Back in 2009 the now defunct satirical news website The Punch named Kambah as one of the nation's most bogan suburbs.
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"Kambah is quite a charming suburb where I spent large parts of my youth getting pissed in parks," wrote the anonymous author.
"But given the number of V8 Falcons on the nature strip, wandering terrier dogs and the enormous size of the local Burns Club and indoor cricket centre it is Canberra's booner capital."
Without wanting to go too deep into the bogan v booner classification, I'm told - by someone who grew up in the suburb (but denies being the above anonymous author) - the people of Kambah are and always will be booners.
And now, the new owners of the Kambah Inn want the residents of Australia's largest suburb - at last count there were 15,670 of them - to know everyone is welcome - even the booners.
Tom Reaby and his business partner Dean Crowe bought the pub for $3 million midway through 2023 and have given the pub a new lease of life.
Reaby doesn't really want to use the word "gentrification", but not a lot had changed since the 1970s when they got the keys, he says.
You might not notice when you first walk in, nothing much has changed on the outside and the front bar takes you straight back to the '70s. There's a TAB point in one corner, some pool tables lit by over-hanging Jack Daniels sponsored lights, a jukebox that's seen better days, a few regulars having a drink at 11am.
But head down the left of the front bar and you'll begin noticing some changes. The old Chinese restaurant has gone, dark timber tables and booths line one side, further on the Prospect Eatery is offering breakfast, lunch and dinner with affordable meal deals every day of the week. Chef Samir Acharya has come across with Reaby from 54 Benjamin in Belconnen and is serving pub classics alongside some fancier offerings such as mushroom and truffle arancini balls and salmon with pumpkin puree.
Out the back, there's a beer garden with access to a children's playground, a covered deck lines one side, there's trivia on a Wednesday, live music on the weekends, karaoke on a Saturday night ... and people, lots of people.
"We get young families out in the beer garden where they can enjoy a drink and keep an eye on the kids, tradies coming in for a quick beer after work, retirees coming in for the $15 weekday lunch deal, businessmen in suits doing deals ... we want everyone to feel welcome here."
Reaby's quite happy to admit he knew the place had something of a reputation, at one point they even considered changing the name.
"We've had a lot of conversations with people, locals even, who tell us they haven't ever stepped into the place because of the reputation it had," he says.
"But now we can see a real sense of community growing, it was here before too, but it's great to see it growing and including people from all walks of life."
Reaby says the feedback they're getting is that they've breathed some life into the shopping precinct which is still waiting for a promised multi-million redevelopment.
"The playground is great but there's still a lot that could be done here," he says.
"We're just happy to be a small part of it, and if it's a start then that's a great thing. The southside has needed something like this for a long time."
And what do the longtime regulars, making a quick punt and enjoying a $8.50 schooner of Reschs on a weekday morning, think?
"I've been coming here for 20 years," says one. "It's great now to see all the young families coming in, enjoying the place. The only thing is now we have to watch our swearing."
- Kambah Inn, 2/19 Primmer Ct, Kambah. Open Monday to Friday, 6am-late, Saturday and Sunday 7am-late.
- @kambahinn