100 years of fun and games on tap

By Kath Gannaway
OLD-FASHIONED country family fun is the theme for Kinglake Hotel’s 100th birthday celebrations this month.
To celebrate the centenary of the historic hotel, and its 100-year presence within the Kinglake community, hotel owners Craig Lovick and partner Sharon McCulloch are planning a huge Centenary Celebration Day on Saturday, 15 December.
The day, with its country family fun theme, is designed for the local community and visitors to celebrate traditional skills, events, vehicles and processes from days past.
The day begins with a traditional farmers’ market. Activities including whip cracking, wood chopping and chainsaw sculpting demonstrations, old-fashioned games such as tug ‘o’ war, the gum-boot throw, cow lotto and “The King of the Mountain” obstacles course will be held throughout the day.
For the kids there will be a jumping castle, petting zoo, pony rides, face painting and fairy floss. There will also be displays of historical commercial vehicles, CFA vehicles, a blacksmith display, horse and cart, and the Carlton and United dray and dogs team.
The celebration will finish with a free concert with the popular band “RUCKUS” on the hotel’s back lawn.
It is 100 years since the first licence was granted for a hotel in Kinglake.
“The first licensee was Harry Thomson who lived in the Kinglake District from 1875. He married Elizabeth in 1883 and they had four children, Daisy, Florence, Frank and Mabel,” Craig said.
In 1895 Harry bought 110 acres and with his brother in-law, built a large house on the land called “Aurelia Villa” which was both a family home and a guesthouse.
In 1907 Harry applied for a licence to operate a “wayside inn” and when this licence was granted, a little hotel was located in a new wing built on to the “Aurelia Villa” guesthouse.
Craig said Harry and Elizabeth also ran the post office. “With the post office, “Aurelia Villa” and the hotel it became a busy meeting place at all times of the day for locals.”
Sharon said that by this time, Harry’s son Frank had become the licensee and he and his wife Ann ran the business.
The entire original “Aurelia Villa” building was lost in February 1926 when it was burnt down in the Black Sunday bushfires in which 13 people lost their lives.
“For some time after the pub was run out of a tin shed until the existing building was finished in 1928 and remains today,” she explained.
“Some years later, Frank and Ann sold the hotel and moved to their house and general store across the road. That building still exists today and now houses a new Country Clothing Store called “Ranges Country and Urban.”
The hotel has changed hands many times, through new owners and lessees.
“It has seen many gatherings and celebrations, Christmas dinners, local cricket club and football club presentations and a place of refuge for the Country Fire Brigade teams during bushfire periods,” Craig said.
The hotel was the departure point for the legendary “King of the Mountain” potato race and the Mountain Muscle Man competition was held in the back paddock years ago.
The hotel has always been an iconic centrepiece of the Kinglake Township and it external appearance has remained relatively unchanged since 1928.
Craig and Sharon bought the hotel a year ago. They have a long family history harking back to Australia’s early days. Craig is the grandson and son of legendary High Country cattlemen Jack and Charlie Lovick. The Lovicks have held cattle leases in the High Country near Merrijig for over 150 years and held the first licence of the Merrijig Hunt Club Hotel’s licence for over 80 years until the 1950s.
Charlie Lovick was Master of Horses on both of “The Man from Snowy River” movies and Jack and Charlie were instrumental in getting both movies made with their high country leasehold, low land properties and horses being used in the movies.
The country and publican’s life is a tradition in the Lovick family.
At the National Park Hotel/Motel, Craig and Sharon have created a friendly, “old-fashioned” country pub experience with consistent, quality food and cold beer complemented by professional customer service.
“We want people to mark Saturday, 15 December on their calendars now to come up to Kinglake and join us at the National Park Hotel to celebrate 100 years of the hotel in the Kinglake community,” Sharon said.