THIS PUB HAS ONE OF THE OLDEST LIQUOR LICENCES IN AUSTRALIA

The buildings within the Milparinka Heritage Precinct are maintained by a proud and capable bunch of volunteers, and the former courthouse is now the Milparinka Heritage Centre.

Spend a bit of time walking around in the dry heat and the chances are you’ll end your walk at the Albert Hotel, just like we did. This pub has one of the oldest liquor licences in Australia, so it’s obviously a good place to have a drink.

In contrast to the surrounding hot, dry landscape, there’s a bit of greenery around Milparinka, and the trees create some well-shaded campsites on the banks of Evelyn Creek, which was dry when we visited, as it is most of the time.

Publicans Rebecca and Phillip Young, South Australians who have owned the Albert for 15 years, told us of their plans to improve the camping facilities with an amenities block. However, a more ambitious plan is to bring Evelyn Creek back to its former glory. Prior to the 1880s there was a large, semi-permanent waterhole, but in just a few years it was silted by mining activity. Trees now grow where there was once a deep pool, and the Youngs plan to remove the trees and dig out the waterhole to recreate the oasis it was when the Maliangaapa people called this place home.