PUBS FROM THE PAST | What became of Lucknow's hotel after the gold rush

The few remains of former mining towns are scattered across Australia, but Lucknow was a town that survived the boom times partly thanks to its location on the main road just out of Orange.

Tooths' first photo, in March 1929, shows a sturdy, if somewhat tired, building as the Commercial Hotel.

An inspector recorded a newspaper article from the Orange Leader in October 1936 stating that the Tooheys beer company, who had bought the freehold in 1935, planned a 3000-4000 pound rebuild of the hotel, including providing eight bedrooms, which would be completed within nine months.

It didn't happen until 1940 and the plans changed to providing seven bedrooms, but a photo taken in 1941 shows a dramatic and fresh look to the town's hotel.

Tooths records, now held by the Australian National University/Noel Butlin Archive show business spiked from 1952 to 1956 with the peak coinciding with the introduction of extended trading hours from 6pm to 10pm.

It is recorded the hotel changed its name to the Goldfields Tavern in April 1979.

It has had many licensees including Marjorie Sybil Elliott from 1963-1969, the Ball family took over until 1972 when Bruno Behrendt and Barbara Goldie were joint licensees from 1972-1978.