Many years of day in, day out toil by Evan and Gayle Jones and their team at Rudd’s Pub in Nobby was highlighted last Wednesday at an all-day event celebrating the opening of a new outdoor area and Steele Rudd Memorial.
Owners Evan and Gayle Jones have always placed an emphasis on the pub’s history, named after one of the region’s best -known figures, author Steele Rudd (the nom-de-plume of Arthur Hoey Davis).
They have also worked diligently to modernise the pub, opened in 1893, for example by building a big ‘barn’ function room in 2019 and now the new outdoor area.
When it came to the Rudd’s Pub staff, all hands were on deck to make the day a success.
The day’s festivities began at 10am.
Guest travelled from across the region to attend, many who grew up in Nobby or with family connections, such as the Buckle family.
After ample time to enjoy a few drinks, meals and live music, official proceedings began.
Speaking from a makeshift stage created using a truck, Evan spoke about his own history and his involvement with the pub.
Evan said he could remember his days as a seven-year-old attending Back Plains State School, which is immortalised in a photograph that can be found on the pub’s walls.
Close to 70 years later, after a long and storied life travelling all over Australia as a truck driver he wound up not far from home.
You can’t have a pub without beer so naturally beer played a key role in the celebration.
An old wooden keg of Castlemaine Perkins XXXX beer was dusted off and opened, with Evan, fittingly, having the first sip.
Great-grandson of Steele Rudd, Peter Glenn, did the honours of opening the keg.
Also speaking was a representative from the Queensland Hotels Association, a body that was instrumental in helping Evan and Gayle secure their licence.
The memorial was officially opened by Deputy Mayor of the Toowoomba Region Cr Geoff McDonald.
Cr McDonald spoke about the importance of recognising the region’s figures of the past, such as Steele Rudd.
He suggested it would be a nice idea to have something like an annual Steele Rudd day held at Rudd’s Pub.
After the presentation, Gary Fogarty recited bush poetry and a raffle was held which included replica inaugural Broncos jerseys which include Power’s as a sponsor.
In his days a truck driver, Evan drove one of the first truckloads of Power’s beer out of Yatala.
See all the photos in the issue.
This article appeared in On Our Selection News, 11 May 2023.