With the colourful Daly Waters Pub, this is a real Australian outback spot in remote Australia. It’s only 3km off the Stuart Highway in the outback Northern Territory so I warmly recommend you turn in. This funny outback drinking hole and a few other buildings full of character is what remains from the first international airport in Australia!
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Australia's first International Airport It all started in 1920s when a shop, a pub, a hotel and an airport were built here, to serve as a stopover point between Brisbane and Darwin for flights to Singapore and London. Not that many passengers needed an airport here, but because the planes needed fuelling up – they only carried so much petrol. It is obvious that with so many stops along the whole way it would have taken at least two weeks to fly from Australia to London.
Traffic Light in Remote Australia As you drive in, on your right hand side there is Australia’s remotest traffic light, but the police will not get you in trouble if you pass it – it is always red. On your left hand side there are a few petrol pumps called the Outback Servo. Ask for fuel in the bar.
Airport Ruins and Museum The terminal ruins, the airstrip and the original Qantas hangar are still here, the lattest serves as a small museum with interesting equipment and photos.
Daly Waters Pub And then of course, there is the pub – Daly Waters' real highlight. The pub was licensed in 1938 to service passengers and, what I've read – crew! Yeah, right - “Ladies and gentlemen, the flight number 35 to London will depart as soon as the captain has finished his fifth beer, we wish you a safe journey”.
Courtesy of Tourism Northern Territory
Pub Museum All inside surfaces of the pub are covered in business cards, university student cards, drivers licenses and money from all around the world. In one section, there is a museum of the old post office, and the whole place is just packed with history.
Courtesy of Tourism Northern Territory
Pub Characters The characters in the pub are just as colourful - locals with dusty hats, grey nomads and German backpackers. And in the burning heat, beer goes down pretty well. Would you have a few too many to keep driving, you can stay here over night - there are hotel rooms upstairs.
Here is a map of Daly Waters area, where you can double-click anywhere on the map to zoom it in and see the places closer. Drag the map to move around, and if you want to see the satellite image with Google Earth, click on "Sat" in the top right hand corner.
NOTE: This website is written in British English, which is the English we use in Australia. You will find words like "traveller", "harbour" and "realise", and they are all correct in the language used in Australia.
