Inverell hospitality venue The Welder’s Dog will farewell its current name at the end of the year, re-emerging in 2026 as Rouseabout, in a rebrand owners James and Phoebe Croft say reflects both their roots and the direction the business has taken over time.
The couple took over the venue three years ago after purchasing the Inverell operation from family.
“We bought The Welder’s Dog Inverell off my brother and his business partner, who had run it for about a year,” Mr Croft said.
“Phoebe and I wanted to get back to Inverell, because we both grew up here, and this turned out to be a great opportunity.”
Since then, the venue, which operates from the historic Oxford Hotel building, has evolved beyond its original brief as a craft beer bar.
“We’ve been running for three years and feeling fairly established in the town,” Mr Croft said. “Now we’re thinking into the future and wanting to build our own brand.”
“We have found that, there’s a demand for mainstream beer as well as the craft offering. We do a lot of specialty drinks like cocktails and spirits and have a big range including a gin wall which is popular. We don’t have any gaming or screens either, so that’s a big thing.”
“We are also using a built-in food truck as our kitchen now, and have three separate seating areas, the front bar, the back bar, and a function room
Mrs Croft explained that while the venue has traded under The Welder’s Dog name, the Inverell operators did not own the brand itself.
“We were sort of like an official franchise, but both The Welder’s Dog and we agreed that we’d developed into our own unique offering with all the events and initiatives we do,” she said.
The decision to rebrand came from a desire to reflect that individuality and long-term commitment to the venue.
“We thought we might as well own the brand for as long as we’re at our current venue,” Mr Croft said.
The new name, Rouseabout, draws on the couple’s personal history and the agricultural identity of the region.
“We both grew up around sheep,” Mrs Croft said. “That connection is really strong for us.”
She said the name was inspired by childhood experiences during shearing season, helping on family properties, and being immersed in rural life.
“It’s definitely a nod to our childhoods,” she said. “I guess that’s where it was born.”
Mrs Croft said the response from locals since teasers about the rebrand began appearing online had been overwhelming.
“Before we announced it was a rebrand, a lot of people were really worried we were closing or leaving,” she said. “That was really touching.”
“Our final night of trade as The Welder’s Dog will be New Year’s Eve. We’re having a big New Year’s rebrand party.”
She said the event would feature live music before the venue briefly closes to complete the rebrand ahead of reopening in the new year.
Looking ahead, the Crofts say their focus remains firmly on Inverell.
“We wanted to get back to Inverell because we both grew up here,” Mr Croft said.
“We’re not going anywhere.”
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