- 2 days ago
Oops I Bought A Pub! Season 1 Episode 1
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00:05Apparently, the Australian dream is to own your own home.
00:08But I beg to differ because whenever I ask someone in Australia,
00:12they all seem to say the same thing.
00:14Oh, own your own pub, mate.
00:17And I reckon they're right.
00:19So I'm about to find out if that is the great Australian dream
00:22or, in fact, an absolute nightmare.
00:25Because a mate of mine, Dean Murphy,
00:27who's a movie director that I've worked with quite a lot,
00:30convinced me to buy a pub.
00:33What's the pub like, I hear you say?
00:36Well, that's the interesting thing.
00:37I have absolutely no idea
00:40because I've never actually seen the pub
00:41other than the real estate ad online.
00:44Yeah, I'm that stupid.
00:47It's his fault.
00:49It is your fault.
00:50Well, see, well, Dean and I have worked together
00:54on three films together.
00:55A couple of musicals or plays.
00:57Yes.
00:58And about three or so TV shows.
01:01Yeah.
01:01So to say we're mates would be a fair statement.
01:05Well, I think we're mates.
01:06I'm pretty sure we are.
01:08We were emailing each other about a project we were working on
01:11and at the bottom of the email, Dean wrote,
01:14oh, by the way, have you ever thought about buying a pub?
01:17I hit send.
01:18And as I hit send, the phone rang and it's you going, pub?
01:23Well, what I said was, Dean Murphy, what the hell are you talking about?
01:27Buying a pub?
01:28Probably worth noting that Dean's never had a drink of alcohol in your life,
01:32have you?
01:33No.
01:33And you said, I'll never forget it.
01:35Well, it's not just any pub.
01:37It's the Datorang Hotel.
01:38So, where's Datorang you ask?
01:41Well, it's nestled in a valley roughly halfway between Melbourne and Canberra,
01:45surrounded by stunning mountains and lush farmland.
01:49Why the Datorang Hotel?
01:51I'll leave that to Dean to explain.
01:53Hmm.
01:53I grew up 15 minutes from here and had come to this pub since I was a kid
01:58and had seen how important it is to the community.
02:01And we heard that it had been on the market for about a year
02:03and that Dave, the owner, had been basically knocking back offers
02:07because they were either coming from overseas companies
02:10or the big companies in Australia that he didn't feel had a connection to the community.
02:15That's when I said to Shane, you know, got a pub I think we might have to buy.
02:20Spent about 10 minutes explaining why it's important.
02:22And you said, alright, let's do it.
02:26I'm about to find out if I've made a good decision.
02:30What could possibly go wrong?
02:36Here she is and ain't she a beauty.
02:41I'm meeting the guy who runs and owns the pub, Dave McKnight.
02:45He's a ripper bloke, but I've only actually spoken to him on the phone
02:48so I have no idea what he looks like.
02:51I'm pretty sure that's not him there.
02:55Hopefully I can just ask some of the patrons to point him out.
02:58It's nearly lunchtime, so there should be a good crowd in here by now.
03:07Hello?
03:09You there, Dave?
03:13So if this is what everybody loving the pub looks like...
03:17Hello?
03:17I'd hate to see what it'd look like if they didn't.
03:20You there, Dave?
03:23Well, the place certainly has a ton of character.
03:27It's one of those places where you instantly feel at home.
03:31Dave?
03:32I mean, I've only been here for 30 seconds and I already feel like a beer.
03:36You there, Dave?
03:37Dave?
03:38But where are all the people?
03:41Maybe they want to surprise me and they're all out the back.
03:44Hello?
03:46I think I've found the manager's quarters as well as some guest rooms.
03:49Quite a lot of guest rooms.
03:51Man, this place is like a maze.
03:57Heading out the back, I've made another exciting discovery.
04:00This place is massive.
04:03Got cabins.
04:04But still, not a soul to be seen.
04:07Maybe the cows know where everyone is.
04:09If only they could talk.
04:11Maybe the cow knows the owner.
04:13What have you heard? Get it?
04:15Heard.
04:16Nah.
04:17This is not a good start to my pub ownership journey.
04:22In the key was something bright ahead.
04:28Always open to me and all my friends.
04:34Harmony, oh harmony, oh.
04:39Now we're home in the country.
04:48So I'd never heard of the pub, never seen the pub, never heard of Datorang.
04:52And while I'm looking on the computer going, oh yeah.
04:55Then my wife walked in and saw this and said, what's all this about?
04:59And I said, oh, it's Murph on the phone.
05:01Hi Murph, how are you?
05:02He's talking about us buying this pub.
05:04And I'm thinking, no partner's going to go, alright, let's buy a pub at a whim.
05:07And while I'm talking to Dean, she's got the mouse and she's flicking through the photos.
05:12And about six photos in, she said, I love it.
05:16And I said, are we buying a pub?
05:18She said, it looks like it.
05:20You there, Dave?
05:22But I'm not sure she's going to love it when I tell her it has no customers.
05:26The first day I got here, I was expecting to see a pretty busy pub.
05:30When I walked in, there was no one here.
05:32And so I got a little bit nervous.
05:35The Datorang Hotel, a stalwart of the Kiwa Valley for over 150 years.
05:40You there, Dave?
05:41Known for its fiercely loyal patrons.
05:44Dave?
05:45But maybe that's due to their love for the publican, Dave McKnight.
05:49Most loved person I've ever met.
05:52Like genuinely loved, not just adored as a celebrity or whatever.
05:56But never heard a bad word about him, ever.
05:58People have said they're hard shoes to fill, if not impossible.
06:03Did they find out that pub's got a new owner and hightail it out of here?
06:08If only I could find Dave.
06:13Shane!
06:14How are you, mate?
06:16Dave?
06:16Hey mate, how are you doing?
06:18Good Jane, how are you going?
06:19I'm great.
06:19Mate, this has taken a while.
06:21We've been talking for ages, but here we are.
06:23I know, I've heard so much about you and of course seen you doing a few movies.
06:27Don't believe what they say.
06:29I've actually had a walk through the place, I couldn't find you.
06:32It's bigger than I thought.
06:34As in, I know you've shown me the plans and I've looked at it online,
06:38but it's every room you go to leads to another room.
06:40It's like a TARDIS.
06:42There's rooms everywhere.
06:43There is, it's surprising what, when you're in the bar, you don't know how big it is at the back
06:47of you.
06:48Yeah.
06:48And mate, the location, again, I've seen photos of it and I've looked online, but we are surrounded by the
06:56mountains.
06:57They're stunning.
06:57They are, yeah.
06:58They're incredible.
06:59It is, it is.
07:00And winter, we can get snow on the hills up above us and it's a great, what a great place
07:06to live.
07:07And the snow, is it like another world?
07:09Is it almost like being in Switzerland, I imagine?
07:11It is, yeah.
07:12It's a beautiful snow.
07:13It is, it is.
07:13And you've been here 35 years.
07:16Has it been, has it been the best way to live a life?
07:18It has been.
07:18It has been, yeah.
07:19Great place to live and great community.
07:22Like, I couldn't have asked for about the last 35 years.
07:25The place is better than I'd imagine.
07:29As I said, the location is out of this world.
07:31But there is, there is one question, which is, where's all the people?
07:35Well, we've got a fair bit of competition at the moment.
07:38We've got competition.
07:38We have, yeah.
07:40Whereabouts?
07:40It's just up the road.
07:41You just, you want to go up and have a look, if you like.
07:43Alright, well I'll, I'll go and look at the competition and I'll be back.
07:46Okay.
07:47Alright.
07:47Okay up that way.
07:48One kilometre.
07:49Alright mate, I'll be back soon.
07:51Alright mate.
07:52Alright mate.
07:53About a K.
07:54About a K.
07:56Competition?
07:57Dean never mentioned we had competition.
08:02Uh oh.
08:03That's Fliss, my wife, wanting an update.
08:06Hey Dale.
08:08You're good.
08:08Good, good, good.
08:09Yeah, yeah.
08:10Yeah, I'm here.
08:11Yeah, I've just been, just been through the pub.
08:14It's, it's better than, it's better than the pictures to be honest.
08:18What's that?
08:20Uh, including me and Dave?
08:24Uh, then there would have been, uh, two.
08:28No, that's, that was including me and Dave.
08:31Yeah, not a soul.
08:35After ten minutes on the phone with my wife trying to convince me to keep the faith and
08:39maybe breathe a little.
08:41The truth was, I was still holding my breath, but at least until I could see what was going
08:45on down the road.
08:47Competition he reckons.
08:49Is this it?
08:50I'm Scott Goose.
08:53When Dave said there was a fair bit of competition, man, he wasn't kidding.
08:59Yep, that's competition alright.
09:09With Dave's words, we've got competition still ringing in my ears.
09:14I find myself driving towards an ever increasing crowd.
09:18Oh, no wonder, there's no one at the top.
09:21I don't think Victoria's here.
09:22Hi mate, how you going?
09:24How you going?
09:25How you going?
09:25Yeah, so, uh, looks like there's a bit of an event on here.
09:28There is, a bit of a, uh, race day here.
09:31How often is it?
09:32Are you a betting man?
09:33Uh, I bet I can guess what kind of race it is.
09:36Is it a horse race?
09:37It is.
09:37There we go.
09:38See, you're on the money.
09:38I'm going alright, aren't I?
09:40I actually thought I was going to go up the road and see another pub.
09:43So I get up there and there's thousands of people at the Datorang race track.
09:47For those that don't know, because I now know that Datorang races happen but once a year.
09:53And let me tell you, it's quite a day.
09:56In and out of the trees, they head along the back straight here at Datorang in race number three.
10:01And as they come back into here, it's right.
10:07Oh, there's a lot of people here.
10:13The locals tell me this is the 160th anniversary of the Datorang Cup as it was first run back in
10:191865
10:20on the private property of William Steele who built the track with the help of local settlers
10:25all because of his love for horse racing.
10:38Held once a year, people come from miles around to enjoy this fantastic day out.
10:43The atmosphere is amazing and everyone seems to be having a good time
10:47and spirits are high to say the very least.
10:57So while everyone's feeling the love, this might be the best opportunity to break the news
11:02that Datorang has a new owner.
11:04I was terrified because, again, it goes back to how incredibly loved Dave McKnight is in this area
11:13as the existing and long-time publican.
11:15And I thought, gosh, what if they go, oh, not that idiot actor from Melbourne
11:21and not that guy from the shit flick.
11:23So a little bit of a special announcement.
11:26As many people will know, Dave's been trying to sell the pub for a few years now
11:31and we have a special guest at the races who might have a little bit of news for us on
11:38that.
11:39It's either going to be cheers and beers or it's going to be pitchforks
11:42and watching this fat fella break the course record as a run for my life.
11:46How are we doing?
11:49So, yeah, I do have a bit of an announcement.
11:51Today's been a bit of a first for me.
11:53This is the first time I've been to Datorang and the place is fantastic.
11:57Am I right?
11:58Yeah.
11:59Unbelievable.
12:01It's also the first time I've ever been to the Datorang races.
12:04What a great day.
12:05Am I right?
12:06Yeah.
12:07But there's one more first and that is the first time that I get to announce to you
12:11I just brought the Datorang pub.
12:20You got up and said we brought a pub.
12:23I did.
12:25But we bought a pub and on that day we brought it to their attention.
12:31I got it right, didn't I?
12:32See?
12:33See, I'm learning.
12:34Aren't you impressed?
12:35Well, that went down better than I expected.
12:38You'll be pleased to know it's not just a guy from the city coming up here trying to have a
12:42crack at it.
12:42There's locals involved.
12:44So a mate of mine, Dean Murphy, his family had been in the area for a very long while.
12:48And he was the one that rang me and said, have you ever been interested in buying a pub?
12:52And I said, I've only ever been interested in buying a pub.
12:56He said, have you heard of Datorang?
12:57I said, it's funny you should say that.
12:59No.
13:00So I said, where the hell's that?
13:02And he explained where the ranger was.
13:04It's the meeting place.
13:05It's where people share their stories.
13:06They might share a tear, need a shoulder, need an ear, or want to tell a yarn.
13:10So it'll be that place forever, I assure you.
13:14It was Dave who said to us, can you please let everyone know?
13:17Because the locals were panicking that the pub was going to shut down.
13:20And he was saying to them, yeah, I've had enough.
13:22I'm just going to shut the doors.
13:23And they're going, no, you can't do that.
13:25And they're all starting to really panic.
13:27He was joking, of course.
13:28But we were already contracting and the whole process was underway.
13:31And he was just not letting them, letting them know.
13:34I hope to be at the ranger with you and share a beer.
13:36Take care, look after yourselves here.
13:40Turns out yours truly has made a bit of a name for myself up here.
13:44Thanks to a certain plumber mate of mine.
13:47Hey, Kenny.
13:48Hey mate, how you going?
13:49Good to see you.
13:50Kenny, you're a legend.
13:52I love you.
13:52We fitted one inch plumbing and someone having a two inch arse hole or something like that.
13:56He does it better than I do.
13:59It was an incredibly warm response, which was, which was a good start.
14:02And then once we heard that, we went, ah, damn.
14:05Now we've got to keep him happy.
14:06And that was the hard bit to make sure we didn't let him down.
14:08Like this pub is like our family's life life.
14:11Ditarang is a very special place.
14:14We love everything you do.
14:15Oh, thank you.
14:16Thank you very much.
14:17Love what you're doing.
14:18Drinking and gambling.
14:20You can tell by the reaction of the locals that the Ditarang Hotel is so much more than just a
14:24great place to get good beers and a palmer.
14:26And Dave and Wendy have done so much more than just serve drinks.
14:30He's done such a great job.
14:31It's their hard shoes to fill.
14:33Yeah, yeah.
14:34No, you won't fill them.
14:35No.
14:35No.
14:36It's so exciting.
14:38I'll see you there.
14:39Are you staying locally here?
14:40Oh, yeah.
14:40We always stay at Dave's Place, the back of the Ditarang Hotel.
14:43You're staying at the back of the Ditarang Hotel?
14:45Every year.
14:46Fantastic.
14:47Everyone seems excited about the prospects for the pub.
14:51And they're not backwards in coming forwards about their ideas and potential events they'd like to see there.
14:56You're going to get married here and you want your reception at the Ditarang pub?
14:59Yeah, right at the Rangar.
15:00As you may have just heard, I may know someone that owns the pub.
15:05How can I say no?
15:07I hope I'm not promising more than I can deliver.
15:10I have a feeling I'm about to get my first taste of a big night at the Rangar.
15:15I have a feeling a few of these people end up at the pub.
15:17Is that fair to say?
15:18Uh, yep.
15:20Woo!
15:26With the last race of the Ditarang Cup done, now it's a race to the pub.
15:31So the first night I was here was the night of the Ditarang races.
15:36And for those that don't know, the Ditarang races only happen one and a half clicks up the road.
15:40When I said to Murph, do many of those people come down to the pub?
15:42He said, yeah.
15:43He said, yeah, a few of those people head down to the pub.
15:46When I got to the pub that night, he was right.
15:49Uh, quite a few people come to the pub.
15:55What was an empty shell only a few hours ago is now a throbbing throng of about 500 people.
16:01It's standing room only and the staff are run off their feet.
16:06Yeah, race night at the pub.
16:09I mean, don't get me wrong, I've been to busy pubs in my life and been to nightclubs when I
16:13was younger.
16:14But I'm not sure anything prepared me for what it's like here at the Ditarang Hotel on the night of
16:19the races.
16:22People were happy for Dave that he'd finally sold it, but then they bailed us up and said, great, congratulations,
16:30and then started telling us what we had to do, basically.
16:34And it was, don't change a thing.
16:38And we'd go, yep.
16:39And I'd go, seriously, don't change a thing.
16:41Leave it exactly the way it is.
16:43Bridget, quickly, get in, get in.
16:45Bridget, get in.
16:45Come on.
16:48I think this morning I was worried there wasn't going to be enough people.
16:51Now I think we're going to have to make the pub bigger.
16:54Oohly Dooley.
17:09By the time all the contracting was completed, a thick fog had descended over the valley.
17:15Race day was merely a distant memory now, as peace and tranquility takes over.
17:21It's time to discuss what we need to do to bring the wrangor into the 21st century.
17:29So the idea at the front here, what I was thinking.
17:32Dean already has a pretty clear vision of what needs to be done.
17:36Because he knew the pub so well and had been here so often, you had a real idea of vision
17:41in your head early.
17:42And to be honest, we agree pretty quickly on most things.
17:47The problem is, when we don't agree, Dean somehow has a way of talking me into stuff.
17:52See here how I'm running from an angry bull?
17:54This was Dean's idea.
17:56As was nearly getting killed in a very small plane with Hodes and Roy Billing.
18:01That was a bit of fun.
18:03Insulting a legend.
18:04Some people say, Paul Hogan can't act.
18:08I'm sorry, I've misread that.
18:10Everyone says, Paul Hogan can't act.
18:14Insult another legend.
18:16He's an icon.
18:17He's barely alive, so we'd better get on with it.
18:20Please welcome, the one and only, John Cleese!
18:24And he loves getting me singing and dancing.
18:28Every morning I sit upon my throne and think about all the land I own.
18:33Yep, fair to say he can talk me into all kinds of stuff.
18:36But here's the thing.
18:38He hardly ever actually talks.
18:41The hardest part to tell is, if Dean doesn't agree, Dean doesn't say no.
18:46He goes, eh.
18:47Is that fair to say?
18:49Eh.
18:51I'm wondering whether we move this shed.
18:54And he's at it again.
18:56The shipping container's going.
18:58Now that he is talking, I think I preferred it when it was quiet.
19:02Just move it that way three metres.
19:05I thought we were just going to give the place a spit and polish.
19:07But Dean has other plans.
19:09Do you want to get rid of it?
19:11Can it go somewhere on the back of the block somewhere?
19:13Before you know it, our colleague Matt has turned up
19:15and he's also making expensive suggestions.
19:17These doors are four panels, so two either side.
19:20So you get two opening in the middle.
19:21This toilet goes.
19:23Of course, the first issue.
19:24Yep, you guessed it.
19:26The toilet plumbing.
19:27Well, when it got put in, Dave said it was for 300 or 400, I think, capacity.
19:33But apparently they now judge it on pans.
19:35How many pans you have.
19:36Yes.
19:37It would surprise me that we have the same size system here
19:40that I've got in my own home.
19:41Based on the individual owner.
19:43It's me.
19:44They had a look at me and went, Jesus.
19:46Well, these tent pans.
19:47Commercial.
19:48Commercial one for Shane.
19:49I thought I knew enough about septic tanks.
19:53Turns out I had so much more to learn.
19:57Then we had our builder Andrew and draftsman Peter turn up.
20:00You sent us the nasty soil test that said we've got a very reactive soil here.
20:05And I don't think their ideas sound cheap either.
20:09Under here.
20:10So, Joe, you're getting a learning on plumbing here from Kenny, aren't you?
20:13I know a little bit about it.
20:15I know more than I care to admit.
20:17But it was too late to back out now.
20:19The sheeting is asbestos.
20:22Oh, boy.
20:23Something tells me we're in for one hell of a ride.
20:28We bought a pub.
20:29What could possibly go wrong?
20:30I know there's a lot of pressure that will be.
20:30We're going to get into the field, but I will go back out for now.
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