Stories from Serpentine & Surrounds

Stories from Serpentine & Surrounds Stories from Serpentine, Bears Lagoon, Powlett Plains, Jarklin, Fiery Flat and Sailsbury West.

A country pub is a pretty good place to hear what’s on people’s minds, and there’s usually no shortage of advice for any...
08/10/2026

A country pub is a pretty good place to hear what’s on people’s minds, and there’s usually no shortage of advice for anyone hoping to get elected.

Nationals candidate for Bendigo East, Andrew Lethlean, dropped into the Four Posts Hotel in Jarklin recently, catching up with Heidi and Adrian and giving the local favourite a plug.

A publican himself, Andrew knows the work that goes into keeping the doors open. His message was simple: country pubs are the heart and soul of their communities, and they need our support.

He’s also chasing a different kind of support this November as he contests Bendigo East, the seat Jacinta Allan has held since 1999.

With the former premier not seeking re-election, Labor’s Tim Rickwood will be trying to retain it for the party. It makes this election a significant changing of the guard, whoever wins.

For this visit, though, the spotlight was on Heidi, Adrian, and their little patch of Jarklin. Whatever your politics, keeping our country pubs ticking over is something plenty of us can get behind.

The Nationals' candidate for Bendigo East, Andrew Lethlean, has taken his state election campaign to Serpentine, meeting...
27/08/2026

The Nationals' candidate for Bendigo East, Andrew Lethlean, has taken his state election campaign to Serpentine, meeting residents over coffee at the Serpentine Roadhouse on Wednesday morning.

The informal gathering was promoted as having “no speeches” and “no formalities” – simply a chance for locals to meet the candidate and discuss their concerns.

“A big thank you to everyone who came along for a chat in Serpentine today,” Andrew reported following the visit.

“I heard some great stories, shared a few laughs, met some great characters, and gained a deeper understanding of the local issues affecting local people.”

“I also picked up some classic Roadhouse wisdom along the way.”

The Bendigo-born publican and business owner previously contested the federal seat of Bendigo for the Nationals in 2025, finishing less than 3,000 votes behind Labor MP Lisa Chesters after preferences.

The Bendigo East contest has been opened considerably by former premier Jacinta Allan’s decision not to seek re-election after representing the seat since 1999.

Labor is yet to announce its replacement candidate ahead of Victoria’s state election on 28 November.

Have any of you legends checked out the Four Posts Fig Tree Watering Hole in Jarklin? 🍺Sitting just north of Bears Lagoo...
18/04/2026

Have any of you legends checked out the Four Posts Fig Tree Watering Hole in Jarklin? 🍺

Sitting just north of Bears Lagoon and Serpentine – and not far from Inglewood, Wedderburn, Boort, Pyramid Hill, Lockington and Bendigo – it’s one of those proper rustic pub spots! 🌾

Woodfired pizzas, decent coffee, cold beer… yeah nah, sounds like a dangerous combo if you’ve got no self-control! 😆

They’ve done it up over the last few years too, so it’s not just a pub – more like a little community hangout with live music and trivia nights keeping things ticking along. ☺️

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