Hugh Sawrey: A Local Legend

If these walls could talk, they’d have a few cracking stories to tell — and plenty of them would start with Hugh Sawrey. One of Australia’s great outback artists, Sawrey had a rare knack for capturing bush life just as it is: tough, funny, hardworking, and full of character. And Tara was right in the middle of his world.

Back in 1959, Sawrey made a name for himself the old-fashioned way — by painting big, bold murals in country pubs. His first major works went up at the Kogan Creek Hotel, inspired by the words of Banjo Paterson. They weren’t fancy gallery pieces; they were proper bush stories painted large, and locals quickly claimed them as their own.

By 1960, Sawrey rolled into Tara and left his mark on the Commercial Hotel. In exchange for a bed, a feed, and a bit of goodwill, he painted two murals that still stop people in their tracks: You’ll Come a Waltzing Matilda with Me and Clancy’s Gone to Queensland Droving. They’re still here today — quietly watching over a few cold beers and a lot of good conversations.

Sawrey spent years roaming regional Queensland, trading paint for pub rooms and meals, and soaking up the characters and stories that would fuel his art. Along the way, he left murals behind in places like Barcaldine and Emerald, each one another chapter in his bush-born legend.

But Sawrey didn’t just paint the outback — he fought to preserve it. He went on to co-found the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame in Longreach, making sure the stories of bush life, drovers, stockmen, and storytellers lived on long after last drinks were called. These stories are the backbone of Australian country life, they are wheat make small towns like Tara what they still remain to be today.

Today, The Tara Hotel is proud to be part of that story. So grab a drink, have a look around, and take your time with the murals — they’ve been here a while, and they’ve got plenty to say.

Clockwise from the top: Hugh Sawrey in his studio; a country boy at heart; You’ll Come A Waltzing Matilda with Me; Clancy’s Gone to Queensland Droving.