Victoria bushfires: Australian Navy comes to the rescue of the pub with almost no beer

SBS (Special Broadcasting Service - Australia) ^ | 10th January 2020

[naturalman1975]

A pub with no beer is the last thing people need in the bushfire-stricken Victorian town of Mallacoota.

Locals have made thirsty work of securing more of the amber fluid amid fears the town's watering hole would run dry in a week's time.

Mallacoota Hotel Motel arranged a last-minute delivery of 3,000 litres of beer with Carlton & United Breweries, to be delivered on HMAS Choules.

Mallacoota hotel owner Lou Battel confirmed they are expecting the beer run to refresh the town by Friday.

The beers will be sold at the bottle shop and at the hotel.

"We were running low of supplies and a pub can't run without beer, can it? Every Australian needs a beer and definitely the emergency services working non-stop," Mr Battel said.

"Our good old friends from Carlton managed to send us some stock on Thursday and I hope it gets here after the 20 hours or so it takes the boat to make the trip."

Twenty kegs of Victoria Bitter and Carlton Draught, three pallets of VB stubbies, 36 slabs of Strongbow and Great Northern were loaded on Thursday.

"The pub is at the heart of regional communities. And a pub with no beer is bad enough at the best of times," CUB chief executive Peter Filipovic said.

"After what Mallacoota residents and firies have been through the least we could do is make sure they could enjoy a beer."

CUB also threw in four kegs of beer on the house.

It is understood that Narelle Millar from the pub contacted the local County Fire Authority captain and the CUB about the looming beer crisis.

The supplies were loaded onto HMAS Choules on Thursday morning at the last moment.

[naturalman1975]

It's lonesome away, from your kindred and all
By the campfire at night, where the wild dingoes call
But there's nothing so lonesome, so morbid or drear
Than to stand in a bar, of a pub with no beer

Now the publicans anxious, for the quota to come
There's a faraway look, on the face of the bum
The maids gone all cranky , and the cooks acting queer
What a terrible place, is a pub with no beer

Then the stockman rides up, with his dry dusty throat
He breasts up to the bar, pulls a wad from his coat
But the smile on has face, quickly turns to a sneer
When the barman said sadly, the pubs got no beer

There's a dog on the v'randah, for his master he waits
But the boss is inside, drinking wine with his mates
He hurries for cover, and cringes with fear
Its no place for a dog, round a pub with no beer

Old Billy the blacksmith, first time in his life
Has gone home cold sober, to his darling wife
He walks in the kitchen, she says your early my dear
But he breaks down and tells her, the pubs got no beer

It's lonesome away, from your kindred and all
By the campfire at night, where the wild dingoes call
But there's nothing so lonesome, so morbid or drear
Than to stand in a bar, of a pub with no beer

[Bruiser 10]

Crikey!!!!!

[wastoute]

This has to be the best reason for tolerating human government that ever took place. Emergency beer runs.

[Gay State Conservative]

An area the size of Alaska is ablaze and all the Australian Navy can think of is beer? Yikes! I'm glad I was in the Army rather than the Navy...otherwise my liver would be the size of a beach ball. ;-)

Naturalman,I've thought of you once or twice since the stories of the fires starting hitting our press. Hope that none of them are anywhere near you!

[Lurker]

Now that’s a rescue mission....

L

[Gay State Conservative]

[naturalman1975]

An area the size of Alaska is ablaze and all the Australian Navy can think of is beer?

It's not quite that bad - it's not good but it's not that bad. Not even a tenth of the size of Alaska.

But I assure you the Royal Australian Navy can think about beer at any and all times - and the Army and RAAF have that capability as well.

Naturalman,I've thought of you once or twice since the stories of the fires starting hitting our press. Hope that none of them are anywhere near you!

The area where I live is in little danger, but I'm a volunteer firefighter and I've been out a few times now - because it's school holidays and I'm a teacher, I can be available more easily than some. Home at the moment, but will likely be out again next week unless something changes dramatically. We're in this for the long haul, but we'll get it done.

[6ppc]

LOL! I know a few Aussies and to them this is a major crisis! Their ability to consume mass quantities of beer is legendary!

[hoagy62]

That ‘Pub With No Beer” poem is excellent.
I have no idea if you wrote it, or someone else, but it’s great. I even read out loud to myself in an Australian accent. (I’m rather good at accents.)

I know it goes without saying, but be careful as you go out to fight fires. We’d miss you here if something bad happened.

[jjotto]

1957

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7cKPchRDaVM

[Yo-Yo]

That ‘Pub With No Beer” poem is excellent. I have no idea if you wrote it, or someone else, but it’s great. I even read out loud to myself in an Australian accent. (I’m rather good at accents.)

I sang it in my head as a drinking song!

[Tennessee Nana]

I thought of that song right away !!!

:)

[dfwgator]

As long as they didn’t bring Fosters.

How to speak Australian.....”Piss Water”

[Tennessee Nana]

Its a song too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E0aZ387M_I&list=RD8E0aZ387M_I&start_radio=1#t=3

[GreenLanternCorps]

The Royal Australian Navy knows the importance of morale...

Keep safe when out there. I’m sure I speak for all Freepers in this.

[AFreeBird]

We call it Corona round these parts. Buttwiper is a close second.

[Reily]

I’ll never forget the first time I brought Foster’s to my Aussie Rugby chums that played on my team!

I thought I was being a good guy! How was I to know? Fresh out of college, new to the cold cruel world. One of life’s had lessons!

[Verginius Rufus]

Mallacoota has a population of about 1,000. Depending on how many people are still there and haven’t fled, 3,000 liters of beer might be enough for one day...assuming some of the residents don’t drink.