Darkan Hotel has finally reopened after two years of the community volunteering their labour and funds

A much-loved country pub has reopened its doors thanks to locals who “took a chance” on the 118-year-old drinking hole, pitching in money, materials and talent to return it to its former glory. After the historic Darkan Hotel closed in March, 2022, locals banded together to buy and renovate the building, which reopened on September 1. Darkan Hotel chairman Karen Harrington said she first pitched the idea for a community-owned pub to nine local families after discussing it with her own, and they all invested $1000 each to kickstart the project. “That $10,000 enabled us to do our due diligence on the project, so we got accountant information on how to set up a community-owned pub and sought legal advice regarding ownership,” she said. “Once we had those forms, we drew up a budget and implemented some structure because there’s no progress association in our town. “There were no community funds, so we formed a company as trustees for our trust, Coalfields Darkan Pty Ltd, and within that trust, we sold unit shares to our community with a minimum of $10,000. “This was to raise funds for the hotel threshold and to modernise and bring it to standard.” The project launched on September 1, 2022 and raised $770,000 between 44 investors and $35,000 through a fundraising grain drive during 2023’s harvest. Community volunteers repaired the electrical work and plumbing, gutted and reconstructed the kitchen and cool room, bricked over the original entrance and renovated the outdoor area. “Our first busy bee was June 2023 and we worked solidly renovating from then, with tradies in and out but a lot of those things were done by our own,” Ms Harrington said. “Even if people didn’t buy it, they’re still turning up to busy bees. “Everything I look at has a story — at some of these busy bees, we’d have three generations working side by side. “The bar was made by a local and my son was helping the bloke make the stainless steel for the bar.” “The community took a chance and I hope it gives them something to be proud of.” The Darkan Hotel is located on Coalfields Road and is open Wednesday to Sunday from 11am.