After 19 long years the iconic Grove Hill Hotel is set to close.
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Yes, there was a short 87-day hiatus thrown in there about two years ago when the long-time owner decided he had enough.
But after floods of requests, the creaky doors were opened again to the public, with just three days to spare before the liquor licence was due to end.
This time, however, 84-year-old Stan Haeusler really has had enough.
He says he is far too old.
“It is that time of life, I need a bit of a rest,” he said.
By the end of this month, the man behind the bar will be out of the game for good, but not before one last big hurrah.
Keeping in tune with what the locals have come to know and love, the Grove Hill Hotel will host one final BBQ next Saturday.
Mr Haeusler said he is expecting more than 300 people from Katherine, Darwin and everywhere in between, to attend – the last time he closed about 1000 people turned up.
He said it was only right to end the adventure with a BBQ, it is what really got him going in the first place.
“When we first bought the place back in 2000 the locals asked ‘what are you going to do for us’,” Mr Haeusler said.
“It wasn’t designed to make a profit, it was just our way of giving back to the locals,” he said.
The BBQ grew from there.
Held on the last Saturday of each month, hundreds would flock to the old heritage hotel famous for its re-use of materials from the period of the depression as well as the huge chunk of “gold” which sits out front.
“We would cook all day Friday in preparation, then we’d make up salads on the Saturday. People would come from all over. It was just a good family night,” he said.
“We’d have dancing, and live music and the locals would get up and tell a yarn or a lie.
“It was really good, a lot of good times, I don’t regret a thing.”
But with the recent slump in customer numbers married with old age, Mr Haeusler said he is looking forward to retiring with his wife Felipa to tend to the garden and have a well earned rest.
Not that long ago the old hotel would see a packed bar on the weekend, and a slew of tourists passing through on a daily basis.
Not any more. Mr Haeusler said he was lucky to see five customers in a week.
“It was like the local bar, but with this economy, it is getting tough for everyone,” he said.
“I see people in their caravans come half way down the dirt road and turn around. The road isn’t even that bad.
“The locals still support me, they understand I can’t keep going,” he said.
He said he has had enough.
He has owned the hotel for almost 20 years, a feat in life he had always wanted to accomplish.
It was the character of the quirky building that really captured his attention and pushed him to purchase the place, so he isn’t leaving any time soon.
He plans to live there with his wife.
He has offered the venue to musicians, although he wants nothing to do with it, he just wanted to keep a little bit of the character alive for the locals.
“I will miss the people you meet at the bar most,” he said, “and being a part of people who know each other from way back having those chance encounters, there are quite a few things I will miss.”
The last BBQ is happening at the Grove Hill Hotel next Saturday, October 27 from 5.30pm.
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