Dive into the heart of the Goulburn Valley’s culinary scene with Jan and Paul Phillips. Every Friday, the pair will serve our readers with their knowledge of our communities’ restaurants, cafés and pubs — one plate at a time.
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Walking into the Colbo Pub feels like stepping into a warm, welcoming lounge room.
With friendly local staff and the ever-hospitable publican Julie Wright, a proud Colbo local, the atmosphere wraps around you like a country hug.
Julie has that special spark that makes small-town pubs not just survive, but thrive.
My admiration for Julie goes back a long way, well before renovations and heated toilet seats became part of the Colbo experience.
Julie was married to my cousin Michael, so our connection is both personal and long-standing.
These days, she and Maryanne Morgan form the dynamic duo behind the pub, and between our two families, the ties are so intertwined we could use a whiteboard and a marker to map it all out.
Let me try, and I am sure to miss something important: Julie (Morgan) Cobbledick once shared a house with Paul.
I worked with Sadie and Maryanne, and over the years have come to know and love the wider Morgan clan.
Toot and Kate Morgan — legends in their own right — are the proud parents of Ned, who once saved our dear friend John Head’s life using CPR he’d learned.
(Ned, you’re a hero — and yes, we’ll keep reminding you every time we see you at the pub. Beers are on us.)
Our children have shared houses, our families have shared celebrations, and the re-emergence of the Colbo Pub has been another joyful chapter in this shared history.
It’s been 10 years since Julie and Maryanne rolled up their sleeves and brought the Colbo Pub back to life.
With Maryanne and her partner Barry as owners, and Julie as their fearless business partner, they bought the old place, gave it a serious revamp and reopened its doors as what is now a regional icon.
Together, they’ve stitched a beautiful patchwork of community, great food, local wine, and good times.
In many rural towns, the pub is more than just a venue — it’s the heart and soul of the community.
The Colbo Pub is exactly that.
The Morgans and the Wrights, both long-standing Colbinabbin families, have created something deeply special.
From our home in Shepparton, we’ve loved watching them breathe new life into the building — and into the town itself.
They’ve created a legacy that will no doubt last for generations.
And Colbo’s location couldn’t be more perfect, just 74km from Shepparton, and within easy reach of Kyabram, Echuca, Bendigo and Heathcote.
It’s the ideal spot for a weekend getaway, a community event, or an ideal lunch stop with friends.
The pub itself is a beautifully restored 100-year-old gem in the heart of the Heathcote wine region.
It blends old-world charm with modern touches (did I mention the heated toilet seats?) and offers cosy accommodation, a relaxed and friendly bar and mouth-watering dining.
Outside, you’ll find postcard views of the Colbinabbin silo art, and inside, a vibrant community energy that makes you feel instantly at home.
There are three spacious family-sized motel units, perfect for a weekend away with friends or extended family.
For travellers, there are powered caravan sites out the back.
The pub features a wonderful selection of local Heathcote wines, and the food — made with fresh, local produce — is seriously worth the drive.
While we were there, we met the Cooks from Bacchus Marsh, who had parked their motorhome out back and decided to stay after hearing great things about the town, the pub and the food.
They weren’t disappointed.
And this being regional Victoria, of course, we discovered we had a connection: they knew both my family and Paul’s uncle from Bacchus Marsh.
Beyond being a fantastic place to eat and stay, the Colbo Pub is a thriving community hub.
Local groups regularly gather here.
There’s “Mums and Bubs” on the first and third Thursdays, Cornella Care coffee and cake catchups, Pub Choir on Monday nights, Soup and Scrabble, Joker Poker, and “Pub Stickers” — a creative fundraising effort with proceeds going to the local football, netball and bowls clubs.
It’s also a beautiful venue for private events.
There are 16 guests booked in for Maryanne’s birthday celebration this Saturday.
The meal we had was phenomenal.
The lamb shank was melt-in-your-mouth tender, served with perfectly steamed vegetables.
The Greek parmigiana came with a fresh, crisp salad.
And the servings?
Let’s just say we left feeling very satisfied, food comas all around.
The Colbo Pub is more than just a pub.
It’s a meeting place, a celebration space, a lifeline for locals and a warm welcome for travellers.
It’s a shining example of everything that’s good about rural hospitality served up with heart, history and a little bit of magic.
Food pricing for the Colbo Pub rated by Jan and Paul: $$
(Expensive $$$, moderate $$, good value $).
Every bite tells a story