is in relatively good condition, the group hopes to revamp and modernise the facility while still retaining the country charm. Many don’t know the stonework on the exterior of the Darkan Hotel is heritage listed, with hopes it will become a focal point of the building once fully restored. The site will also include staff quarters, with standalone, modular-style accommodation with ensuites that can be rented out to travellers, workers and others passing through. Rolling in accommodation was crucial to the community, Ms Harrington said, with a severe lack of options in town. “We have nearly no accommodation in town, there is nowhere to house workers, it is difficult to attract workers to your farm, there was nowhere for visiting people to stay,” she said. “The lack of accommodation has a real snowball effect.” Shire of West Arthur president Neil Morell said the project was the perfect example of what a small community could achieve and would provide a central meeting point. “It’s a really good example of what community members can do when they come together, and we are hopeful that people will continue to support the project,” he said. “We really want to get back that meeting place for the community, it is a central point for the town.” A community bonfire in the pub beer garden in August attracted a bumper crowd, as did an inaugural busy bee on September 19. “We had no idea what to expect, we thought there could be five people, or no people … but we had about 60 people come along to ask questions and find out a little bit more,” Ms Harrington said. The investment process is simple – the company is a trustee for a unit trust, and those that invest would own a piece of the pub. The minimum buy-in is $10,000 with other options for those willing to contribute their time. The community is also chasing grant funding and corporate sponsorship. “At this stage the response has been so positive, we are just blown away,” she said. “There has been so much interest in making this dream a real possibility … I think everyone just misses the pub.”