Southern Railway Hotel Goulburn

From the first steam train travelers to today’s Hume Highway haulers, thousands of guests and friends have passed through the doors of the Southern Railway Hotel.

It was certain that when the railway from Sydney to Goulburn was completed in 1869 that new hotels would be established in the area of the station for weary travelers to lay their heads and refresh themselves with a well-deserved drink after the hard rail-journey.

The Southern Railway was one of the first of the 73-or-so hotels built in Goulburn. Originally named Clifford’s Hotel after the publican, James Clifford, who poured the first ales back in 1872.

After a few years, the license was taken over by Henry Gordon and name was changed to The Railway. But with four hotels in Goulburn hanging the same sign of we quickly became quickly known as The Southern Railway Hotel. Since then, there’s been a few more licensees spanning into the 20th and 21st centuries, with the walls most recently donning the name of the Coolavin.

The hotel has been owned by the Bourne family for the last few decades, alongside a few other Goulburn institutions.

Because the Southern Railway Hotel is one of the oldest continuously operating pubs in Goulburn, the original building had fallen into some disrepair since first opening it’s doors.

Today, efforts are being made to preserve the pub's heritage. It was in 2016 that the resolution was made to bring the hotel back to its roots - and the Southern Railway Hotel was born-again.

Currently smack-bang in the middle of what will be an extensive restoration and redevelopment of the hotel, the Southern Railway Hotel is already being noticed. The hard yards that have been done are already being recognised thanks to a nomination from the Australian Hotel Association for Best Draught Beer in 2017.

The Southern Railway Hotel in Goulburn holds country warmth in its walls and much of its old-world charm. Come in to drink in a bit of Australia’s history.