Ironclad Hotel

The Ironclad Hotel in Marble Bar in the Pilbara region of Western Australia was built in the 1890s. It was notorious as the only pub in what was considered the hottest town in Australia, having a weather record that was unchallenged in the 1940s to the 1960s, and only surpassed in new mining towns developed after that time.[1][2]

Ironclad Hotel
Ironclad Hotel
Location of the Ironclad Hotel in Western Australia
General information
TypeAustralian pub
LocationMarble Bar, Pilbara, Western Australia
Coordinates21°10′17″S 119°44′41″E
Designated17 November 2006
Reference no.3954

By the 1900s it was able to utilise a power source.[3]

The hotel was constructed of corrugated Iron.[4][5][6][7] It was allegedly given the name by American miners who were reminded of the Ironclad ships from the United States. Also during the second world war American servicemen were located in or near Marble Bar due to the Corunna Downs Airfield.[8][9] Ownership and management changed regularly over time. In 1901 the owners were Cooper and Blanton.[10]

In the 1930s the owners of the hotel raised accommodation rates that gained publicity for a 'beer strike' by those affected.[11][12][13] At different stages of its history, the hotel attracted questions as to its conditions, with licensing boards having hearings where conditions were noted that required improvements.[14][15] In 1949 the residential section was burnt down.[16][17] When the hotel was up for sale in the 1970s, a calculation was made that the bar sales included: -

1350 litres (15x 18 gallon kegs) and 140 bottles and stubbies were sold per week in a population of 500 people.[18]

In the 2000s a short supply of beer caught media attention.[19]

In 2006, the Ironclad hotel was listed on the Western Australian register of heritage places.[20] In 2011 a conservation plan was produced.[21]

References
  1. Garwood, Roger (1990), The legendary Ironclad Hotel in Marble Bar, the hottest town in Australia, retrieved 17 January 2020
  2. Australian Geographical Society (1 July 1941), "MARBLE BAR The Hottest Town in Australia (1 July 1941)", Walkabout, Australian National Travel Association, 7 (9), ISSN 0043-0064
  3. "Ironclad Hotel". Hedland Advocate. Western Australia. 6 June 1908. p. 2. Retrieved 17 January 2020 – via Trove.
  4. HRRC (1920), Party on way north outside the Ironclad Hotel, Marble Bar, retrieved 17 January 2020
  5. Strautins, Ricky (1963), Ironclad Hotel, Marble Bar, retrieved 17 January 2020
  6. Howard, Bruce; Larkins, John, 1943-. Australian pubs (1972), Ironclad Hotel, Marble Bar, Western Australia, ca. 1972, retrieved 17 January 2020CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. Howard, Bruce (1972), Four wheel drive vehicles outside the Ironclad Hotel, Marble Bar, Western Australia, ca. 1972, retrieved 17 January 2020
  8. Cafarella, Antonio (1998), Corunna Downs the invisible WW2 airfield, A. Cafarella, ISBN 978-0-9586209-1-8
  9. Purser, Frank; Aviation Museum (Bull Creek, W.A.) (1988), The story of Corunna Downs : W.A.'s secret wartime air base, Royal Australian Air Force Association, Aviation Museum, retrieved 17 January 2020
  10. "MARBLE BAR". The West Australian. Western Australia. 30 March 1901. p. 5 (SECOND EDITION.). Retrieved 17 January 2020 – via Trove.
  11. "BEER STRIKE AT MARBLE BAR". The West Australian. Western Australia. 8 March 1939. p. 16. Retrieved 17 January 2020 – via Trove.
  12. "HOTEL BOYCOTTED". Townsville Daily Bulletin. Queensland, Australia. 8 May 1939. p. 3. Retrieved 17 January 2020 – via Trove.
  13. "PETITION TO LICENSING COURT". Northern Times. Western Australia. 17 March 1939. p. 9. Retrieved 17 January 2020 – via Trove.
  14. "Marble Bar News". Northern Times. Western Australia. 22 December 1949. p. 8. Retrieved 17 January 2020 – via Trove.
  15. "MARBLE BAR LICENCE". The West Australian. Western Australia. 17 June 1949. p. 18. Retrieved 17 January 2020 – via Trove.
  16. "Hotel Burnt While Guests At Ball". Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate. New South Wales, Australia. 14 September 1949. p. 1. Retrieved 17 January 2020 – via Trove.
  17. "Hot Time In Hot Town". Barrier Miner. New South Wales, Australia. 15 September 1949. p. 6. Retrieved 17 January 2020 – via Trove.
  18. "$100,000 watering hole". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 21 January 1976. p. 11. Retrieved 17 January 2020 – via Trove.
  19. "Dusty throats stay dry at Marble Bar.(Local)", The Australian (National, Australia), News Limited: 003, 9 January 2004, retrieved 17 January 2020
  20. "ABC News – Historic Marble Bar hotel to get heritage listing". 2006. Retrieved 16 September 2008.b
  21. Gray, Laura; Sauman, Irene; Heritage Council of Western Australia (2011), Ironclad Hotel, Marble Bar : conservation management plan, Distributed by Heritage Council of W.A.], retrieved 17 January 2020
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