Pier Hotel: Locals pay tribute to ‘World’s Toughest Pub’ as it announces last drinks
“Toughest pub in the world?”
That was the headline atop British journalist John Dyson’s feature article on Port Hedland’s Pier Hotel published in London’s Sunday Telegraph in the mid-1970s.
Fifty years on, locals confirm — through an array of anecdotes — that the question mark was never necessary.
“I went to the Pier with my new work friends on a Friday night, walked over and grabbed a beer . . . within five minutes there was a fight. I was impressed,” one local said.
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“I had never seen fights before until I went to the Pier,” another local, Leah Sanders said.
But despite, the drunken violence and tomfoolery that characterised the joint, Port Hedland locals are saddened by the decision to shut its doors.
“I’m devastated,” Ms Sanders said. “It’s one of the biggest things to happen to this town, the Pier closing down, and I work in real estate!”
For more than a century, the Pier Hotel has been a cornerstone of Port Hedland, a symbol of the town’s enduring spirit and a witness to its transformation from a quiet coastal community to a bustling industrial hub.
First constructed during the 1890s, the Pier Hotel was one of the first two hotels established in Port Hedland.
George Pilkington took over the original proprietors of the hotel, Wallace and Robertson, who left the district in 1900.
It was initially a single-storey corrugated iron hotel overlooking the harbour, with an additional storey added in 1906.
The Pilkingtons owned the hotel until the 1920s when Mrs M.A. Pilkington popularised the establishment into a place of “class and grandeur” with its iconic façade, verandahs and wooden latticework.
The Pier Hotel, Port Hedland December 4, 1909. Credit: Unknown/WA News
Often frequented by station owners, commercial travellers and pilots, the Pier Hotel became a social epicentre and was considered to be the upmarket hotel in town.
World War II brought significant changes to Port Hedland, and the Pier Hotel was no exception. The town became a strategic military base, with the hotel accommodating soldiers and officers.
The end of the war saw a return to normalcy, but the town’s economy was beginning to shift towards mining and industry.
The 1950s and 1960s were marked by an influx of workers drawn to the booming iron ore industry. And the pub adapted to this new era by providing a home away from home for the men who toiled in the mines and at the port.
The late 20th century saw Port Hedland grow exponentially, driven by the mining boom. The Pier Hotel thrived during this period, undergoing several renovations to modernize its facilities.
Men sleep in an unfinished extension at Pier Hotel Port Hedland, December 1959. Credit: UNKNOWN/WAN Historical Archive
It was during the late 1960’s and early 70s that the hotel became an unofficial town landmark and gained a reputation for its unconventional contests of cockroach racing, spaghetti-eating competitions and rough-and-tumble atmosphere.
A man at London’s Australia House told Dyson: “It’s reckoned to be the roughest and toughest pub in the country. They pack around the bar 50 or 60 deep.
Cockroach racing at Pier Hotel, Port Hedland. Credit: Unknown/The West Australian
“I’ll give you one bit of free advice: If someone pours beer into your pocket, for God’s sake don’t hit the bastard.”
The Pier Hotel was renowned for its wild bar fights, tough patrons, and a no-nonsense attitude that mirrored the hard-as-nails character of Port Hedland itself.
Locals would often recount stories of legendary bar brawls, where patrons would settle their differences with fists rather than words.
“It’s the only pub I’ve been to and seen so many people leave in an ambulance,” Port Hedland local, Bram Angus said.
“As kids, we all got loaded up in the car on Friday nights like we were going to the movies and park across the road or up the top and wait for the action,” another local, Gloria Agale said.
It was rumoured to hold the record for the most stabbings in one night — 86 of them — however it is unknown where that claim originates.
Trina Scully came dressed for the occasion as she celebrated Australia Day at Port Hedland's Pier Hotel. Credit: Unknown/Supplied
In 2011, the Pier featured in a shame file of the State’s top 10 of WA’s most violent pubs and clubs released by police.
Beyond its reputation for toughness, the Pier also became a meeting place for lasting relationships and its renowned skimpies.
“I met my partner there whilst I was working there as a skimpy — eight years later we are still here and have a child together,” Sarah Tulip said.
Leah Sanders also met her husband at the iconic pub.
“He’d been on a fishing trip that day and we started up a conversation but I was doing the Nutbush (City Limits by Tina and Ike Turner)— I love the Nutbush — and he just followed me around the pub all night,” Ms Sanders said.
“My mother-in-law loves to go to the Pier and she tells anyone who will listen how her son met his wife.”
Not only did Ms Sanders have a memorable night, but her sister did as well.
“One night, this guy was talking to my sister and said he lost his front tooth. I thought he was trying to pick her up but as I looked down, next to my toe, there was the tooth,” she laughed. “I’ve actually got a photo of us together.”
A reliable source of live entertainment that drew in a range of iconic acts, including Aussie acts Grinspoon and Seth Sentry, it also became a hub for a multitude of local DJs.
Seth Sentry had the crowd on their feet in the beer garden at the Pier Hotel Port Hedland. Credit: West Regional/Mitchell Smith
“My friend was a local DJ there and would stand in the ‘bubble’,” Port Hedland local Suzan Chesson said. “But on one particular night, I remember her boyfriend took over DJ-ing and he ended up playing heavy metal.
“Another night, I remember standing on the tables at five or six months pregnant with my first child.”
Even with the formidable security guards, Wendy and ‘Big Bald Fletch’, some patrons recall sneaking their way into the pub while under-age or after being removed from the premises.
“There was a band playing and this guy had been kicked out for being too drunk. He actually scaled the wall to get back in but fell into the garden bed and broke his leg,” Ms Sanders said.
“He could still see the band and the security didn’t notice him so everyone kept dropping him off beers until the end. Then the ambulance came and picked him up.”
The Pier Hotel’s legacy of providing a space for the town’s characters to gather, its wild nights, and its unique blend of entertainment will be remembered fondly by all who crossed its threshold.
Knight Frank agent Corey Dell’Olio said there has been plenty of interest in the establishment from potential buyers since it went up on the market earlier this year, with negotiations expected to be finalised in the coming weeks.
The Pier Hotel sits on a substantial landholding of 5,733sqm within the heart of Port Hedland. Credit: Supplied/Knight Frank
“It’s a great location there on the port, with a huge land holding as well, so there was interest from lots of different parties in terms of different uses as well,” he said.
“As it’s been documented over time, I would say it’s kind of a blokes’ pub and fits the mould of Port Hedland in some ways.
“It’s a place a lot of people love going to in terms of it has a sports bar and an outdoor beer garden, and is a good place to have a beer, especially for a lot of the blue-collar workers.”
Owner Lynne Taylor announced via social media her retirement and wishes to spend more time in New Zealand with her family, after more than 20 years of owning the joint.
“A big thank you to Lynne, Kylie, Jess and the whole crew that have kept it running over the years,” Ms Chesson said.
As the final chords of Semisonic’s “Closing Time” echo through the bar, patrons will raise their glasses one last time to the memories made and the stories that will be told for years to come.