Our Story

It All Began In 1872

And our tale is still being written today! The story of how Lambys Tavern came to be is one steeped deep in the fabric of Geelong’s history: with twists & turns, lots of wool, a friendly ghost and perhaps a couple of sneaky drinks in between!

Lambys Tavern currently occupy the basement level within the now heritage-listed National Wool Museum building, a pinnacle of architectural innovation when it opened on August 1st 1872. By 1875, it was taken over by Dennys Lascelles & Co. and utilised as a wool warehouse, the first building in Victoria planned to facilitate storage, inspection and marketing of wool and became the second largest store in the colony. The wool industry was booming and Geelong was on top of the world!

A railway system powered by horse and cart ran through the now Lambys Tavern all the way to Cunningham Pier where the product was then shipped internationally. It is rumoured that the rail tracks are still there under Brougham Street…how awesome is that?!

After the regions wool production slowed down, we jumped at the chance to take over a part of the building.

In January 2001, Lambys Tavern (as it is today) was born.

The rest as they say, is history!

Any heritage building comes with its own unique character, and shortly after the takeover and establishment of the Tavern, our very own Lambys ghost became our most loyal guest. From time to time someone will catch a glimpse of him wandering the empty dance floor and being its spooky self …but its friendly we promise. Just one of the crew! The venue also began building a strong reputation for providing awesome nights out, hosting local and international entertainment, thousands of celebrations and serving up our fair share of drinks at the bar over the years.

So there you have it, from a dirt-floored warehouse storing sheep skin to an iconic and long standing venue in the Geelong CBD, it’s been a wild ride to say the least! We look forward to generations of people in our region and beyond continuing the tradition that is a Lambys Sesh and striving to remain Geelong’s favourite late night venue.