Pictured are co owners John Agustin and Ben Mulley.
You’ve heard of the pub with no beer but what about the beer with no pub? Once reduced to charred rubble and memories, the iconic Fat Lamb Hotel is set to make a triumphant return more than a decade after it was destroyed by fire.
First opened in 1862, the Fat Lamb Hotel was a cornerstone of Eugowra’s social fabric and a favourite watering hole of infamous bushranger Ben Hall, who often rode into town seeking respite from his outlaw life.
For 150 years, the pub stood as a gathering place for locals and travellers alike — until tragedy struck in 2012, when a devastating fire burnt the historic building to the ground.
For many, that might have been the end of the story. But for locals Ben Mulley and John Agustin, it marked the beginning of a new chapter. The pair purchased the scorched site in 2017/18, determined to bring the Fat Lamb back to life. What followed was years of hard labour — clearing debris, cleaning up the block, and battling nature itself as flood after flood swept through the small Central West village in 2020 and of course 2022.
None hit harder than the November 9, 2022 flood, which tore through Eugowra with terrifying force, destroying homes, lives and livelihoods. Yet amid the mud and heartbreak, the dream of rebuilding the Fat Lamb never died for Ben and John.
Now, after years of setbacks and sheer persistence, that dream is finally becoming a reality. With the help of local electrician Mick Miles and a community that refuses to give up, construction of the new Fat Lamb Hotel is well underway — a powerful symbol of Eugowra’s resilience and renewal.
“The Fat Lamb isn’t just a pub, it is so much more to so many,” said co-owner Ben Mulley.
“It’s part of who we are. Rebuilding it is about giving Eugowra a bit of itself back.”
With so much taken away from this tiny hamlet of largely farm working people, the rebirth of the Fat Lamb mirrors the spirit of the town itself — a place that has been knocked down more times than it deserves, but continues to rise stronger each time.
Soon, the familiar clink of glasses and sound of music and laughter may once again echo from the corner where the old pub once stood — proof that in Eugowra, even the fiercest flames and the most disastrous floods can’t extinguish the will to rebuild.
Now that they are past the initial stages, the trio are already planning beyond the rebuild with some top acts and events touted and an expansion of operations beyond cold beverages.
“We are hopeful over the next few years we can get it going again and one day offer meals and accommodation, and the coldest beer! ” said John Agustin.
There are also plans for camping and events as John and Ben look to make the Fat Lamb a memorable stopover for travellers once again.