Page 2 - Demo

The History Lesson
“great atmosphere, great music...”
Andrew Cafe, publican of the Royal Mail for over thirty years
Depending on which historical account you read, there has been a Royal Mail Hotel at Goodna since the 1860’s.
Located on Brisbane Terrace, a beautiful street lined with Jacaranda trees which was once the main highway between Ipswich and Brisbane and one of only a handful of stopping points for the Cobb and Co coaches travelling to and from Brisbane.
Some of the trees lining Brisbane Terrace and surrounding the hotel were planted during the 1930’s Great Depression.
The area has become popular with visitors during the month of October each year when the trees are in full bloom
and the locals celebrate the annual Jacaranda Festival.
Some historical records state that the 150 year old hotel was where
many political disputes were settled from the days when the Cobb & Co. coaches stopped at its door. The hotel has a long history of being an integral part of the local community and that is just as true today. In the 1974 ood the pub was ooded up to the rst oor but trading still went on using the top verandas and became the central meeting point for local residents at that time. Having just survived its 6th major ood ‘The Mail’ as it is a ectionately known locally, became the place where the equally devastated locals came to console and support each other in their road to recovery.
So there’s a lot of history embedded in the old timber walls of the pub
– and a lot of music! 25 years of
live music in fact! It’s seems only tting that ‘The Mail’s’ start as a stopping o point for travellers,
is still continuing today as an essential stopping o point for touring Blues n Roots musicians! Andrew Café, the hotels owner for
the last 25 years, together with his loyal patrons and sta have now established themselves around the nation as one of the best live Blues
n Roots venues in Australia. As a wonderful testament to the hotels reputation nationally, blues artists and organisations around the country held events to raise funds to aid in The Mail’s recovery from the recent 2011 oods. The album ‘Hard Rain’ with original tracks donated by some of Australia’s best loved Blues artists featured the Royal Mail on the cover. Andrew says that The Royal Mail has made it it’s mission to foster a strong local music scene and provide a band-friendly live music venue – “It’s our point of di erence”
Many, many thanks go out to all of the artists, visitors, locals, friends and sta who make the Royal Mail what it is – a good old fashioned Aussie pub!