Off the beaten track and worth a detour for solid country fare and surprising local drops.
Proper country pubs just hit differently (especially for city folk), from the experience they offer to the part they play in civic life. After many hours on Wheatbelt roads, ‘half-decent’ could be something you’d settle for, but pull in at the ‘Muka Hotel’, 290 kilometres east of Perth, and there’s no compromise needed. For a century, it’s been a place for the community to celebrate births, deaths, marriages, possibly the odd divorce, sporting wins and farm centenaries. For the traveller, there are basic but recently refurbished rooms and solid counter meals that follow a few basic laws of the country – there must be a schnitzel, salad is not decorative but it is chunky, chips must be crisp, and portions must satisfy a farmer. You’ll find Sunday roasts and specials, and for a time, the rehomed community run café to the side of the public bar. And then there’s the real surprise – several taps of craft beer from local on-farm operation Dandanning Brewery. This is nano not micro territory, using hops from Western Australia, and grain from the region. Time things right and you may find farmer-turned-brewer Calvin Squire behind the bar.
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