A Country Pub in the Heart of Sapphire Country

There aren't too many Australian pubs where you can spend the morning hunting for sapphires and the afternoon swapping stories over a cold drink.

Welcome to The New Royal Hotel in Rubyvale, right in the heart of Queensland's spectacular Sapphire Gemfields.

With its distinctive log-cabin appearance, leafy surrounds and relaxed country atmosphere, the New Royal is the kind of place that feels perfectly at home in a town built around prospectors, miners, fossickers and the dream of finding something extraordinary hiding beneath the ground.

The hotel offers a traditional pub, bistro, beer garden and accommodation, making it a great place for riders to stop for a meal or turn Rubyvale into an overnight destination.

💎 Welcome to Sapphire Country

Rubyvale sits within Queensland's famous Sapphire Gemfields, one of the largest sapphire-bearing areas in the world.

Sapphires were discovered in the wider Gemfields district at Retreat Creek in 1870, beginning a mining story that would eventually transform the region.

Rubyvale's own sapphire-mining history dates back to 1891, and generations of miners and fossickers have been searching the surrounding ground ever since.

Today the Sapphire Gemfields encompass Rubyvale, Sapphire, Anakie and Willows Gemfields — and visitors can still buy a fossicking licence, grab some equipment and try their luck finding a sapphire of their own.

You never know what might be hiding in that next bucket of dirt!

🍻 A Pub Full of Gemfields Characters

Part of the appeal of the New Royal isn't just the building — it's the people.

Rubyvale has attracted miners, fossickers, travellers and colourful characters for generations, and the pub remains a natural meeting place where locals and visitors can get together and share stories.

After a few hours digging through gravel looking for that elusive sapphire, a cold drink and a proper pub feed can look pretty good.

And if you want to stay a little longer, accommodation at the hotel makes it possible to park the bike for the night and spend more time exploring the Gemfields.

Things to See & Do

💎 Try Your Hand at Fossicking

You can't visit Rubyvale without at least considering having a crack at finding a sapphire.

The Gemfields offer several ways to experience fossicking, from guided experiences suitable for complete beginners through to heading out to designated fossicking areas with the appropriate licence and equipment.

Finding a valuable stone isn't guaranteed — but that's half the fun.

And if you do strike it lucky, you'll have one hell of a souvenir from your Great Aussie Pub Feed ride.

⛏️ Go Underground at Miners Heritage

One of Rubyvale's standout attractions is the Miners Heritage Walk-In Mine.

The attraction features an enormous underground sapphire mine where visitors can join a guided tour through approximately 440 metres of underground tunnels.

It's a fascinating opportunity to see how sapphire mining works and learn more about the miners who have spent generations searching beneath the Gemfields.

🏍️ Explore the Sapphire Gemfields

Rubyvale is only one part of the adventure.

Take some time to explore the surrounding communities of Sapphire, Anakie and Willows Gemfields, where mining claims, fossicking areas and remnants of the region's mining history are scattered throughout the landscape.

It's a part of Queensland that feels very different from the coast — rugged, relaxed and full of character.

🌅 Slow Down and Stay Awhile

One of the best things about the Gemfields is that there's no need to rush.

Park the bike, wander around town, talk to the locals, learn a little about sapphires and enjoy the atmosphere of a community where people still head out each morning hoping today might be the day they uncover something special.

Sometimes the best places on a motorcycle trip are the ones where you weren't planning to stay very long.

Did You Know?

Sapphire mining around Rubyvale dates back to 1891.

More than 130 years later, people are still coming to the district hoping to uncover their own piece of Queensland sapphire.

And you don't need to be a professional miner to join in — visitors can still try their hand at fossicking today.

Who knows?

Your Great Aussie Pub Feed ride might just pay for itself. 💎😉

📖 Add The New Royal Hotel to Your Great Aussie Pub Feed Passport

When you're exploring Queensland's Central Highlands, make sure The New Royal Hotel at Rubyvale is on the route.

Ride into the Gemfields, try your luck fossicking for a sapphire, head underground and discover some of the region's mining history before settling in at the pub for a well-earned feed and drink.

Then make sure you get your Great Aussie Pub Feed Passport stamped before heading off on the next adventure.

Because The Great Aussie Pub Feed isn't just about finding great country pubs.

It's about discovering the towns, people, history and unexpected places that make riding Australia so bloody good.

Every pub has a story. Every ride creates a memory.

🏍️ Ride • Eat • Explore • Support