It's one of the most famous pubs in Australia, with a fan base around the world. The iconic Silverton Hotel has featured in countless television shows, commercials and most famously in Hollywood hits alongside Mel Gibson, Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise.
An outback legend, it has been the setting for Australian and international movies including Mad Max II, Mission Impossible II, Strangerland, Dirty Deeds, Razorback, Wake in Fright and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
The town of Silverton initially found fame through silver mining before making it big on the silver screen as the most outback of outback locations.
Expressions of interest are now being invited for the freehold property, with Chris Kelly from Resort Brokers saying the owners are looking for around $2.5 million. The hotel is reporting an annual profit of $310,846.
While famous as a remote outback oasis, the property is only 25km north of Broken Hill which is home to 20,000 people. BHP, which became the world’s largest mining company, held its first meeting in 1885 in the ruins of the Silverton Hotel’s original bar. The ruins are still on site.
The hotel has welcomed visitors and locals for 136 years, serving them great outback hospitality as well as cold beer. A history lesson is displayed throughout the hotel with photographs adorning the walls of its extraordinary record.
The hotel includes seven well-appointed accommodation units, and each room can sleep five persons if required.
What is the appeal of the Silverton Hotel?
Mr Kelly said the pub was an iconic piece of Australia and a great tourist drawcard.
“It has so much appeal because with no international travel for a long time, visiting the outback is on the bucket lost for so many people,” Mr Kelly said.
“It is trading very well. Silverton welcomes around 120,000 guests ever year, and the hotel has a very good bistro which serves 1000-1200 meals a week from its big commercial kitchen. The hotel has a captive audience as it is about the only place in the area to stop for a meal.
“It is a very good business, either for an owner-operator or under management. A famous property such as this would be suitable for new people into the industry, experienced operators or a group looking to add to the portfolio of properties.”
The Silverton Hotel has its historic bar, an in-ground swimming pool and a large undercover beer garden. It also has its own private residence to accommodate management.
The bar has seating for 250 guests with 45 more in the bistro.
Mr Kelly said the hotel had local staff to assist with all facets of the business and showed year on year financial growth.
Why is Silverton such a great location?
Silverton is home to impressive colonial buildings, including the Silverton Gaol Museum, and visitors can take a guided underground tour through a former silver mine and get an insight into the harsh realities workers faced there a century ago. The mine opened in 1882 and operated for almost a century, employing close to 200 people at its peak, some as young as eight.
The Mad Max Museum is a tribute to the movie Mad Max 2, showcasing a huge display of props, life size characters, photographs from the film, original and replica costumes and action vehicles, including two Interceptors.
Just outside Silverton are the Mundi Mundi Plains where iconic scenes from Mad Max 2 were filmed. A walk to the top of the lookout reveals vast plains stretching out for hundreds of kilometres. The view is so clear that visitors even see the curvature of the earth. It’s particularly spectacular at sunset.
Silverton is a 13-hour drive from Sydney, 11 hours from Canberra, nine hours from Melbourne and just under six from Adelaide. Or you can fly into Broken Hill and hire a car for what could be the ride of your life.
Find the business listing details HERE.
Find more business listings HERE.
Find the latest industry news HERE