Coburn Hotel, COCKBURN, SA

Well I totally disagree with the comment above...I went on a 16 day road trip by myself from Sydney - Adelaide - Sydney recently, with no plans, only to stop at pubs along the way and camp under the stars. I stopped at the Coburn Hotel early afternoon and bought a nice cold beer, which I received promptly, and was very fairly priced, and was served by a friendly lady who I beleive was the publican. After a few more beers and a few hours later and a bit of a yarn with the publican I decided to stay the nite. She told me there were rooms at the pub or rooms at a small guest house a few hundred meters up the road. I decided to stay at the guest house so she kindly contacted the manager and arranged a room for me. I was some what surprised to how helpful she was considering my money for accomodation was going to someone else, which would never happen in the city or in big country towns. I returned later that afternoon and spent the evening there with a handful of some of the most friendly people (all locals) I've met in years, and had a great nite. I highly recommend this pub to anyone passing thru, and if you have time spend the nite there. Its a classic Aussie outback pub, with a genuine friendly Aussie atmosphere!!

I often stop in and visit not-so-known hotels and sample the local atmosphere. Normally I find little treasures that are staffed by very genuine people. The Coburn or Cockburn Hotel is not one of these places. It is obvious that the owners have forgotten or maybe never knew the key to running a bush pub is creating a warm and friendly atmosphere. I arrived to an empty front bar and waited 10 minutes before the staff member appeared from a back room. She was rude and after charging me a small fortune for a beer she disappeared again not to return. I drank my beer in silence and after 15 minutes of seeing no-one I left. Nothing was on tap and there was no food available.
I suggest you don’t bother with Cockburn and go into Broken Hill or Silverton.