A stray cat tiptoes through shattered glass and inside the burnt-out shell of the old Robinvale Hotel.
The only pub in the town of 8,000 people burnt down in 2015 and since then has sat gutted and derelict in prime real estate in the main square.
Robinvale, which is an hour south-east of Mildura, is believed to be the largest town in Australia without a pub.
Robinvale Euston Business Association president Julieanne Loy said it was an eyesore.
“Everyone I have spoken to hates looking at it,” she said.
“It’s disappointing and heart-breaking.
“It’s just awful that an icon of the town is not appreciated by its current owners.”
Ms Loy said it was preventing prospective shoppers from visiting other retail outlets on the street.
“In my opinion, having it on the main street does take away the appeal of people investing in our town,” she said.
“Who do you know that likes the look of a burnt-down, broken-windowed building right in the thick of where people come to shop?”
ABC News: Emile Pavlich
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Council’s options ‘limited’
In 2020, Swan Hill Rural City Council’s then chief executive said in a statement that the local government was limited to doing what it could in terms of demolishing or rebuilding the property.
In August this year, a group of local business owners wrote to the council, drawing its attention to the “unsatisfactory” standard of the local retail and business district.
“The hotel has stood in ruins for an unacceptably long period of time,” it said.
Swan Hill Rural City Council director of development and planning Heather Green said the council was doing everything it could to address the issue.
“I sympathise, and council does, with the community wanting that site redeveloped and open for business,” Ms Green said.
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She said the local government kept an eye on the sight in terms of safety by deploying a building surveyor.
“On a number of occasions [the building surveyor] has required the owners to take action to make things safe, [but] it only has to be made safe,” she said.
“It’s not at the stage of requiring demolition.”
Ms Green said the Robinvale Hotel was an “iconic building” and it was hoped it could be open for business again in future.
The pub was sold in 2016 to a private investor. The ABC has sought comment.
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Once a popular night spot
John Neal is a retired teacher who has lived in Robinvale since 1976.
He said before the fire it was a major feature of the town.
“The architecture of the facade looked very, very impressive, especially with the tall palm trees around it,” he said.
“When it was destroyed by the fire, a lot of people had very sentimental attachments to that building.
“The main use back in the late 70s, early 80s, was the beer garden, [which] was very popular and quite often, local bands would perform live music there.”
Mr Neal said there was a number of places to have hot meal and a drink in town, so Robinvale was not losing a lot by not having a pub.
He said the tavern at the motel and the local golf club were popular spots.
“But it would be good to have a hotel, especially for visitors,” he said.
“My personal opinion is to build a nice modern pub there.”
Across Victoria, smaller towns such as Lockington, Sea Lake and Dingee are being bought out by community members keen to see local ownership of community assets.
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