#5 of a series: Donna Wood, The Kangaroo Hotel, ‘The Roo’.

So, how’s business?

“We took over The Kangaroo Hotel on March the sixth 2020, and we got closed down on March the 28th. So, we had about two and a half weeks of business. And it’s been ‘fluid’ every day since. Every week things change, but that’s business since Covid. You plan something, but it doesn’t go to plan. So, then I just refocus and just do the best that I can with what’s been thrown at me.  

My dream was to have this amazing music venue, really good beer, good wine, good food, and very welcoming. We still have the good beer, good wine and welcoming, but it’s not as busy as I would like it to be. 

I’ve just been working with the ups and downs, but I’m just keeping passionate. I do love the community. And I love this pub. ‘She’s’ so beautiful and old and wonderful. I just feel the Roo is a ‘she’. And I think the first publican to run it was a female, so I just get that vibe when I say ‘she’. It might sound crazy to some, but it means a lot to me.”

Photos courtesy Tarrangower Times

Time for you to turn over a letter. First one…

• O. Opinion. 

“Opinion… my opinion’s changed since I bought the pub. And the opinion of others? As long as it’s constructive, I’m always open. My ears are open to the opinions of my staff, my friends, family, and to the locals, of course. When they’ve asked me to try something, I’ve done it. Whether it’s worked or not, that depends. I always like opinions because they change things.”

Next letter… 

• D. Determined. 

“I think if I wasn’t so determined, I’d be underwater by now… the determination of making it work and loving ‘her’ (the Roo) and loving what I do. I’m determined to try things and move things and work things around so that it’s always, always a good venue to be in.”

Where does that determination come from? 

“It comes from my background. My Mum and my Dad came from poor families. I learnt that determination can accomplish many things. Whether everyone thinks the result is an accomplishment or not, or maybe only I do, I believe determination comes from within. To make things happen.” 

Sometimes things happen, sometimes things don’t… it’s all part of the journey? 

“Absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah, sometimes business is just a really big slog, but I get back up again because life’s amazing and we’re given a gift of life, and how you use it is up to you. And I think that you can’t be down for too long if you can help it because you don’t want to bring that to the customers either. I try and stay on top of everything as well as possible. And if I need to debrief, I speak to the closest people around me.” 

• A. Anxious.

“I think anxious. I think feeling anxious can be a good thing and a bad thing. Having a pub, I think you’re always anxious about who’s going to come through the door, how many people are going to come in, are you going to cover your costs?  Change can make you anxious but also excited. 

Maldon is an amazing little town. I want to live here. And that sense of home feels amazing. It’s so friendly and inviting. It’s beautiful. 

I originally came from Melbourne, born up in Deer Park, then went over to the UK for 13 years to run bars and clubs and restaurants. I came back here and then moved up to the country as soon as I could. I used to be a prison officer. And in that time, I did work at Tarrangower Prison, and that’s when I first fell in love with Maldon.”

• M. Maldon. 

“Maldon has amazing businesses with amazing business people in it. And we all have our own styles and our own quirks and our own characters. But I think that together, if we really, really banded together and really looked after one another, I think Maldon could be even more amazing. We’ve just had the Maldon In Winter Festival… then Goth…soon the Maldon Folk Festival, next year the Twilight Dinner Festival is on again, and all those sorts of things are bringing people in to say come and stay in Maldon. Then they get to experience all the different shops and then go home to Melbourne or Geelong or Ballarat… wherever they come from and spread the word… good and bad, so we should all work together to make sure they say good things.” 

• N. New. 

“I think new things can happen in Maldon and new ventures need to happen in Maldon. There’s a constant balance between the old and the new. But we can do it. The more money that comes into Maldon, the more Maldon can spend on things to keep Maldon, Maldon. There are a lot of people, 50-plus, coming in as couples buying older houses and doing them up. And to me, when somebody’s doing that, especially when we’re at that age, I’m 52, they must really love Maldon because they wouldn’t do it otherwise.” 

Last one… 

• L. Love. 

“I love her – my pub, and I love my customers, and I love my staff. I know it’s been particularly hard on a lot of businesses, including the cafes. When I feel a little bit sorry for myself, I talk about it with family and friends. And then it’s just picking yourself back up and being positive again because at the end of the day, that load of little feathers that knock you down just makes you stronger. They really do.” 

See all the pictures in the issue.

This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 15 September 2023.