7 of the best Queensland Country pubs

Rudd’s Pub in Nobby isn’t just the local waterhole; the food here is road-trip worthy—and their infamous steaks are the size of dinner plates.

As well as serving up traditional Aussie ‘pub grub’, Rudd’s is also the birthplace of two colourful QLD folklore icons, ‘Dad and Dave’ thanks to writer Steele Rudd, who wrote the pages of his famous Australian book series, On Our Selection inside these very walls.

Character memorabilia lines the walls at this charming Queensland pub, making pilgrimage here for a pint and a feed a must-do.

2. The Bull and Barley Inn

Lovingly restored to its former grandeur, The Bull and Barley Inn, in Cambooya, is the beating heart of this quaint little town.

Established in 1902, the current owners have managed to maintain much of the building’s impressive colonial details, including the original cedar chiller box from the 1930s which is still used to this day.

Make sure to plan your visit on a weekend; their Sunday roast is famous across the Darling Downs region.

3. The Farmers Arm Tavern

Famed as the longest-continually-licensed pub in Queensland, The Farmers Arms Tavern in Cabarlah has a history dating back as far as 1863.

Featuring a beautiful outdoor green (with ample shaded seating) that backs onto the surrounding farm paddocks, stop in an afternoon to size up the famous mixed grill and live bands on the lawns.

This charming Queensland Country pub will make you think twice about living the laid-back country life.

4. The Spotted Cow

To say that Toowoomba’s The Spotted Cow is popular with locals is an understatement; local residents and famous faces alike have been flocking here for years, regularly making their way up the Great Dividing Range for its extensive brew selection and famed dining menu.

Housing over 70 different beers, a mad craft collection and regularly changing tap specials, this is the stuff that Queensland pub institutions are made of.

Dining at The Spotted Cow is a must; produce is locally sourced from the region, with meat from Grandchester and the Brisbane Valley, but, surprisingly, the Queensland Country pub’s most famous dish is their Spring Bay mussels, served by the kilo.

You won’t be leaving hungry.

5. Nindigully Pub

Nindigully: population of nine, and home to the local pub that’s also the oldest in Queensland. Pubs just don’t come more iconic than this one.

Standing on the banks of the Moonie River since the 1860s, this treasured piece of Queensland history may not have a large local contingent to feed, but the pub’s sizeable meals (home to the 5.5kg Road Train burger) and wealth of heritage has people flocking from all corners of the country to knock back a pint and take a photo at its bar.

6. Victoria Hotel

Goondiwindi‘s Victoria Hotel is a sight for thirsty eyes. One of the most outstanding examples of architecture in Queensland Country, this vast (and very, very attractive) public house cuts quite the figure in the centre of town.

Pull up a stool along the pub’s mahogany bar, order a beer and a feed, and kick back at one of the friendliest Queensland Country pubs going.

7. Stockman Hotel

Head south-west to Texas. Queensland’s, Texas, that is. Close to the banks of the peaceful Dumaresq River, The Stockman Hotel is a regular stop-over for campers, road-trippers and bikers looking for the region’s lauded fishing spots and outback charm.

Renowned in the local community for their welcoming spirit, a visit to the Stockman Hotel will see overnight guests arriving by motorbike threated to a free Biker’s Kit with all the essentials like chain oil and helmet cleaner and, your first drink on the house. That’s some hospitality…