Petersham’s historic pub, the White Cockatoo Hotel
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Today we visited Petersham’s historic hotel. Opened in 1886. Originally named after aristocrat, British politician and then Governor of NSW, Charles Robert Wynn-Carrington, 1st Marquess of Lincolnshire, Lord Carrington — the Lord Carrington Hotel.
Seven years before arriving in Sydney, Lord Carrington married Cecilia Margaret at Whitehall’s Chapel Royal before ‘no less than ten members of the Royal family’.
He arrived with his family in Sydney in 1885 to find the colony in the grip of drought, economic recession and political crisis.
Lord Carrington’s diplomatic work through the governors in Victoria and South Australia was crucial in paving the way for the Federation Conference of 1890. During his time in Sydney he also convinced Sir Henry Parkes, in 1887, to not change the name of the colony of New South Wales to ‘Australia.’
Fifty years after Lord Carrington’s death, in Buckinghamshire, the pub was renamed to the White Cockatoo Hotel.
Today the pub is a hive of activity, attracting people from all over the region because of its warm atmosphere and dog-friendly policies. The pub proudly boasts its ‘pokie free’ status. We couldn’t find a Keno or sports betting facility inside the joint.
Downstairs are some super cool pinball machines and a pool table, located inside two small rooms.
Some of the sporting history of the local rugby team, the Petersham Football Club, is dotted along the wall near the front door. The Petersham rugby team has participated in ‘world tours’ since the 1880s — an old billboard, which is on display, shows that the team played on a Christmas Day and a Boxing Day at Gilfach and Tonyrefail in Wales, UK.
The White Cockatoo Hotel at Petersham is located opposite the Petersham railway station — and not far from the local bus service and brand new cycleway. We found the prices to be good. And the customer service excellent.
The White Cockatoo Hotel is located 7kms from Sydney’s CBD.
#Sydney #Petersham
