Mark Milner and Jen Sturrock from the Jugiong Motor Inn have lived and work in Jugiong for the last 6 Years. They are pictured with the 2018 Devils Premiership jumper.

They are a valued part of the community and have become an institution for locals and travellers alike.

Mark, originally from New Zealand, worked in Commercial Finance and Jen was a NSW Area Manager for a software company in Sydney, before they decided to  swap the hustle and bustle of Sydney for the banks of the Murrumbidgee.

   Mark admitted that they thought it would be a step back from the long hours at their Sydney jobs when they decided to come to Jugiong, however, they took on what is 3 businesses in the bar, restaurant and motel. Mark said “It is a fantastic place to live.”

Jen said “The local community are incredible, we have our locals come in every night and we have a larger group of people out of Harden and Gundagai on the weekends. It’s a beautiful spot with the highway close by.”

The motel has 18 rooms and is a mixture of Queen, Kings and Family rooms. The Motor Inn has a number of pet friendly rooms which has allowed patronage to increase by 30 percent.

The bar and restaurant are the hub of the Jugiong Motor Inn.

Mark said, “We are amazed at how many people travel with animals and business has picked up a third, thanks to the pet friendly rooms.” Jen said, “We have regulars who come through with their pets.”

    The Jugiong Motor Inn bar opens at 4pm Monday to Friday, 2pm on Saturdays and Midday on Sunday with evening dining at 6pm.

Pizzas are available at lunch time.

    The scotch fillet and the cutlets are very popular among the locals and the ‘parmi’ was introduced when they arrived, which also sells very well.

The Jugiong Motor Inn on Riverside Drive.

The Motor Inn sells locally made Duffys  pizzas during trading hours and they source local wines from the Jugiong Wine cellar.

Visitors have increased over the years primarily due to the Long Track Pantry’s amazing business which is synonymous with travellers on the highway  and more recently because of the fantastic renovations to the Sir George Hotel.

Current Chef Jenni Manninen from Finland will be moving on in the next few weeks and the Motor Inn will be welcoming a new Chef at the end of the month. Jenni added a number of vegetarian options and a Salmon Soup to the menu, which became a big seller. Mark said, “We are blessed to have good staff. Some of the staff have been here 20 years.”

    Mark and Jenny purchased a property a little further up the hill on just over 20 acres. They have turned the property into a Bed and Breakfast with  4 bedrooms. It showcases the amazing views of Jugiong, down towards the river banks.

Mark and Jen’s property overlooking Jugiong which is available for people to stay in.

    The Motor Inn continues to support the local community and supported the Harden Red Devils in their attempt to go back to back in 2019. Mark has strong ties to the game and started playing when he was 5. “It’s a great game, you make your best friends from the game.” He gave Rugby away just over 10 years ago after a career playing Hooker, one of the toughest positions on the field.

   The Motor Inn sponsored a set of jumpers for Prostate Cancer this year which helped raise thousands of dollars for the charity. Devil Josh Quinn helped organise the event with the help of Mark and Jen.

   Jenny’s brother and father were Rugby Referees in the past and when she was 12 she wanted to don the uniform and follow her family into the game.

Plenty of Devils frequent the Motor Inn thanks to the steady supply of quality players coming out of the village over the last few years.

    Snake Gully Cup provides Mark and Jen with the opportunity for friends and old team mates to head down the Hume Highway for the 2 day event.

   Mark and Jen do their best to help all of the community groups in Jugiong. From the Fishing Club, Polocrosse, Carpathon to the Bushfire brigade. He said, “Without them we aren’t here. It all goes around.”

   They shop local and source their fresh fruit and vegetables from Gino’s and they highlight that as a huge benefit to the restaurant.

Mark with the Motor Inn’s Poddy Calf.

    The Motor Inn also has a few other attractions. They have a Poddy Calf, 2 Alpacas, a Sheep and a pet Lamb which allows travellers to see and feed animals they may not have the chance to see in the city. The very large resident Pig is worth a look.

   The Motor Inn has been built around community engagement and the warmth and friendship Mark and Jen provide. The community support the establishment on a daily and weekly basis and a raffle is held every Friday night which helps out a good cause.

 The previous owner sold the Motor Inn to Angus Graham just over 6 months ago and Mark and Jen continue to lease the business from Angus. Jen and Mark are looking forward to working with the new freehold owner as he does some much needed renovations to the Motor Inn. They continue to provide a warm, friendly and welcoming venue for the Jugiong community and surrounds.