Some Love And Respect For A Beautiful Old Pub In The Yarra

Yarra Hotel in Abbotsford was built in 1855, just 20 years after Melbourne was founded, and has just about seen it all. 

“It was a bit of an Abbotsford institution,” bartender Julian Douglas explains, “and we’ve done a bit of a re-fit — just rebuilt the bar and the beer garden, put a big fireplace in, that kid of thing — and put on live music four or five nights a week. There were a few renovations that happened over the decades but, for example, in the band room itself, there was quite a low ceiling in there — looked like an old TAB! — and when they started knocking that out to put some new electrics in they discovered a beautiful old kind of corniced roof that was original to the pub, so that’s all been lovingly restored and looks quite nice now. We’re just trying to give it some love and respect for what is a beautiful old pub in Melbourne and try and give it a new lease on life as well with some live music.

"They discovered a beautiful old kind of corniced roof that was original to the pub, so that’s all been lovingly restored."

“It was a bit of an ‘old man’ bar, a few residents upstairs — they’re still with us,” he chuckles, “but the music was something that started with us really. It wasn’t really something happening here before, and, as it happens, we were awarded Best Entertainment Venue in [Time Out’s] Pub Awards in 2014. We offer 95% of our gigs here as free shows, so people can come in pretty much any night of the week and catch something that won’t trouble the hip pocket too much, which is good. What’s really key to the Yarra I think is it’s got a real sense of family. We’re certainly building towards something there as being a real hub for musicians.”

The music really is the focus at the Yarra. While the food is great — just the kind of burgers you’ve come to expect, and seafood to die for — it’s not trying to be Masterchef. As Douglas admits, “When you get a bunch of the young kids down, it’s, ‘What, you don’t have the quinoa salad on the menu? What’s up with that?’ The food is a conversation in progress, and it’s always changing. You can still get good pub grub and sit by the fire or in the heated beer garden and enjoy bands. So it’s kind of the whole package with us I think.”

During the Leaps & Bounds Music Festival, you’ll be able to catch, among other acts performing at Yarra Hotel, The Millar Dukes, Luke Thomas’ solo project Central Rain, Ghost Towns Of The Midwest, Helen Ryder launching her debut single Lady Bird, Cold Irons Bound, and Damon Smith & The Quality Lightweights. There’s even a dude upstairs who repairs guitars by appointment. From 5 Jul, the hotel is also hosting an exhibition of live music performance photographs by The Music contributor Anna Madden.