The Barron River Hotel, possibly the oldest hotel in the Cairns area, has a long and rich history in the area.  

Originally built as a lodging house in 1887 for local timber yard workers, William Boden opened and managed the house to serve the many construction workers who were building the first stage of the new Kuranda Range Railway.  

The hotel was owned by Government Surveyor, Thomas Behan, who also owned the Stratford Rice Mill.  

A Cairns Regional Council Arts and Culture Map notes that one of Behan’s employees, a surveyor called ‘Bunda’ Edwards, died in one of the hotel rooms in 1889. Bunda Edwards named Kuranda as part of his work as a surveyor. Bunda Street in Parramatta Park and Bundaberg are named after him. 

The hotel was re-built into a more substantial structure in 1907. 

As Cairns Regional Council has noted hotels of the era were built near river crossings hoping to trade on patronage from travellers arriving on the outskirts of Cairns from towns further north. 

In November, 1926, Jim and Madge Tully bought the property from Mrs Scanlan. It was known as Tully’s Stratford Hotel and was popular with employees from the timber mill who would cash their fortnightly pay cheques here. 

Cairns Regional Council study notes: “There was a hall at the back of the pub where dances and euchre parties were held. The hall was also used for Sunday School and after church the children would run to the back door of the pub where Mrs Tully would hand out soft drinks to everyone.” 

Operating under several names over the years, including Tully’s Stratford Hotel, Andrejics Hotel or the Stratford Hotel, and referred to in media reports as Tully’s Hotel. In 1997 the pub was refurbished pub and re-launched as the Barron River Hotel. 

But the hotel as a whole has seen many changes over the years it holds dear to its remarkable history.

Today, some of that history can be seen in the main bar where historic railway tracks are used for the bar tops. On the walls are historic photos of a horse and car out the front of the hotel. 

Even the affectionate nickname used by locals – The Stratty – references the years when it was known as The Stratford Hotel. 

The Barron River offers a welcoming atmosphere for everyone, with a range of options including pies and curries on the menu, steak nights and parmi nights with three different options and a roast on Sundays. 

There’s a kid’s room, Sports Bar with screens to watch the match and TAB facilities. Or you can watch the Kuranda train pass by four times a day. 

At the Barron River Hotel there’s something for everyone.