It started with throwing open the doors every day of the week, while Simon says they “cleaned the heck out of it, bought a lot of furniture,” working hard to create a space that was comfortable and welcoming. The result is a cosy, charmingly rustic venue with a roaring open fire for the colder months, a vast undercover deck overlooking the Latrobe River for those warm weather days, and an eye-catching array of decor from deer antlers to historical artefacts. Of course, simply revamping the place wasn’t enough to bring in new patronage. Simon, who had previously managed and owned various pubs, and Rosie, who had been working at the Noojee Hotel when the pair met, threw themselves into marketing the restaurant, starting with a bit of rebranding. It was the Ducks who came up with the moniker ‘Nooj Pub’. They also began producing bumper stickers, and estimate that over the last ten years they have given away some 40,000. The gambit paid off: many visitors to the area are pulled in after their curiosity is piqued by seeing the mysterious Nooj Pub bumper stickers on cars across the state.

In addition to bumper stickers and merchandise spanning from flannies and hoodies to hats and stubby holders, Simon and Rosie raised interest with a range of special events. Parma nights, pizza nights, pool events and live bands are just some of the ways the pair have brought people in over the years, and there’s always something fresh on the horizon.