Boonara Hotel Goomeri

Image credit: State Library of Qld

Boonara Hotel, Goomeri

From “A Walking Tour of Goomeri - 1930’ 

by Fraser Campbell as told to Judith Bandit

The Boonara Hotel incorporated a hairdresser’s shop (salon) and billiards (not snooker) room, both of which were run by Ernie Eisentreger, assisted by his wife, Eileen. Ernie at an earlier time had had extensive experience in ballroom dancing a very popular pastime in those days. Is wife and dancing partner, Eileen, believed as did Ernie, that all children should be given the opportunity to learn to dance properly - not just to learn group dances such as the Lancers (a sort of quadrille). 

To this end, the Eisentregers started dancing classes to which I think every child was invited. We do not think there was any charge for the lessons and they were well, attended. Apart from the requirements of the “Grand March’, we were taught to dance the waltz, the gipsy tap (we think), the Canadian barn dance, the military two-step, the Valetta and the maxina. 

This knowledge remains with me (Frazer) to this day. The training given me by the Eisentregers stood me in good stead in succeeding years when I learned a number of more modern dance steps.

The only stories we remember of what went on in the hotel as recounted by my father, seem to be snake stories. Betty recalls a story about Hugh Moore of Barambah Station offering bar patrons cigarettes from a box which when opened released a small grass (green) snake. 

Then there was the occasion when Les Hall, for a bet, placed the head of a four-foot black snake in his mouth. Les claimed that provided a snake could not open its mouth it was impossible for the snake to bite a person or animal. Moreover, immobilising the snake’s head in this manner precluded it from raising its head to strike.

Les Hall was also erupted to have held off an attacking snake obviously there was no 12 gauge at hand - by striking the snake’s head with the flat palm of his hand when it raised its head to strike. The snake is thrown off balance and must start all over again. The episode above may well sound like ‘snake oil’ but there is no reason to doubt it. In any case, it does not make a bad story although its connection to the Boonara Hotel is indeed tenuous.