It’s Back to the Future at The Adelaide
By Phil Herrick
It’s back to the future at Moruya’s Adelaide Hotel if plans for $1.2 million extensions are approved by the Eurobodalla Shire Council.
Coming back will be a drive through bottle shop and 14 motel rooms on the top floor.
Many in Moruya will remember the days when publicans Bert Farnsworth and Bob Simpson worked the taps during the ‘80s and a drive through bottle shop was at the carpark end of the building while the top storey had a generous veranda and a bunch of simple rooms.
That all changed when the Connaughton family took over and updated, renovated and modernised the building. The drive through and accommodation all went.
The new plans will see the building extended towards the carpark from the beer garden with the drive through at ground level and new rooms above.
After many years of sitting idle, the top floor restaurant area built by the Connaughtons will go and the whole floor will become motel style accommodation with an ensuite in each room. No more walking down the hall to the communal showers and toilets.
A new gambling area for pokies is also planned.
Also likely to change is the exterior paintwork, with plans showing a change from today’s cream to a charcoal grey colour.
The pub has seen many changes over the years, even immortalised in song by local lad Josh Cunningham of the Waifs in his song about Moruya, “Since I’ve Been Around”.
“I stopped on by her place,
Years ago I knew her well
Let’s go drink to old times
At the Adelaide Hotel
She said it’s twenty years now
Since they shut that old pub down
Been so long, since I’ve been around.”
To his endless embarrassment when the Waifs play locally, Josh is always raucously corrected by the crowd and invited to come down for a drink at the still operating and possibly expanding Adelaide Hotel.