Original Ettamogah Pub for sale: Wonky walls with a straight shooting $50 million price tag

There are few roadside landmarks as instantly recognisable as the Ettamogah Pub – a cartoon strip brought to life with crooked walls and a vintage truck on its iconic red roof.

The original version of the legendary watering hole, just off the Hume Highway north of Albury-Wodonga, is on the market for around $50 million – including the rights to the brand and its entire intellectual property portfolio.

Along Burma Rd in Table Top, on the NSW side of the Murray River, the 4.81ha site is more than just a quirky roadside stopover. The unique attraction that was inspired by the original cartoon sketches of former policeman Ken Maynard, is a bistro pub, souvenir boutique, function venue, oval, camping ground, and museum all rolled into one property package.

The iconic Ettamogah Pub has hit the market. Picture: realcommercial.com.au

First appearing in The Australasian Post in 1959, Maynard’s “Ettamogah Mob” strips immortalised a kooky cast of Albury characters drinking in a fictional country hotel. Maynard named the strip after an Indigenous word for “place of good drink”.

Built in 1987 by entrepreneur and fan of the Ettamogah Mob cartoon strips, Lindsay Cooper, the real-world version of the infamous pub was strategically positioned on the highway between Melbourne and Sydney to capture the imagination – and holiday dollars – of travellers journeying between the two capitals.

By the 1990s, the popular cartoon pub had inspired spinoff locations in Queensland and Western Australia. Merchandise, theme park tie-ins, and an animated TV series followed, extending its reach far beyond the NSW-Victorian border.

The landmark hotel is strategically positioned on the Hume Highway near Albury, capturing high volumes of local, tourist, and interstate traffic. Picture: realcommercial.com.au

In 1997, the pub and rights to the entire Ettamogah brand were bought by Leigh O’Brien. Under his stewardship, the Ettamogah portfolio has expanded to include the 12-part Wakkaville animated series and the Lil Larrikins bushfire safety campaign.

The Ettamogah Pub real estate briefly came to market in 2019 with a guide of $3.5 million; however, the asset never sold.

Ettamogah Pub is one of Australia’s most recognisable hospitality landmarks. Picture: realcommercial.com.au

Currently marketed through Savills Sydney agents, Drew Mitchell and Hugo Weston, the IP, hospitality business, and the freehold site have received significant attention within days of listing.

“It’s a very unique offering, in that it’s the pub and land but also the IP trademark on the animation series. It’s been a very strong start to the campaign,” Mr Mitchell said.

“Some people are just interested in the in the pub and land, while and others are potentially looking at the whole package. But because it’s so complex, we’re getting a lot of people inquiring to have a look under the hood to just see exactly what’s involved.”

The asset is offered as a Freehold Going Concern via an Expressions of Interest campaign closing Wednesday 29 October. Picture: realcommercial.com.au

He said the $50 million price guide is an approximate gauge, with an expressions of interest campaign designed to draw in interest before closing on Wednesday, October 29.

According to the campaign, the pub’s “strong brand identity, unique architecture, and emotional connection with generations of Australians position it as a long-term strategic investment with potential for growth, diversification, and legacy value.”

The upstairs balcony of the iconic pub. Picture: realcommercial.com.au

Mitchell added that the pub and brand are being offered as a package deal, however the IP portfolio could negotiated separately for investors seeking to acquire only the cartoons, animation or brand rights. Alternatively, a buyer could purchase the freehold property without the IP.

“There’s so much development opportunity, depending on how the purchaser wants to use the land. The Ettamogah Pub is also a great place for different shows and events. I think there’s a growing appetite for people to go on road trips, and this offers them the chance to get off the highway and have a look at a significant part of Australian pop culture.”

Previously, the site has been used for festivals, car shows, and live music, drawing in large visitor numbers to a town of just 1400 people.

The property includes the original pub, a dining barn, retail shops, a large recreational oval, and camping facilities. Picture: realcommercial.com.au

The main two-storey pub building includes nine bar taps, wall art, and rustic timber interiors curated to reflect the original cartoon. Additionally, the bistro barn seats approximately 80 people, while the playground, museum, and themed displays add to the Ettamogah experience.

Income streams could also be realised through the unpowered camping and caravan facilities on site as well as the vacant retail spaces which have the potential to earn a gross sales income of approximately $300,000 annually.