Norm Matau’s mornings used to begin with the harsh ring of his bedside alarm. Then he’d race out of bed and grab his tools and his ute to begin a busy day of maintenance and building work across Brisbane.
Meanwhile his partner, Liz Murphy, would start her shift as a theatre nurse in a city hospital. She’d been a nurse for more than 30 years and while she loved her patients, years of standing on her feet and lifting heavy trays had taken its toll.
“Our bodies were tired. I had severe arthritis in my hands and Norm had a bad hip after years in construction. We were both struggling and we knew it was time for a change,” says Liz, 55.
Now their mornings have a very different look and feel. They wake, make a pot of coffee and sit out on the verandah of the Silverton Hotel, their new home, enjoying the landscape of unbroken desert plains and a big blue sky.
“There’s nothing as far as the eye can see and it’s beautiful,” says Norm, 52.
“Sometimes a few wild goats or donkeys wander by, but most days there’s nothing but sky, a few trees and the dirt road stretching into the distance. Only around 40 people live in town so life is quiet, and I’m loving every second of it.”
Instant decision
Liz and Norm’s new life began early last year when, exhausted by the daily grind, they bought a caravan and hit the road to travel across the outback.
After heading north to see family, they camped and worked at a cattle property in Longreach owned by one of Liz’s friends from her primary school days. They then moved on to Adelaide to visit friends.
“One night Norm and I were whingeing to our friends about finding new careers because our bodies wouldn’t handle going back to nursing and construction.
“One friend was a hotel broker and said, ‘Why don’t you buy the Silverton Hotel? You’d do alright there’,” says Liz.
“It was like it was meant to be. Norm and I had planned to go to Silverton because I wanted to see the sun set over the Mundi Mundi Plains. So the next day, we jumped in our car and drove to Silverton to see the hotel and it was a pretty instant decision. It just felt right.”
Warm welcome
Silverton Hotel became famous for featuring in movies such as Wake In Fright, A Town Like Alice and Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert and was an unofficial HQ for cast and crew during the 1981 filming of Mad Max 2.
The nearby museum dedicated to the Mel Gibson movie houses Max Rockatansky’s famous V8 Interceptor, while a pimped-up Mad Max-inspired VW Beetle, dubbed “the Interceptor’s Love Child”, greets visitors to the hotel.
The night Liz and Norm visited for the first time, and got chatting to the locals, they were struck by the warmth of the close-knit community. They soon decided they wanted to be part of it and, at the start of this year, took over the reins of the 142-year-old pub.
“The early days are a blur now. There was so much to learn – including how to pour a beer. We both love cooking so that was fine – we just do it on a larger scale. I can manage the maintenance side of things and we’ve both learned how to change a keg and do the housekeeping,” says Norm.
“But most important of all was getting to know the locals, who couldn’t have been friendlier and more welcoming.”
When Liz and Norm were suddenly swamped by 350 people who dropped in for the traditional Broken Hill race day recovery at the hotel, the couple wondered how on earth they were going to cope with such a large crowd.
“Our locals just stepped up. Without a word they began serving behind the bar and in the kitchen and souvenir shop. They gave us a hand all day long and expected nothing in return – and that was amazing,” says Liz.
“Everyone looks out for each other in Silverton,” adds Norm.
While there are busy times, the former city slickers are enjoying their new, more relaxed country lifestyle.
“I went back to Brisbane for my granddaughter’s first birthday recently and I was overwhelmed by the traffic, and there were too many people. I didn’t want to leave the house because everywhere was so busy!” laughs Liz.
“I just feel more relaxed in Silverton where I know I can have a nap in the afternoon or read a book on the verandah when the hotel is quiet. Slowing down has been damn good!”
