History
Forty years, told as a timeline instead of one long story — jump to whichever moment you're curious about.
- 1984
Tilley's opens
Paulie Higgisson opens Tilley's in January 1984 on the corner of Wattle and Brigalow Streets, Lyneham. Opening night draws around 420 people to a room with seating for 60.
- 1984–1986
A different kind of space
For its first two years, Tilley's restricts groups of men from drinking inside unless accompanied by a woman, a policy aimed at making the room feel safe and comfortable for women.
- 1986
The coffee that's still poured today
Tilley's starts serving Segafredo Organic coffee blend, the same blend still on the menu.
- 1980s–2005
Music becomes part of Tilley's identity
Tilley's wasn't originally conceived as a live-music venue, but its music program grows into a major part of its reputation, drawing Australian and international performers.
- 1980s–2000s
Breaking new ground
Tilley's becomes known as Australia's first licensed outdoor venue, and bans indoor smoking years before the law requires it.
- 2003
A venue Canberra noticed
The Canberra Times interviews Higgisson about the room's atmosphere and its place in the city's live-music scene.
- 30 Oct 2005
The Last Hurrah
Rising costs and the difficulty of keeping the concert program going bring the regular weekly shows to an end on Sunday, 30 October 2005, closing out two decades as a dedicated live-music room.
- 2006
A Canberra cultural landmark
Tilley's history is documented for the Australian Women's Register, preserving the story of its cultural significance.
- Today
Jazz returns, weekly
The Wayne Kelly Trio now plays a standing Saturday-night jazz set, reviving Tilley's live-music tradition on a smaller, regular scale.