Outback Middleton Hotel gets new lease on life as next generation takes over

A changing of the guard at the famous Middleton Hotel has seen a population boom in the remote Queensland outpost, from two to four. But one thing convinced him to give up his life of mustering cattle, earthmoving, mining opals and flying choppers to take on the old pub in the "middle of nowhere". "It's the busiest season I've seen in 16 years here," Stoney said. "Here's this pub in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by vast Mitchell grass plains," Ben said. "It's a touch of the western Queensland lifestyle really, for tourists who pull up there to see this couple running a pub and running cattle."