An Aussie pub that locals claims to hold the record for the most stabbings in one night is about to shut its doors after it was listed for sale in one of the nation’s most iconic mining towns. The Pier Hotel in the Pilbara town of Port Hedland, located about 1627km north of Perth, has a sordid past and became known as “the world’s toughest pub” thanks to British journalist John Dyson, who documented his visit to the bar in the 1970s. According to locals, the pub’s reputation is because 86 people were stabbed there in one night, including six barmaids.
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion. Port Hedland is Western Australia’s second biggest mining town that exports about 520m tonnes of iron ore each year. It is a busy place packed with miners and blue collar workers.
The current publican Lynne has owned the pub for the past 20 years and decided it was time to sell so she could spend more time with family in New Zealand. But it is the pub’s sordid past that has tongues wagging thanks to Dyson, who documented his visit in a 2000-word article. A man at London’s Australia House told the adventurous writer, “It’s reckoned to be the roughest and toughest pub in the country.
“They pack around the bar 50 or 60 deep. “I’ll give you one bit of free advice: If someone pours beer into your pocket for God’s safe don’t hit the bastard.” A flight attendant told him it was the “the only place I’ve seen intercou.