This collection of caches pays homage to the old pubs of the land. All over Australia, pubs have been shut down and even demolished. Victims of circumstances, changing times etc and once the epicentre of communities, these pubs have stories of old. If only the old walls could talk.
The town was surveyed in 1874 and named Frances by Governor Fergusson after the wife of Henry Binnum, owner of the largest pastoral station in the area. The oldest part of this hotel was licensed in 1883 when the railway from Naracoorte reached the town. Originally, the pub was known as the Railway Hotel.
The first General store opened the same year. In 1885 the pub burnt down but was rebuilt 2 years later — after all, the locals and the travellers on the railway couldn't go too long without a cold beer.
Apparently there was no evidence as to how the fire started. The building was insured for £25.
Frances local Ben Koop, who goes to the pub for a beer every day after work, said the pub is the town's epicentre.
There’s little else I could find historically but I do know that when I dropped in when the pub was not a USED 2B, the local football team had just won their match and were celebrating their win in great style. The fire was warming, the music was pumping and the beers were flowing. It was a great night!
It’s a crying shame the pub is now closed. Not only is it a pub but has great motel rooms at the back. These were built around 2002 and are very trendy looking - built out of galvonised iron. It’s so cute and really is the epicentre of Frances.
THIS IS A SIMPLE MULTI CACHE. FIRST STEP IS TO LOOK AT THE FRANCES HOTEL TO DETERMINE THE FINAL COORDINATES OF THE CACHE.
Let A = the number of wooden planks on the outside front bar (Railway side)
Let B= the number of fluro tubes on the front railway side
Let C = the number of white speakers on the front railway side
Find the cache at:
S 36° 42.(A+B-C)(2A-B)A E 140° 57.(A-C)(3B)(A+C)
(CHECK SUM IS 19 FOR EACH)