Qirkz in the Hunter

30/08/2026

Bowie fans - don’t miss this show next Saturday evening at Qirkz in the Hunter!!!

21/08/2026

Tickets on sale now!

20/08/2026

Unfortunately show​s ​are getting cancelled​ due to lack of ticket sales so please ❗book your tickets early❗ to ensure show​s go ahead​. These are really hard times for musicians, festivals and venues so without the confidence of good pre-sales gigs may not ​happen.

Waiting to see if people show up on the night is just not ​always an option ​anymore so please book your tickets in advance to Support Live Music.

18/08/2026

18/08/2026

Over the 4 years we’ve been running QIRKZ, one of the great joys has been discovering just how much extraordinary musical talent exists right here in our own backyard.

Every now and then, someone comes along who really knocks our socks off.

John Parker is one of those people.

John is a remarkable songwriter.
A genuinely remarkable songwriter.
He has mastered that beautiful Australian tradition of telling a story through a song, and what makes his work even more special is that his stories are ours.

He writes about growing up in Kurri Kurri, about life around Abermain and Cessnock, about the people, places and experiences that make this part of the world what it is. His songs are moving, wonderfully observed and instantly relatable. They have a distinctly Australian voice, but more than that, they have a distinctly local voice.

And somehow, John does all of this without a hint of self-importance. There’s no grandstanding. No sense that he’s trying to impress you. He just picks up his guitar and tells you a story, and before you know it, you’re sitting there completely absorbed, feeling like you’ve been invited into his lounge room.

We honestly think this man deserves to be heard far far beyond the Hunter Valley. His songwriting is that good.

So we’re particularly excited to welcome John Parker to the very intimate setting of QIRKZ Cafe.

And when we say intimate, we mean it.
We can fit a maximum of just 25 people in the room.

So if you’d like to discover one of the Hunter’s truly exceptional songwriters, we’d suggest getting in early.

We can’t wait to welcome this wonderful man back to Qirkz in the Hunter.

13/08/2026

The Denman Hotel, Abermain — A Piece of Local History

The Denman Hotel stands at 141 Cessnock Road, Abermain, on the corner of Alfred Street.

It is recognised as a local heritage item under the Cessnock Local Environmental Plan.

The hotel dates from the early 20th century. Historical records identify architect James Warren Scobie in connection with the building and place its construction around 1912–1913.

The original building was considerably larger than the structure seen today. It was built as a three-storey hotel, with the third floor later removed in the late 1960s.

Records also show that a Denman Hotel was operating at Abermain by 1912, making it part of the area’s history for more than a century.

The building is an important reminder of Abermain’s development during the period when the Hunter coalfields were growing and local hotels played an important role in community life.

Today, the Denman Hotel remains a recognisable part of Abermain’s historic streetscape and is a tangible link to the area’s past.

More than just an old pub — it’s part of Abermain’s story.

13/08/2026

Bowie fans - this one’s for you!!!

Click for tix and reviews!

12/08/2026

Do you love to read?
Come talk about what you’ve been reading with some lovely friendly likeminded folk!

Last week’s QIRKZ Book Club was postponed - so today’s the day! See you 1030am for a chat over a Di Lorenzo Coffee!

📚☕️

11/08/2026

❗Sara Storer❗remains a treasured voice of the Australian heartland—a storyteller whose songs endure because they're crafted with truth, passion, and an unshakable love for the land she calls home.

Catch her at one of these great venues:
OCT 29 🎟 Royal Hotel Queanbeyan 👉 https://tinyurl.com/5h2s4v4a
OCT 31 🎟 Qirkz in the Hunter 👉 https://www.stickytickets.com.au/T8U8DW
NOV 1 🎟 The Brass Monkey Cronulla 👉 https://tinyurl.com/2fn3bwwc

06/08/2026