Historical societies rely on early newspapers to piece together the jigsaw of events. In a January 1872 advertisement, John Jennings thanked his customers for their support since opening the Halfway Hotel. However, other newspaper reports state his applications for a licence were deferred in December 1871 and June 1872. 

John Jennings’ obituary in the Wodonga and Towong Sentinel, March 1913, tells us that in 1856, at age 16, John Jennings had sailed to Australia on the Ellerbrac as carpenter’s mate. He was shipwrecked 100 miles from England and subsequently, some months later, tried again this time on the Albatross.

On leaving the hotel trade, he accepted the position of manager for Dagleish and Mitchell, saw miller, later branching out as a contractor.

The Halfway Hotel was a thriving business in the days of the bullock wagon and virtual headquarters of Border drovers and teamsters, who camped on the Wodonga flats opposite.

For 45 years the licence of the Half-Way Hotel was held by Patrick Flanagan (hence Flanagans Creek) and subsequently for two years by his son M. J. Flanagan.

M. J. Flanagan was interviewed in an undated newspaper when the Halfway Hotel was being demolished. He is quoted as remembering as many as seven or eight bullock teams “yoked” overnight to the fence outside the hotel. Also, the 100 or more Indian hawkers who returned to Wodonga annually to renew their hawkers’ licence and camped on the flats, invariably coming to the Half-Way for their whisky.

The last licensee of the Halfway Hotel was Mrs Pickering, who had that licence transferred to the Wodonga Hotel (now Elgins).  

The Halfway Hotel building remained as a dwelling occupied by Mr and Mrs E. H. Scholz and family until it was demolished in the mid 1950s.