The iconic Barrow Creek Hotel, a remote wayside inn on the Stuart Highway in Australia's Northern Territory, has been stripped of its liquor licence, leaving a 200km stretch of outback highway without a pub serving beer. The licence suspension, effective from 1 January 2026, follows a Northern Territory Liquor Commission hearing which upheld multiple complaints against the pub's long-term publican, 76-year-old Les Pilton.
The Commission's Findings and Unorthodox Arrangements
The commission, chaired by Russell Goldflam, considered ten grounds of complaint against Pilton, who has run the heritage-listed hotel for 37 years. Key issues leading to the suspension included serving Indigenous patrons through a hatchway while they stood outside, using income management cards designed to restrict welfare spending on alcohol. Other complaints centred on the venue's poor state, including female toilets with broken windows and exposed wiring, a failure to provide meals or drinking water, and not maintaining a functioning computer or email address.
Despite these breaches, the commission acknowledged Pilton's "close and apparently effective relationship with local drinkers", who supported his methods and which appeared to moderate harmful alcohol use. Local police reported little alcohol-related trouble, a point counted in Pilton's favour. However, Goldflam described Pilton's evidence during proceedings as "often evasive, inconsistent, argumentative or non-responsive" and lacking in candour.
A Character at Odds with Modern Regulation
The commission grappled with whether Pilton, described as an "authentic old-style Territory outback character", was a "fit and proper person" to hold a licence. It recognised the unique challenges of running a pub in a location with no community, utilities, or government services, where Pilton is responsible for power, water, and sewage.
However, evidence presented by licensing inspectors Amber James, Holly Sowerby, and Leticia Da Costa proved damning. This included an unchallenged statement where Pilton said it was "not his fault the 'Abo's' take [liquor] outside the licensed area to consume it". The commission also found it implausible that Pilton was unaware an uncertified person named Lachlan had served alcohol, calling his defence "beggar[ing] belief".
The Path to Reopening and a Dark History
To have his licence reinstated, Pilton must complete a stringent list of requirements. These include expanding the licensed area to include a properly fenced, shaded outdoor space, upgrading toilets and the kitchen, obtaining a food service certificate, and hiring a cook. He must also provide a single, functional email address and demonstrate the ability to respond to official emails within 48 hours.
The Barrow Creek Hotel is also historically known for a darker reason: it was the last place British backpacker Peter Falconio was seen alive before his murder in 2001, a case that inspired the film Wolf Creek. When contacted by Guardian Australia, Pilton stated he was working to comply with the commission's demands, simply saying, "When that's all completed, I'll reopen." For now, the lonesome highway memorialised in Slim Dusty's classic song truly has a pub with no beer.
