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Reaching Cracow, a distinctive settlement nestled in the heart of the Australian Outback, demands careful planning, as not all paths guide you to this unique destination. This remote town, far from the well-trodden tourist routes, offers an authentic Outback experience for intrepid travellers willing to venture off the beaten path.
Navigating to Remote Cracow
Venturing towards Cracow in the Australian Outback requires preparedness. Journeying to this inland locality, GPS signals can falter midway. Moreover, petrol stations are non-existent along the designated routes. Consequently, ensuring an ample fuel supply is crucial to prevent becoming stranded in this isolated region.
Despite the challenging journey, Cracow rewards those who make the effort. After navigating a lengthy, uneven road, visitors encounter a town that, while unlike its namesake Kraków in Poland, possesses a subtle and captivating, albeit spartan, charm.
Cracow’s Enigmatic Origins
The precise connections between the town and Poland remain shrouded in mystery.
One theory suggests the founder of the initial settlement had a Polish spouse and was inspired by the nineteenth-century Polish struggle for independence.
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Conversely, another theory posits that the name originates from the sound of dry twigs cracking underfoot, a common occurrence in the arid environment.
Regardless of its namesake origin, Cracow has historically drawn individuals with an adventurous spirit and a yearning for a life less ordinary.
The Cracow Hotel and Pub stands as the sole operational establishment in town. – Maria Kamińska
From Gold Rush Boom to Ghost Town Bust
Cracow emerged as one of the final settlements during the gold rush era of the 1930s. At its zenith, the town boasted a vibrant population of approximately 10,000 residents, with nearly 20,000 kilograms of gold extracted from the local mines.
Ultimately, Cracow’s prosperity waned. The gold mine’s closure transformed Cracow into a virtual ghost town.
The populace dwindled to around 50 inhabitants, and the town center became dominated by decaying structures, fading relics of its once-thriving past.
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Amidst these dilapidated buildings, the Cracow Hotel and Pub stands out, currently managed by Stuart and Nikki Burke, along with their children, Brophy and Chilli.
While the local gold mine has recommenced activity after years of dormancy, the town’s overall revitalization remains a work in progress.
Euronews journeyed to Cracow to explore the workings of a pub in an isolated location and to share the narratives of individuals committed to revitalizing this forgotten corner of the Outback.
Derelict structures in the core of Cracow. – Maria Kamińska
A Haven for Outback Adventurers
Stuart Burke, the proprietor of the Cracow Pub and Hotel, embodies the pioneering spirit, choosing the vast Australian wilderness as his dwelling.
In his younger years, Stuart participated in tent boxing troupes, competing under the moniker “Kid Goanna.” He and fellow fighters toured various towns, delivering entertainment to hardworking farmers and miners across the Australian Outback.
The Cracow Hotel’s ownership history includes another boxer; for many years, it belonged to Fred Brophy, a celebrated figure in Australian tent boxing.
It was with this very troupe that Stuart Burke initially arrived in Cracow where he encountered his future wife, Nikki, at the local pub.
Upon Brophy’s announcement of selling the establishment, the Burkes promptly decided to purchase it, determined to ensure the continuation of Cracow’s story.
Memorabilia displayed within the Cracow pub. – Maria Kamińska
“Twenty-three years later, we are married, raising two children, and managing the very pub where we first met,” Stuart recounts.
الحياة في برية أستراليا ليست مثالية على الإطلاق. لا يمكن إرسال الطرود إلى كراكوف ، وأقرب متجر يبعد 3.5 ساعات بالسيارة. يفعل آل بيرك ما في وسعهم ، ولكن في ذروة الموسم السياحي ، يتعين عليهم السفر إلى هذا الطريق مرة واحدة في الأسبوع.
Stuart, however, remains positive: “We didn’t even have a proper road until a decade ago.”
Despite the evident challenges of Outback living in Cracow, the Burke family cannot envision residing anywhere else. They consider Cracow their true home, and operating the pub their chosen way of life. Nikki recalls the pub’s enduring “ability to endure,” demonstrating resilience even during the most difficult times, since its inception in 1938.
‘Getting Lost’ to Find Cracow
Stuart emphasizes the unique approaches to reaching Cracow: “You must either be extremely meticulous in your directions or become profoundly lost to find us!”
The distinctive ambiance and reputation of this last vestige of the gold rush era attracts a specific type of visitor.
“We welcome all kinds of people, particularly wanderers, travellers, and even renowned rock musicians,” he notes. The pub’s walls and ceilings, completely covered with visitor signatures, serve as a living chronicle of those who have successfully reached this far-flung location.
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Above all, Cracow values community loyalty. Regular patrons from the surrounding area frequent the pub, with staff knowing their usual orders by memory. It serves as a central hub for sharing news, both positive and negative, exchanging local gossip, and discussing the ever-changing weather conditions.
Tent boxing memorabilia showcased in Cracow pub. – Maria Kamińska
The pub owners take pride in drawing patrons without relying on poker machines, which are increasingly prevalent across the Australian Outback.
Problem gambling presents a significant public health concern in Australia. Australians unfortunately lose over $25 billion (€13.9 billion) annually on legal gambling, ranking them among global leaders in per capita losses.
The Cracow Pub stands firm against this trend, opting to cultivate a local identity centered around alternative social activities.
Recently, the owners played a key role in organizing a Cracovian reunion, bringing together descendants of former miners and those with an emotional connection to the town.
Local inhabitants also recognize the significance of the reopened mine, which, while not dramatically increasing the population, provides crucial support to the existing community.
The residents of Cracow steadfastly refuse to let their town fade into obscurity.
Cracow’s Spooky Side: A Horror Film Mecca
In recent times, Cracow has acquired an unexpected persona, almost reminiscent of a horror film setting.
A film production crew has occupied the deserted Cracow hospital, transforming the town into a haven for independent horror filmmaking.
Kadey Platt, a special effects and make-up artist who also works as a bartender at the Cracow pub during evenings, explains her accidental relocation to the town two years prior.
“Being a city dweller, I never imagined myself residing in a place like this,” she admits.
Platt and her team initially searched for a location for a horror film centered on a zombie kangaroo. The unique atmosphere of the Cracow pub proved to be perfect, leading her to eventually establish permanent residence.
Along with her collaborators, she acquired a nearby abandoned hospital, repurposing it as their operational headquarters. “The tranquility Cracow offers is wonderfully conducive to creativity. Distractions are absent, replaced by kangaroos peacefully lounging by your doorstep,” she recounts.
Platt emphasizes the striking contrast between the town’s quiet atmosphere and the pub’s vibrant energy: “These walls are steeped in history,” she observes.
The pub’s interior is adorned with signatures and various mementos. – Maria Kamińska
Echoes of the Past
The historical legacy of Cracow is diligently preserved by Brophy, the pub owners’ 20-year-old son, named in honour of the celebrated boxer central to his parents’ meeting.
Brophy, alongside his mother, has dedicated effort to researching unmarked graves in Cracow. Through their initiative, they successfully restored the local cemetery, commemorating the miners and residents buried there whose identities had been lost to time.
He emphasizes that while individual gold discoveries in Cracow have ceased, the land holds different kinds of untold stories.
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Brophy is deeply interested in the history of the area’s Aboriginal inhabitants—their culture, traditions, and tragic experiences. He investigates the remnants of massacres committed against Aboriginal populations by white settlers during the gold rush era. “It remains a largely undocumented chapter,” he states.
Just as our departure from Cracow neared, a vehicle approached the pub.
A local resident presented Brophy with a box containing aged newspaper clippings discovered in a Cracow attic. “I have some new stories for you,” he announced.
This encounter offered a tangible example of how a pub nestled in the Australian wilderness has become a keeper of local memory and intricate historical details.
“That’s just Cracow,” Stuart concludes. “It may be out of the way, but it has an irresistible pull that keeps bringing you back!”