Tilley's

Tilley's Devine Café Gallery
Founded 1984
Founder Pauline Higgisson
Area served
 Canberra
Website tilleys.com.au
A lively crowd at Tilley's
Tilley's by night

Tilley's Devine Café Gallery is a well-known café in the suburb of Lyneham in Canberra, Australia. It was named after Matilda 'Tilly' Devine, a gangster and madame from Sydney who lived in the mid-twentieth century.

When the café first opened in 1984, it was intended as a women's space, with men allowed entry only when accompanied by women.[1] Popular with lesbian women, it quickly became an icon of Canberra's LGBT scene. Attempts to restrict or limit entry of men brought challenges,[2][3] most notably by a group of cadets from the Royal Military College, Duntroon who attempted to force their way in, instigating a brawl. Eventually the policy was dropped.

Tilley's originally had seating for 60, but subsequently expanded five times, and now has large indoor and outdoor eating areas. It was once a popular space for night time concerts by local musicians, hosting names such as Mia Dyson, Frente!,[4] and Clare Bowditch. In 2005 concerts were scaled back in order to expand the more financially viable restaurant and café.[5] According to ACT historian Roslyn Russell, it was the first licensed outdoor venue in Australia, and the first Australian bar to ban smoking indoors.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Tilley's rule supported.". Canberra Times (ACT: National Library of Australia). 15 March 1984. p. 12. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  2. ↑ "Grassby at Tilley's.". Canberra Times (ACT: National Library of Australia). 16 October 1986. p. 2. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  3. ↑ "Social equality and Tilley's.". Canberra Times (ACT: National Library of Australia). 20 October 1986. p. 2. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  4. ↑ "From No 1 to Tilley's for Frente.". Canberra Times (ACT: National Library of Australia). 14 May 1992. p. 16. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  5. ↑ No more Devine music, RiotACT, 9 August 2005, archived from the original on 11 August 2008
  6. ↑ Rusell, Roslyn, History, Tilleys Devine Cafe, archived from the original on 25 January 2014

Coordinates: 35°15′7″S 149°7′27″E / 35.25194°S 149.12417°E