Lord Exmouth Hotel

The year was 1977 when a young family, Graham and Barbara Cox, with their children Sean and Donna, took over as publicans of the Lord Exmouth Hotel, located at Exeter/Semaphore.

The Lord Exmouth Hotel, known as ‘The Monkey House’, had hundreds of stuffed monkeys dangling from the ceiling and bars. People from all over the world come to look at the monkeys, taking photos and embracing an old pub with good old fashioned charm.

The Lord Exmouth Hotel is a small corner pub, located one street back from Semaphore Road and Glanville Train Station.

Graham and Barb have since become ‘living history’ when it came to being publicans. Certainly up there with the longest serving publicans at the one establishment. Graham acknowledges it’s a great achievement.

45 years in the business cannot be achieved without a brilliant wingman, and Graham’s wingman is his wonderful wife, Barbara Ann. Barbara does a lot of behind the scenes work and the customers adore her.

Graham discovered the pub in the 1950s as a young boy selling newspapers to all the local pubs at Semaphore. Little did he know that 20 years later he would be the publican.

Graham said he had seen enormous change in the past 45 years.

In the early days, when the bar would open at 6am, it would be full by 7am with wharfies who would stop in for a rum or a couple of pints on their way to work.

Graham said, “He would do a day’s trade before midday.”

The family lived upstairs and Donna recalls getting ready for school, the juke box on full volume at 6am. “Dad (Graham) would be working, we would go behind the bar, give him a kiss goodbye whilst the customers would be drinking, dancing, doing shots, and calling out ‘have a great day at school’.”

These days, the bar opens from 11am. The locals pop in for a drink and a chat about the footy, horse racing and banter.

The hotel hosts live music every Sunday, it’s an instant party with people from all over Adelaide enjoying the tunes. The building dates back to 1859, it has excellent acoustics.

“Our ‘feel at home’ beer garden is incredible. We have upgraded this space over the years and the locals appreciate the serenity.”

The hotel is described as a ‘country hotel in the city’ with an electric and lively history.

Movie producers love pubs that are old school, hence the Lord Exmouth Hotel has been in so many movies, including: The Territorian, Australian Rules, Wolf Creek and Stateless.

“45 years is a long time in the hospitality business, 1977 changed my life, my family’s life, we love it, I wouldn’t change a thing,” said Graham.

Graham and Barbara Cox with children Sean and Donna.

Wolf Creek actor, John Jarrett, with Donna Cox.

Graham Cox enjoying a game of footy.

Graham and Barbara Cox with children Sean and Donna.