DANIEL and Caitlin Powe relocated to Pooncarie to take over the Telegraph Hotel’s lease three years ago and haven’t looked back.
The Powe’s were running Broken Hill’s Line of Lode Café, which closed for renovations after COVID-19 pandemic, leaving them to seek a new hospitality endeavour.
“We needed something to do, and we knew that the previous publican was looking to get out,” Mr Powe said.
“So we came down here and had a chat to him, and he was more than happy to transfer the lease over to us.”
After two years running the historic pub which was first licensed in 1879, the couple decided to take the next step.
“We made an offer on the freehold and they accepted, so away we went,” Mr Powe said.
“When we took over they were in the process of sealing the road between here and Menindee.”
Mr Powe said the amount of new traffic and trade in Pooncarie since the recent completion of the sealed road between the two towns has made a huge difference.
“Since they finished the project it’s just been fantastic,” he said.
“The amount of caravans that come this way, we’ve seen a huge increase in trade.”
About 18 months ago, Mr Powe decided the pub and town itself needed some sort of locally made product to sell to tourists passing through.
“We wanted something local, an alcohol of some type,” he said.
“We knew Eric (Hanna) from the Tydvil, who built his distillery through COVID, and so we rang him and said we wanted to create our own gin flavour.
“He basically said well supply the ingredients, take a photo, do a logo, a little write up and whatever else and we’ll go from there.”
The Powe’s decided to infuse their gin with locally produced red gum honey, harvested from a station about 40 kilometres west of the Pooncarie pub.
“It’s been selling really well to locals and people passing through,” Mr Powe said.
Mr Powe said running the pub has become more of a lifestyle than a job, and he’s excited to go to work every day.
“The locals come in and tell you about their day and what they’ve been doing,” he said. “And you look forward to seeing them.”
