Ned Kelly, new owner of Narooma’s hotel with the million dollar view. Photo: Marion Williams.
Narooma has once again caught the eye of a well-known hotelier from out of town, captured his heart and lightened his wallet.
It was love at first sight – even though the pub was closed – when Rodney “Ned” Kelly first laid eyes on the Narooma Hotel. He is so chuffed he came out on top after extremely competitive bidding for the informally named Million Dollar View Hotel.
Mr Kelly is in good company. Five minutes’ walk along the road is Lynch’s, which pub baron Justin Hemmes snapped up in March 2022.
After getting the keys to his new pub just four weeks ago, Mr Kelly is finding it difficult to stay away. Fortunately, his other pub, Kelly’s Irish Pub in Mudgee, is well-established. It does not require his undivided attention while he focuses on “nestling into Narooma”.
Variously described as a “maverick”, “highly regarded” and “well known and experienced”, Mr Kelly has been in the industry all his life.
“I left school and needed money to buy a beer, so I poured beer,” he said. “Next thing I was doing two shifts, then I was manager and then running the hotel. I was lucky enough to get an opportunistic lease on a pub in Redfern.”
It was a far cry from the country town of Bowral where he grew up.
What followed was years of astute acquisitions and sales of hotels up and down the state. At its peak, Kelly & Co Hotels’ portfolio held 12 hotels. Over time he sold down the portfolio and settled down in Mudgee.
Ned Kelly with team member Lexus. Photo: Marion Williams.
Until late last year.
“I was on a motorbike trip with some mates in the alps and came out at Eden,” Mr Kelly said.
He received a call about a pub on the NSW North Coast. When he said he was in the Far South Coast, he learnt about the Narooma pub.
“It was the moment I saw it,” Mr Kelly said. “I thought if you don’t have a crack at this it will haunt you forever.”
He spent the summer camping at Brou Lake being the “mystery shopper”.
“I just fell in love with the place, not just the view, but the people,” he said.
It is early days yet but two of his first jobs will be moving the kitchen and some “architectural tricks” so that more patrons can enjoy the breathtaking views over Wagonga Inlet, plus championing the local produce, particularly oysters and other seafood.
Mr Kelly is also pondering the pub’s name.
At one stage it was called O’Briens and the last publicans were Matthew and Liam Sweeney. Given Mr Kelly’s ancestry and with Lynch’s down the road it is possible that Narooma’s pubs could continue their long Irish lineage.
“I will give a lot of weight to what the locals call it,” Mr Kelly said. “I might just be the next Irish publican in line.”
The pub with the best view in Narooma. Photo: Supplied.
Many hospitality businesses struggle to get staff because there is no housing available. Mr Kelly has six Irish lasses living in the Mudgee pub, but it is a particular challenge housing staff in Narooma where accommodation is so expensive.
“It may involve a development application (DA) and putting in staff accommodation,” he said. “Once I get the lay of the land maybe put out the word that I want to house six to eight staff over the summer.”
On a motorbike trip from Port Augusta to Darwin he noticed virtually all pub staff were overseas backpackers.
He will also be looking at ways to get involved with the community other than supporting local producers by showcasing their produce in the pub’s kitchen.
There has been strong interest in South Coast pubs with Sydney pub baron Glenn Piper buying Bermagui Beach Hotel in June 2025 and Sydney-based Lyon Group buying Eden’s Hotel Australasia in January 2025. Moruya Waterfront Hotel Motel is currently on the market.
“My personal view is, one former premier said we have to stop people turning left when they leave Sydney Airport,” Mr Kelly said. “It started in places like Byron Bay and Noosa, but the coast north of Newcastle is a little bit generic whereas all these towns have their own different character.”
So, what will the pub be like with Mr Kelly at the helm?
“Someone said to me each pub bleeds the owner’s character. He said Justin Hemmes’ Lynch’s would be Peroni and mine would be Carlton Draught.”
