After 2 lengthy closures, the old Wunghnu Mechanics Institute near the Victorian–NSW border has re-opened as the Steel Wool Tavern.
Story + Photo Corinna Boldiston
Neil Pankhurst’s imperial moustache suits Steel Wool Tavern’s origins. The inspiration for the ’tache grew – literally – when Neil and his partner Kerry Bruce bought the previously named Wunghnu Tavern in northern Victoria, a 2-storey 135-year-old Italian-style building on the Goulburn Valley Highway. Kerry is a barber and embraced Neil’s idea to grow and curl his “bushy mo” in the style of the 1890s, when the venue was the Wunghnu Mechanics Institute.
On the couple’s first day of trade for the pub, in November last year, the “most embarrassing thing that could happen to any publican” occurred. Neil put the flags out the front, hoping some of the 326 locals might drop in. “We thought we’d have a soft opening,” Kerry says, laughing. “Well, people came from everywhere and we ran out of beer!”
Despite the shortage of liquid amber, there was a buzz in the air and thankfully, enough other beverages on offer. The tavern had been closed for about 10 months after previous licensee Trish Milne died in January, 2024. Kerry and Neil bought the property in June, and revamped the venue on a shoestring budget with much-appreciated volunteer labour from friends and family. The bar was ready first, with the kitchen opened in late December.
This story excerpt is from Issue #161
Outback Magazine: June/July 2025
