Carringbush Hotel: History, Closure, and Context of Australia’s Oldest Pubs

The Carringbush Hotel, a Melbourne pub that began life in 1889 as the Friendly Societies Hotel, closed its doors in June 2024 after 135 years of continuous operation. The shutdown followed the liquidation of its operating company, FNB Hotel Pty Ltd, which went into administration on 4 June 2024 citing excessive costs. This article traces the pub’s full history – from a meeting place for fraternal orders to a vegan‑focused sustainability venue – and explains what its closure means for Melbourne’s historic pub landscape.

Last checked: 2026-06-08

Name: The Carringbush Hotel · Address: 228 Langridge St, Abbotsford VIC 3067 · Phone: +61 3 9191 0149 · Photos on Yelp: 29 · Status: Closed (as of June 2024) · Debt at closure: AUD

The Carringbush Hotel, a Melbourne pub that began life in 1889 as the Friendly Societies Hotel, closed its doors in June 2024 after 135 years of continuous operation. The shutdown followed the liquidation of its operating company, FNB Hotel Pty Ltd, which went into administration on 4 June 2024 citing excessive costs. This article traces the pub’s full history – from a meeting place for fraternal orders to a vegan‑focused sustainability venue – and explains what its closure means for Melbourne’s historic pub landscape.

What is the oldest hotel in Australia?

The oldest continuously operating hotel in Australia is generally considered to be the Bush Inn in New Norfolk, Tasmania, which received its licence in 1815. The Carringbush Hotel, while not a contender for that title, occupies a significant place in Melbourne’s own history. Its Langridge Street site was first licensed as the Langridge Family Hotel around 1869–1870, making the continuous hotel use on that corner more than 150 years old (Collingwood Historical Society).

The building that stands today was built in 1889 as the Friendly Societies Hotel and retains much of its Victorian character. The implication: The Carringbush was never Australia’s oldest, but its 135‑year run as a single named pub is exceptional by any standard.

The Carringbush Hotel in context

Melbourne’s inner north has many historic hotels, but few have undergone such a dramatic identity shift. The Carringbush began as a meeting place for Freemasons and friendly societies – the name “Friendly Societies Hotel” is still visible on the facade (Lodge Devotion).

Other contenders for the title

Besides the Bush Inn, other early Australian hotels include the Duke of Wellington Hotel in Hobart (licensed 1851) and the Ship Inn in Sydney. The Carringbush’s 1889 opening places it well outside the oldest‑hotel discussion, but its unbroken operation until 2024 is notable.

What is one of Australia’s oldest hotels 1851?

Several hotels licensed in 1851 still operate, notably the Duke of Wellington Hotel in Hobart and the Terminus Hotel in Sydney. The Carringbush Hotel, built 1889, is younger by nearly four decades. However, its predecessor on the site – the Langridge Family Hotel – was already running by 1870 (Collingwood Historical Society).

The 1851 Hotel in question

When travellers ask about hotels from 1851, they are typically referring to the gold‑rush era establishments that sprang up during Victoria’s boom. The Carringbush’s story starts later, in the 1880s, but it belongs to the same tradition of family‑run inner‑suburban pubs that defined Melbourne’s social life.

Carringbush Hotel’s 1889 opening

The current building was constructed in 1889 as the Friendly Societies Hotel (The Local Project). It was built to accommodate the fraternal lodges that met on the premises – a function it served until at least 1928, when many lodges moved to the Collingwood Masonic Centre in Gipps Street (Lodge Devotion).

Why this matters: The 1889 building is the physical anchor of the Carringbush’s identity, and its heritage facade remains largely intact – a rare survival in a rapidly redeveloping inner suburb.

What is the longest running pub in Australia?

The longest continuously operating pub is again the Bush Inn (1815–present). The Carringbush Hotel’s 135‑year run under two names is among the longest for a single licensed site in Melbourne. The Collingwood Historical Society records hotel use on the Langridge Street corner dating from 1869–1870, meaning the site has housed a hotel for more than 150 years (Collingwood Historical Society).

Continuous operation records

Unbroken operation is notoriously hard to prove for old pubs. The Carringbush’s closure in 2024 ended a 135‑year continuous run under the same building, though the business itself had changed hands multiple times. The most recent operator, FNB Hotel Pty Ltd, took over around 2018 and ran the pub until its liquidation (Collingwood Historical Society).

Carringbush’s 135‑year run ended in 2024

The closure of the Carringbush marks the end of an era for Abbotsford. It was one of the last remaining 19th‑century corner pubs in the neighbourhood that had not been converted to apartments or offices. The bottom line: While not the longest‑running pub in Australia, the Carringbush was a remarkable survivor.

What is Australia’s largest pub?

Australia’s largest pub by floor area could be the Duke of Wellington Hotel in Hobart or the Regent Theatre‑adjacent hotel in Sydney. The Carringbush Hotel was a modest corner pub – it never claimed to be among the largest. Its significance lies in its history and community role, not its size.

Size comparisons

The Carringbush occupied a single Victorian‑era corner site with a ground‑floor bar and upper floors later adapted for a fashion showroom and private residence (The Local Project). By Melbourne standards, it was a medium‑sized local pub.

Carringbush Hotel was not among the largest

But its compact size and neighbourhood focus were precisely what made it beloved. Regulars appreciated the “lighter and brighter” interior after the 2019 renovation, while the all‑vegetarian menu attracted a new crowd (PBS FM).

Location: Abbotsford, Melbourne

The Carringbush Hotel sits at 226–228 Langridge Street, on the corner of Langridge and Hoddle Streets in Abbotsford, an inner‑north suburb of Melbourne. The address is less than a 15‑minute walk from Victoria Park railway station and a short tram ride from the city centre. The neighbourhood is a mix of residential terraces, industrial conversions, and new apartment blocks.

Public transport options include the #12 and #109 trams along Hoddle Street, and several bus routes serving Johnston Street. For drivers, street parking is limited and metered.

Alternatives: Historic pubs still operating

For readers interested in the experience of a historic Melbourne pub, the Albert Park Hotel offers a similar heritage atmosphere and is still trading. In Adelaide, the Grace Emily Hotel provides another example of a character‑filled pub with live music and a colourful past. Neither is a direct replacement for the Carringbush’s unique fraternal history and vegan menu, but both preserve the corner‑pub spirit.

Timeline: Key dates in the Carringbush Hotel’s history

• c. 1869–1870 – Hotel use begins on the Langridge Street corner as the Langridge Family Hotel (Collingwood Historical Society)
• 1870–1889 – The premises trade as the Langridge Family Hotel
• 1889 – The current building is constructed and the hotel is renamed the Friendly Societies Hotel (The Local Project)
• 1984 – The Friendly Societies Hotel is renamed the Carringbush Hotel, inspired by Frank Hardy’s novel Power Without Glory (Collingwood Historical Society)
• c. 2018 – FNB Hotel Pty Ltd takes over the operating lease
• 2019 – The pub is renovated and relaunched as a vegan/vegetarian venue (PBS FM)
• 2021 – DesignOffice’s adaptive reuse of the upper floors is recognised in the Victorian Architecture Awards (Australian Institute of Architects)
• 4 June 2024 – FNB Hotel Pty Ltd enters liquidation (Collingwood Historical Society)
• June 2024 – The Carringbush Hotel ceases operating as a hotel