Practical joker, challenge master and unlikely publican — meet our mate Norm Carl from Gerogery

Practical joker, challenge master and unlikely publican — meet our mate Norm Carl from Gerogery

Walk into the Gerogery Hotel and you’ll quickly realise it’s no ordinary country pub. The meals are massive. The banter's even bigger. And at the heart of it all? Norm Carl.

“I’m a part-time magician, amateur comedian, champion schnitzel crumber…and I’m a publican.”

Norm’s not your average pub owner — and that’s exactly the point.

Since taking over with his partner Lisa in 2021, he’s turned what started as a bit of a joke (“Do you reckon I’d make a good publican?”) into something special — a beloved local watering hole, a social media sensation and a destination people go out of their way to visit.

A pub with personality (and a Parmisaurus challenge)

Scroll through the Gerogery Hotel’s Facebook page for a goldmine of videos with Norm’s signature humour and punters giving it their all in towering food challenges. From the infamous Bogan Burger to the Parmisaurus and the 1kg rump steak, these challenge meals have become the stuff of local legend — even if most end in the ‘fail box’. (A badge of honour in its own right.)

You’ll spot plenty of familiar faces, too. Some are locals. Others have driven in from big cities or small towns, but no matter how far they’ve come, Norm makes one thing clear:

“When they come here, they're not a visitor, they're not a guest. They're part of the family.”

That’s what makes the Gerogery Hotel easily one of the most talked-about pubs in The Murray. And the moment Norm realised just how far that reputation had spread?

“We were on the train to Kuranda [near Cairns in Far North Queensland] and a few seats back I heard a lady ask another where she’s from. She said ‘I’m from Yackandandah.’ My ears pricked up — that’s just down the road. I spun around and said, ‘Oh, we’re from near Albury as well…Gerogery.’ And she goes, ‘Oh, Gerogery — you’ve got a great little pub there.’ I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, we do.’ Then she asked what I do for a living and I said, ‘I’m the publican.’ That was amazing.”

Not bad for a bloke who bought the place on a whim.

From practical joker to publican

Norm never planned on running a pub. He was working as a manufacturing manager at a plywood factory when the Black Summer bushfires hit the region and disrupted the timber supply. A long-distance relationship, a lockdown project launching The Riverina Hamper Co, and a bit of serendipity later…the pub idea emerged.

“I wouldn't have considered myself a publican, more a bit of a practical joker…but it's been an amazing experience.”

From day one, Norm set out to make the Gerogery Hotel more than just a quiet watering hole for the local village. He also made a clear choice — no pokies. Without the typical gaming revenue, he pours his energy into more creative pursuits to keep the pub alive and create a place where people want to gather, from regular events to challenge meals.

“I like to make things happen. When I open the door, I'm trying to do something different to bring people in and make things a bit fun…it's not a pub; it's an entertainment venue.”

He’s not one to sit still, either. The pub has grown to include a café, Café at the G-Rodge, and a range of pies under the Big Dog Pies label.

“I had one of the girls say to me one day, ‘Norm, we’ve got too much on the menu, we need to cut it down’. I said righto, grab a seat, let’s work out what we’re going to take off. We took three items off the menu that day… very proud. Not so proud of the fact that I added 18.”

Why The Murray feels like home

Originally from Sydney and growing up in Queensland (with a short stint in nearby Jindera along the way), Norm says coming back to this part of the world always felt like a homecoming.

“I’d come down here by bus and as soon as we’d get here…I’d look at the stones in the paddocks, the trees the way they were, the way people talked. It feels like home.”

It wasn’t until more recently that Norm realised just how much the region has to offer — not just in Gerogery, but all around it. The village is within easy reach of towns like Holbrook, Culcairn and Walla Walla, and just 20 minutes north of Albury Wodonga. From here, it’s a short drive to explore both The Murray and the neighbouring Riverina.

“You could stay here for literally two weeks and you wouldn't have one single day the same…you can go to a winery, you can go to a brewery, you can go to a cheese factory. You can spend the day on a paddlesteamer and then shoot off to the snow. Where else in our country can you do that? It's an amazing place.”

His tip? Don’t rush.

“All these towns dotted around here are amazing…just jump in a car, drive around, and explore.”

And if you're looking for a scenic stop-off? “Go to Morgan’s Lookout at Walla, that's amazing up there!”

A mate worth meeting

“You don’t need to live somewhere to be a local — you just need to contribute to a community.”

Whether that’s pulling a beer, running a game of G-Joker or just sharing a laugh, Norm’s the kind of person who makes you feel like you belong.

The next time you’re on the Olympic Highway — or looking for an excuse to leave the Hume — stop in Gerogery. Come hungry, bring your sense of humour and say g’day.

Explore more of Gerogery and the surrounding area

This blog is part of the latest season in our Mates of The Murray series — a celebration of the people at the heart of our region. We’re spotlighting local operators whose passion, creativity and everyday efforts help shape The Murray, not just as a place to visit, but as a place to belong. It’s not about events or must-see spots. It’s about people, stories and the connections that tie our region together.

Follow along on Facebook and Instagram to meet more of our mates or subscribe to our emails for more stories from across The Murray.