Emily makes her mark on one-pub town

She had two cars burnt out by a group of teenagers within three months of her arrival.

Without insurance on either of the cars and with no justice being brought on the offenders, she says it wasn’t exactly the best first impression.

She was particularly upset by the loss of her beloved ‘89 Corolla.

“It wasn’t worth anything but I still loved it,” Emily said.

“I remember it happening right after I arrived, and I was just thinking, ‘welcome to Forest Reefs’.”

But that was some months ago now, and she’s certainly come a long way in that time.

Emily now runs the Forest Reefs tavern with her sister Jessica and the business is doing well.

“I think having two girls running the pub is a bit of excitement for a few of the locals,” Emily said.

Jessica was already a resident of the town and worked at the Cadia Mine, so when the pub came on the market early last year she was more than happy to go halves in the investment with her sister.

The two now run the business together, though Jessica only works two days a week to balance her commitment at the mine.

Emily said she had been interested in the pub the last time it was on the market, but couldn’t buy it because she was living in the United Kingdom at the time.

“It was a little disappointing to miss out the first time but I wasn’t going to miss the same opportunity twice,” she said.

And she’s certainly made the most of that opportunity.

Within a year, the sisters have managed to transform the Tavern with some tasteful renovations and are working hard to promote the restaurant there.

“Friday nights have been really big. We did 52 meals last Friday night so it’s going well,” she said.

While Forest Reefs was once a large gold mining town boasting six hotels, the Tavern is now the only pub left.

And while some may have been intimidated by the prospect of taking over the only pub in a village, Emily has relished the opportunity.

“All the locals have been really supportive though, which has made it a lot easier to settle in,” she said.

Emily is the first to admit the move has been quite a change of pace.

Originally from Williamstown in South Australia’s Barossa Valley, which is about the same size as Millthorpe, she spent three years managing a nightclub in the UK before making the tree change to Forest Reefs.

“It’s been difficult because I’m definitely more of a city kind of girl,” Emily said.

But she says the pub is keeping her well and truly occupied.

“In many respects it’s the same as running a nightclub,” she says. “Sure I don’t have as many staff working for me but I’m still just as busy.”

But she’s not too busy to get involved in some local activities, playing netball in Orange.

That is when she can fit it in around her busy schedule of “business development”.

“I’ve been keeping myself pretty busy doing a few pub crawls through town. Gotta keep up the research!”

All jokes aside, Emily says she has enjoyed the change of lifestyle that the region has to offer.

So just how does she compare it to the Barossa?

“It’s a lot colder, that’s for sure.”

“But everything’s been going really well so I’ve really been enjoying it,” she said.

And she has no plans to leave anytime soon - she’s just one year in to a nine-year lease. “One year down, eight to go. Bring it on!”