It’s a story familiar to many regional towns across New South Wales, where historic pubs are increasingly being gutted, refitted and rebranded to match an urban aesthetic. Think grey walls, exposed bulbs and pale wood stools – venues that feel more slick than historic. Residents are rightly concerned that historic buildings may be lost beneath a shiny modern renovation. But recent work by Bangalow architect Duncan Sproul is proof that there is another way. Just an hour down the road, the Argyle Hotel in Maclean offers a masterclass in how to restore a heritage pub with care and integrity.

First settled by Europeans in the 1830s, Maclean is the traditional land of the Yaegl people. As with the Bangalow area, cedargetting and dairy were key industries at this time, alongside sugar, coffee, tobacco and more. A single-storey wooden pub – the first Argyle Hotel – was built in 1867. In 1887, work commenced on a new two-storey, 14-room hotel, made of stone with a concrete foundation, and seemingly no expense spared on the grand Late Victorian details. The Argyle Hotel opened in 1894.

Tooth & Co. operated the pub from the early 20th century until the 1970s, and the 1980s saw the first of several alterations aimed at increasing commercial space at the expense of heritage. Significant architectural features were obscured with paint and panelling, resulting in a façade that bore little resemblance to the building once described as “the best finished hotel north of Sydney.”

Fast-forward 40-odd years, and the historic pub was purchased and painstakingly brought back to life in collaboration with Duncan and his partner. The brief from Sally and Dhugal was clear: rather than gutting the space, they chose to celebrate its history.

“The original building had been desecrated in the 1970s by not having a heritage order on it – and basically, a beautiful old 1894 pub had been turned into a concrete block. It was ugly,” says Duncan. “Previous owners had filled in all the verandas and crammed in as many rooms as they could upstairs.”

But it wasn’t just an under-utilised eyesore. Built at a time when there was little regulation regarding safety in public buildings, the old hotel needed to be brought into the 21st century in terms of access, fire safety compliance, electrical and plumbing. “It wasn’t just a makeover – it was quite a big undertaking,” says Duncan.

Coincidentally, Duncan’s grandmother was born and raised in Maclean, so the old pub – known then as the Middle Pub and later as Cane Cutters – was a vague memory for him. Getting to work on the unlovely, criminally bland building revealed some remarkable charms. “We had a lot of historic photos to work from, but it’s pretty clear once you start peeling things back how it had all been laid out, and the craftsmanship,” says Duncan.

One of the pub’s most striking features is its honey-coloured chiselled sandstone blocks, which had been painted over in a previous ‘renovation’. Sodablasted back to their original state, they became the cornerstone of the restoration, with new blocks –sourced locally and used to re-instate a section of wall that had unfortunately been removed decades earlier – such a close match to the original that it’s possible they came from the same quarry. “Honestly, it’s hard to tell the difference – except that the new wall is just a bit cleaner, a bit straighter,” he laughs.

Upstairs, the grand wraparound verandas (boarded over in some previous incarnation) were carefully re-instated and are now the perfect place to relax and enjoy views of the town and glimpses of the nearby Clarence River.

Duncan describes the project as a balancing act – respecting the past while making space for the present. “The only real point of difference with the veranda was that we couldn’t reinstate the iron lacework – it just wasn’t financially feasible,” he says. Nor, would it have been compliant to current standards given the great height of the veranda. “But the approach to fine timber detailing was a very close match, and it really returned the building to its original beauty.”

These days, hospitality venues tend to focus on maximising floor space and gaming as a formula for success. We know the devastating impact problem gambling has on the community, so it’s refreshing to see a project that embraces a different approach.

“Sally and Dhugal actually reduced the floor space ratio, which is unusual in commercial developments,” says Duncan. “The locals were genuinely excited about the old pub being restored to its former glory. The buzz in town was incredible.”

The Argyle now boasts a popular dining spot serving restaurant quality meals alongside favourite pub classics with an emphasis on fresh produce and quality meats (including Barcoo Beef, Sally and Dhugal’s other venture). Upstairs comprises four boutique accommodation suites – thoughtfully styled and designed by Sally (an interior designer).

“The value of old buildings just can’t be underestimated. You see it happening now in Sydney with Chris Minns’ proposals to increase high density in what is ‘old Sydney’,” says Duncan, who worked with his partner on a major refurbishment of the Teachers Federation headquarters in the former 1920s Silk Knit House industrial building in Surry Hills.

“When you look at the Argyle, it really fits the context of the town. You don’t have to build a booze barn. When it’s full, it has a great vibe – it’s comfortable, it suits the town, and it just feels right.”

The result? A Hotel? that looks and feels like it belongs – not just to Maclean’s history, but to its community.

argylehotel.com.au

Feature image

The Argyle Hotel in Maclean, restored to its former glory Photo Adam Woodleigh

   Booyong Nature Reserve

Up until just 250 years ago, our whole district was covered with dense rainforest and huge trees. To get a feel for what became known as the Big Scrub, take a short drive west of Bangalow to the Booyong Flora and Nature Reserve on Booyong Road on Widjabul-Wiabal country. There you will find remnants on both sides of the road of the original rainforest through which Bundjalung people walked for millennia. Take the path down to the Wilsons River and look at the trees and the tangle of vines. Stop and listen to the whip birds. Just 100 metres from the gate nearest the bridge over the river is the giant 30m tall water gum tree. This awesome tree is on the National Big Tree Register.

Songlines Map at Coorabell Hall

Take a 10-minute drive from Bangalow along Coolamon Scenic Drive to Coorabell Hall, perched on the edge of the escarpment with sweeping views of the coast. On the outside wall is a fabulous mural painted by Bundjalung man Uncle Lewis Walker. Using mainly Bundjalung place names, it offers an aerial view of the coastal plains from Minjungbal country north of the Brunswick River, across Arakwal country, and down to Ballina across Nyanbul country south of Broken Head.

Broken Head Nature Reserve

Broken Head is a significant place to Arakwal people. Not only does the headland reserve contain many mythical sacred sites, it was the home of Arakwal Harry Bray and his family, the ancestors of many Arakwal people today. It was a place full of food, medicines, and materials to make tools, string, and fishing nets. Walk down the track to the headland, look out at the rocks, and learn about the Three Sisters dreaming story.

Currenba (The Pass)

Currenba means ‘gully’ and describes the area at The Pass in Byron Bay. There is a beautiful shady walk behind the carpark with signs full of information about Arakwal history. Arakwal and other Bundjalung people camped beside the beach, eating pipis collected from the wet sand, other shellfish, and fish. There you will find a midden, reminding us that Bundjalung people have sat and enjoyed their seafood (and the view) at this spot for over 1500 years.

Dorrobbee Grass Reserve

High on a hill on Frasers Road, just five minutes from the Dunoon General Store, is one of the last remaining managed native grass ‘islands’ in the Big Scrub. It sits right in the middle of Widjabul-Wiabal country and offers huge 360-degree views. It was a camping ground for Widjabul-Wiabal, a strategic place from which to see distant fires and approaching visitors. You can see the original Kangaroo Grass, which is still managed with a combination of traditional ‘fire stick burning’ and other land management practices.

Explore Byron Bay Tours

Bundjalung woman Delta Kay runs a Bush Tucker Tour right in town. Walk with Delta on a rainforest walk that ends in Piccabeen Park with a beautiful bush tucker spread. For information and bookings, go to explorebyronbay.com

Local Libraries

If you like to read, local libraries have collections of books and historical material about Bundjalung culture and history. Libraries include the Byron Bay Library, Southern Cross University Library in Lismore, and Ballina Library. You may have to ask the librarians for access to some local history material.

Neverland is the story of those early American and Australian surfers who came
to Byron Bay in the ’60s and ’70s; Some of them escaping the Vietnam War, some having been to the Vietnam War, they came escaping an American life basically. They came to live a different life, and of course, they found incredible waves, landscape and climate.

I started out six, seven years ago wanting to write a contemporary history of Byron in the ’70s and ’80s but it was just too big! So, I’ve just done one little part of what was going to be a bigger book, and focused on the arrival of the American surfers and the Australians because they really intermixed, and they changed the culture of the town when they came here. They were rebelling against the norms of society. In many ways, the surfers set the agenda for what Byron was to become, changing it from its industrial working class roots into a culturally diverse town. In retrospect, the influence was immense. They questioned the Vietnam War, conservative politics and societal norms generally.

A lot of people don’t realise how early those American surfers came. A lot of people assume the Aquarius Festival was the turning point in counterculture in Byron Bay. But the first American surfer came in 1959, Bob Cooper, and then in ’61, another very well-known surfer, Phil Edwards came from California and Bruce Brown (who eventually made the film The Endless Summer) was making a film called Surfing Hollow Days.

In those days, Byron was a working-class town, there was whaling until 1965, sandmining on the beach until 1972, a meatworks until 1983, there was the Norco factory on the main street, and these were the jobs you could get. The surfers didn’t want 9-5 jobs. They were entrepreneurial. They created their own jobs and created businesses. They started the cafes, and they made surf films, they started newspapers. Danny Doeppel started the Arts Factory, which created BluesFest, so they were very creative, and culturally they injected something new into Byron.

The Wholemeal Cafe opened in 1974. Derek (Beckner) started The Ribcage which is where Fresh is now. Lester Brien, an Australian, and the first surfing solicitor that came to Byron, opened Dinty’s, which was a raucous wild nightclub/restaurant/bar, where Main Street Burger Bar is now on Jonson Street.

The surfers started surf shops like Bare Nature (where Spell is now). They were unusual because in those days surf shops only sold surfboards. There was no Quicksilver, no Billabong, no Ripcurl. They sold boards but not clothing. Bare Nature sold Hungarian blouses and leather goods from Bill Conner (BC) who then lived on the Gold Coast but later moved to Byron Bay. They were the hang places when the surfers came to town. Bob Newland started Surf Aids which still exists today in the Byron Arts & Industry Estate. He made the first leg ropes around here and board bags.

Rusty (Miller) started the Byron Express in ’73 with Australian David Guthrie. Rusty had come to visit his friend, Garth Murphy. Garth and Rusty had started the business Surf Research in California in the mid 1960s, along with Mike Doyle. Garth had come to Byron and married an Australian woman, Nyarie Abbey, who started the shop Neverland with Marilyn Young (Nat Young’s first wife), which was on Jonson St where the Hot Bread Shop is now. Neverland made clothes and they imported Bali clothes into Australia. And it was psychedelic. When those early surfers arrived, they turned the town from black and white into colour.

Neverland – American and Australian Surfers in Byron Bay 1960s & 1970s
Original stories as told to Tricia Shantz Available in hardback at The Bangalow Newsagency & The Book Room Collective