The Strawberry has known many iterations over the years.

The Southern Cross Hotel, The Strawberry Hills Hotel and now known simply as The Strawberry – of all its faces and names, the venue has always been a pillar in Surry Hills. Originally built in 1871, The Southern Cross Hotel (as it was known at the time) was a hub for live music, fondly remembered for its live jazz as well as the punk music scene that grew its roots at the pub.

One look at the set lists that still linger in archives and old grunge-rock biographies will show you that The Strawberry has seen its fair share of underground shows.

From battle-of-the-bands nights to live jazz evenings, some form of music was always drifting down Elizabeth Street from the walls of The Strawberry. Bands like Lime Spiders, Tex Perkins, Olympic Sideburns, Screaming Tribesmen, Sunny Boys and The Triffids (just to name a few) played small, underground shows at The Strawberry when they were still finding their fame.

An Irish pub at its core, the venue still attracts patrons with thick accents and a penchant for a Guinness here and there – but has grown and transformed just as the suburb of Surry Hills has morphed to become what it is today.