Community
30 November, 2025
Hundreds celebrate anniversary of iconic pub
Hundreds of people turned out to help The George IV in Picton celebrate its 190th anniversary on Saturday.
Hundreds of people turned out to help The George IV in Picton celebrate its 190th anniversary on Saturday.
The George IV is considered one of the state’s most iconic hotels and has long held a very proud place in the history of Picton and the Wollondilly.
It was an anniversary that nearly didn’t come about after the hotel was devastated by floods in 2016.
Many people feared the pub would never open again.
Saturday’s celebrations were a family affair early in the day but more than 600 people partied into the night to live music presented by Out West Country Events.
Pub owner Ross Robinson said 2016 had been a “pretty bad time” for Picton and acknowledged the pub was “wrecked” when he purchased it with friend Adam Cryer.
It has since been restored to its former glory and has resumed its place in Wollondilly’s public life.
“It’s such an important venue for so many people,” Mr Robinson said.
He described The George IV as Picton’s “heartbeat” and said there would be few other pubs in Australia that could boast such a long and proud history.
Member for Wollondilly Judy Hannan said ‘The George’ had been an important part of Picton’s history almost from the very beginning.
She said it had helped hold the community together “through good times and bad times”.
The building itself, she said, was “a living piece of history”.
Mrs Hannan said the resilience of the pub reflected the resilience of the Picton community.
Wollondilly mayor Matt Gould said The George IV was part of the ‘rhythm’ of Wollondilly and had been a rare constant in times of rapid change.
“It’s not just an old building – it’s part of who we are,” he said.
Cr Gould described it as a “Wollondilly icon” and “part of the fabric of our community”.
Read More: Picton, Wollondilly