CITY people are sometimes surprised at the level of sophistication they find in some of the businesses in the outback.

The Charleville RSL Memorial Club is one of these surprising finds. Just eight years old, the premises are decorated in colours a long way from the dull browns of yesteryear. The carpets combine yellow, blue, purple and green and the walls are rather exotic as well.

Open from 10.00am to midnight daily, the club offers lunch and dinner seven days. There is a gaming room with 27 poker machines as well as Keno and ClubTAB. Or watch Austar or Sky. For a change, have a game on the full size snooker table.

The Workers’ Bar is a great place to have a drink or two, and it opens out to a pleasant beergarden area where you can relax in the leafy green atmosphere. There are barbecue facilities there too.

The function room can hold 450 people and has shows from some top entertainers during the year. The club is air conditioned throughout and has recently had renovations.