Hungerford

ABOUT Hungerford

Hungerford, a tiny border town located near the Paroo River on the Queensland/New South Wales border, features a large boarder gate that doubles as a Wild Dog and Dingo Fence. The town was named after Irish pioneer pastoralist Thomas Hungerford.

The Royal Mail Hotel is located in the main street of Hungerford on the Dowling Track, and is within short driving distance of the Currawinya National Park. The Pub stands near the Queensland/New South Wales Border adjacent to a large gate in the rabbit proof Dog/Dingo Barrier Fence, which allows access between the States. Accommodation is available at the Royal Mail in a number of rooms, including a single, twin and a family room plus a Bunkhouse, which accommodates 18 people. There are Shower and Toilet Blocks, and Laundry Facilities in the grounds of the Hotel for guests.

The Hungerford “Royal Mail Hotel” was constructed in 1873 of corrugated iron, which was transported over 200 kilometres from New South Wales on bush tracks. It is the original building, which is still in use to this day. The Royal Mail was originally a Cobb & Co Staging Post where weary horses and travellers gained some respite from the road, heat and infrequent floods. Even Henry Lawson, the Poet, had an Ale at the Royal Mail, and a welcome break from the harshness of the Outback countryside. The Royal Mail, as it was in the past, is still a meeting place for the locals, families, shearers, stockmen, and a resting place for travellers who all enjoy the homely, unsophisticated, friendly feel of this iconic Outback Pub. Many visitors use the Royal Mail Hotel as a base for visits to the Currawinya National Park.

The Wild Dog Barrier Fence as we know it today was originally conceived as a means of controlling rabbit infestations in the 1880’s. Over time, smaller sections of fence have been joined together, and the entire structure stretches from Jimbour in Queensland to the Eyre Peninsular in South Australia.

Hungerford holds and annual sports day in October which features a horse and motor bike gymkhana.