Farmers Karen and Rowan Alcock have taken on a challenging dual role by operating a pub while managing their beef cattle farm in Bemboka, New South Wales. The local pub, located nearly 500 kilometers south of Sydney, was on the market for six months without a buyer. Bemboka, a small town with about 600 residents, faced concerns that the pub would not reopen, especially with the nearest pub located 35 kilometers away in Bega.

"This community needs this. Do we need it? Probably not. But let's just give it a crack and see how we go," Ms. Alcock said. She emphasized the importance of having a pub in town, stating, "What's a town without a pub?"

The Alcocks manage a 526-hectare beef cattle farm just 10 minutes from the pub. Their responsibilities have increased significantly since taking over the pub. "There's a lot of catching up to do because that pub has eaten a hell of a lot of time," Mr. Alcock noted. Ms. Alcock added, "Over the last three months, we've spent very little time here on the property. Absolute essential things only."

A key motivation for the Alcocks was to provide a gathering place for locals. Many businesses in Bemboka's main street have closed over the years, including petrol stations, cafes, a grocery store, and a bank. While the Bemboka pie shop and post office remain open, residents often have to travel to Bega for shopping. "The town used to be really booming," Mr. Alcock said. "It had a lot of shops, had service stations, had a grocery store, but over time, things have just gone backward."

The area has also faced significant challenges from bushfires. The Yankees Gap bushfire in 2018 burned along the Alcocks' property boundary, and the Black Summer fires in late 2019 devastated their land, causing $1.3 million in damages. These experiences have further motivated the Alcocks to keep the pub open as a place for community connection and support. "Some of the fellas that come in of an afternoon, they just want to talk about anything," Ms. Alcock said. "Whether it be a disaster, or how dry it is or how wet it is or what the footy's doing. They don't have to spend a fortune, but they have a coffee, or a beer, a glass of water and a yak."

The Alcocks' daughters, Tash and Jacinta, have returned home to assist with the pub and farm. Tash, an agronomist, and her fiancé Sam are now full-time in Bemboka. Tash recalled her mother’s initial idea to buy the pub, saying, "Mum always came up with the crazy idea that we'd buy a cafe or something in town and we all had the skids on. We were like, 'No, we're not doing that. It's a terrible idea.' But when it all came down to it, we thought we really should do this."

Jacinta, who flew home from Darwin for the pub's opening night, expressed pride in her parents for supporting the town's social life. "We're 40 minutes from Bega, but it can feel a lot further away than that. You can very easily get isolated, very easily. Especially since COVID and during the bushfires, places like the pub were just integral," she said.

The Alcocks have renovated the pub, transforming it into a cafe as well. Local resident Jenny Anderson noted the importance of having a gathering place, stating, "Communities like this need to have somewhere to gather. You don't need to be a drinker; you might enjoy a good meal, you might enjoy a cup of coffee. And to be able to have that choice is really important in a community like this."

Another resident, Julie Ringland, described the pub's reopening as a lifesaver for the town. "We've all missed it, and [were] waiting for this day to come. It's just got a beautiful vibe. If you walk into it, it's home."