Five country pub beer gardens near Sydney worth the drive
Australian pubs are famous for their informality, making them perfect to drop in for a drink and good grub. If you’re looking to get away from the city, a pub with a beer garden is even better.Outdoor seating, maybe a strumming guitar and never far from the kitchen and bar you’ll get much more from these gardens than plain old beer. Here are five that are definitely worth the drive.
Settlers Arms Inn, St Albans
Getting to the Settlers Arms is half the fun. Head up the Old Northern Road out of Sydney, cross the Hawkesbury at Wiseman’s Ferry, meander along the river and this quaint, Georgian pub awaits. The inn was a stopover for stagecoaches back in the day, now it offers accommodation and a sensational outdoor setting for diners. On Sundays there is music in the garden, the inn bakes its own pies, tarts and scones and, being an alternative gateway to the Hunter, there’s a good choice of local wines.
Burrawang Village Hotel, Burrawang
Burrawang is a historic Southern Highlands township less than an hour inland from the Illawarra coast and its Village Hotel makes a great destination for day-trippers. Family owned and beautifully renovated, it has shady verandas and out the back, a garden with tables and chairs set across the lawn under shady trees. Grab a pub classic such as pork and apple sausages or something a bit fancier like a Moroccan slow-braised lamb salad, wash it down with a local brew and enjoy the country vibe.
The Scarborough, Scarborough
This clifftop pub between the Royal National Park and Wollongong is a bit of an institution with locals, holidaymakers and passers-by, and it’s not difficult to see why. The grandiose 1880s Scarborough hotel is impressive enough but the Sea Cliff Garden, dotted with tables, umbrellas and pergolas is another level. Watch the waves roll in, grab a dozen Sydney rock oysters or the hotel’s own snapper and prawn pie and you’ll feel the stress of indoor living float away.
Gol Gol Hotel, Gol Gol
Just over 1000km west of Sydney, Gol Gol is not exactly close to Sydney, but worth the drive, especially if you’re also visiting the Sunraysia District, with Mildura just across the river. The Gol Gol Hotel is the perfect spot for lunch - from the front of the pub it’s a fairly innocuous low-rise affair but out the back is a shady veranda and a huge stretch of lawn running all the way down to the Murray River. Grab a table, order the fish and chips and enjoy the almost ever-present sunshine.
The Sir George, Jugiong
The small town of Jugiong makes a pleasant stop off the Hume Highway and the long haul between Sydney and Melbourne, but it’s also a great day trip from Sydney. The gorgeous, stone-walled 1845 Sir George pub has a thoughtfully different bar menu, or a three-course chef’s menu, with plenty of tables under the trees in the garden to enjoy the food, the wine, a lingering beer and the old-style ambience.
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