Residents of an iconic Australian pub have rallied behind a much-loved cockatoo after he faced cruel eviction after bringing joy to customers for 16 years.
The Friend In Hand was founded in 1857 in Glebe, in Sydney’s inner west, and has gained worldwide fame thanks to its local resident, 16-year-old Georgie.
However, the fate of the bird was left up for grabs after Momento Hospitality sold the pub to the Reilly Group, leaving locals wondering whether the new owners would allow the bird to remain in its position.
Glebe local Toby Lee warned the domesticated cockatoo “would not survive if rehomed” in an impassioned call to arms on Wednesday.
‘This is Georgie from Friend in Hand, the pub has been bought and the new owner wants to get rid of her!’ Lee wrote on a community Facebook page.
‘She has lived with a friend for 16 years and would not survive if she was rehoused. I think a petition to the new owner might help. Any ideas?
Dozens of people joined the much-loved cockatoo in the comments.
‘A terrible day for Glebe…this bird is Glebe!!! And so was the cockatoo that lived in the pub before her. I think her name was Josie,” wrote another.
Georgie the cockatoo (pictured) has been the much-loved feathered mascot of the Friend in Hand Hotel in Glebe, in Sydney’s inner west, for almost 20 years.
Locals feared the native would be left homeless after the pub recently changed hands.
‘Georgie is an Australian legend. Many go to Friend in Hand just to enjoy a beer with Georgie,” commented a second.
‘Can’t the former owners take (the bird) with them? These birds live a long time. “If the new owner isn’t interested in it, this bird deserves more,” said a third.
In a surprising twist, Momento Hospitality confirmed that the new owners had agreed to allow Georgie to continue her residency at Friend in Hand.
‘Momento Hospitality would like to inform you that we have sold the Friend in Hand hotel. “We have enjoyed our time here and want to sincerely thank the community for all the good times and support,” he said Thursday night.
‘There seems to be concern about what will happen to Georgie. Georgie is very loved and cared for and will always be part of Friend in Hand Hotel.
‘The new owners, Reilly Group, run some fantastic pubs in the inner west.
They have kindly offered to take Georgie to the White Cockatoo Hotel in Petersham until the Friend in Hand reopens.
‘Georgie will be back, but if anyone wants to see her, they should visit her there. She will be well cared for and cared for. Greetings to the FIH team.’
Georgie features prominently on hotel posters and social media.
The Friend In Hand is a historic hotel founded in 1857 in the Glebe, in Sydney’s inner west, and is famous around the world for its resident cockatoo, 16-year-old Georgie.
Georgie enjoys her own spot behind the bar at Friend in Hand and at night she rests in the master bedroom upstairs.
A sulfur-crested cockatoo is part of the fabric of the historic pub and a cockatoo is included in the hotel’s logo, external signage and on its social media.
In 2014, the cockatoo ‘George’ was cruelly stolen, but returned unharmed a few hours later, after a radio call and a desperate search.
In 2017, it was revealed that George the cockatoo was actually female after an egg was discovered and the pub’s then owner, Michael Byrne, renamed the bird ‘Georgie’.
Byrne said it was not the first time he had to change the name of one of the pub’s feathered mascots after discovering cockatoo ‘Joe’ was pregnant.
The bird was renamed “Josephine” and was affectionately called Josie by many locals.
When the Friend in Hand was sold in 2019, the resident cockatoo was reportedly listed on the hotel’s official sales inventory.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Friend in Hand, Momento Hospitality and Reilly Group for comment.