A buzzy front bar full of loyal locals, a grand dining room turning out polished pub classics, and a beer garden of uncommon beauty all backed up by a great cellar make this a standout pub.
The pub is the heart of any country town. In the case of the Royal Oak in Penola, it’s the foundation stone as well. The name Penola comes from the language of the local Pinchunga Aboriginal people – “pena” meaning wood and “oorla” house, turned by early translation to Penola in reference to the town’s most significant structure, the weatherboard building that housed the original Royal Oak public house.
The weatherboard eventually gave way to the grand and beautiful building that trades today, arguably in the best form of its 178-year history.
A buzzy front bar full of loyal locals, a grand dining room turning out polished pub classics and a beer garden of uncommon beauty make the Royal Oak the kind of pub every thirsty traveller wants to see as they come into town.
The Royal Oak is the grandest building in Penola. It’s a landmark you just can’t miss – a beautiful example of the classic pub architecture that shapes so many Australian country towns.
The new regime in charge has done a great job of sprucing up the place without taking away the pub’s inherent charm. The best illustration is the lovely old dining room – a reminder of the days when the local pub was the place you could have a couple of beers in the front bar or a silver-service dinner out the back.
