IT STARTED life as a travelling pub, but the Wellshot Hotel has stayed put for more years than most Australian weatherboard hotels survive.

Born near Anakie, it was moved several times as the railway was expanded west from Rockhampton in the late 1880s.

By 1890, the pub was in Barcaldine where its enterprising owner decided to get ahead of the railway and take it, in pieces, to Ilfracombe.

It was dismantled and loaded aboard bullock wagons and hauled to its present site. When the railhead finally caught up with the pub, Ilfracombe was born.

Originally, there were five hotels in town, but only the famous Wellshot has survived.

This pub is one of the icons of western Queensland. See the cattle brands from surrounding stations. Admire the hats that form an unusual border around the ceiling of the bar. And what’s the story with the money attached to the ceiling?

The lounge boasts an old wool press that has been opened out, and there are old photographs and lots of historic bits and pieces to browse around including an old shearing stand on the wall.

On a cool night, enjoy the warmth of the fireplace in the lounge.

There are no poker machines and you won’t find a sophisticated club atmosphere here. This is an unashamedly old-fashioned bush pub, where history has been breathed into its very timbers.

Owner Joanne Scott has had the pub for a year, but her association with it goes back much further.

“I started work here when I was 16 and worked on and off in the pub between stints away,” she said.
“The Wellshot is an icon out here and it’s awesome to know it’s mine,” she said.

For those who’d like to stay and enjoy the historic atmosphere, the Wellshot has seven hotel rooms (double and twin) with shared amenities. Lunch and dinner are served seven days a week.

The hotel is named after Wellshot Station, originally one of the largest properties in the district. In fact, in 1892, the Wellshot gained the world record for shearing the largest number of sheep off the same property in one season - 425,000 sheep!

Of course, in 117 years it hasn’t all been plain sailing and the pub went through a rough patch that actually saw it closed in late 2003. A year later, it was back on its feet looking better than before. Come and see for yourself. It’s open from 10.00am until late.