As the coronavirus lockdown eases across Australia, one brewer decided Wednesday the best way to get things moving again in the outback was to send free beer for pubs to disperse amongst their parched patrons. Lots of it.
In the state of Queensland, the iconic XXXX brewery has donated 60 kegs of the amber nectar to bush pubs and social clubs hit hard by the combination of the drought and coronavirus lockdown, the Australian reports.
“[It] will be travelling out west, over thousands of kilometres, going of course to places like Blackall, Barcaldine, Ilfracombe, Longreach — the list is endless,” Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.
“I’m quite sure there is going to be a lot of happy patrons, a lot of happy families.”
From Saturday, outback pubs will be able to welcome 20 dine-in patrons, while those across the rest of Queensland can welcome ten, according to the Australian.
The XXXX despatch comes just days after Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison authorized emergency beer convoys to aid in the national recovery, as Breitbart News reported.
“I understand there’s a whole bunch of kegs on their way to Darwin as we speak, running up the highway — much eagerly anticipated, I’m sure,” Morrison told media in Canberra announcing the move.
On Thursday, Northern Territory chief minister Michael Gunner welcomed the first shipment of 40,000 gallons of “the good stuff” with the promise of more to come.
“The beers are here and the jobs are back,” Gunner said at a press conference surrounded by some freshly delivered supplies.
Meanwhile, Australia’s coronavirus death toll reached 98 on Wednesday after an 81-year-old passenger on the Ruby Princess died in NSW.
It’s the 22nd death from the coronavirus-plagued cruise ship.
Nearly 7000 people in Australia have contracted the disease to date but there are fewer than 740 active cases.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.