It's the great Aussie dream, right? To get together with your mates, buy a country pub and turn it into a welcoming watering hole where locals and tourists alike can swing by for a pint and a parma.
Well, that's exactly what four pals have done with the recently reopened Yack Hotel in Yackandandah, which is located an almost four-hour drive from Melbourne on the doorstep of the High Country. The new publicans are Dale Kemp (former executive chef at Yolk Group) and his partner Brittany Hart, and fellow hospo legends Jackson Cartwright and Sian Haycock – and together, they've restored it to its former glory while losing none of its old-world charm.
Originally built in 1868 to serve the town’s gold-mining community, the Yack Hotel's four-month transformation saw many of the structural elements remain – like the heritage ceiling plasterwork and brown brick bar – while new additions included a fresh lick of paint and plush tartan carpet. A beautiful horseshoe-shaped bar top was also made from local red gum sourced from a farm just 10 minutes up the road to really amp up the pub's rustic character.
The menu delivers all the pub classics (parmas, burgers, fish and chips) and some rotating specials, and there's an emphasis on showcasing local ingredients – think steak from Yalandra Pastoral in the nearby Mitta Valley and a sticky toffee pudding spiked with Rutherglen muscat. On the drinks front, regional brewers dominate, with ice-cold froffs from Bright Brewery and Bridge Road Brewers sitting alongside all the usual suspects.
And it wouldn't be a cracking country pub without a sun-soaked beer garden, pool table, live music and a large screen to watch the footy. Even better, accommodation on the upper floor is set to open this summer, so you can really make the most of your visit to Yackandandah.
For more info, head to the website.
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