THE kitchens and bar at a North-East pub and restaurant complex are proving a home- from-home for a group of Antipodean travellers.

Customers ordering meals and drinks at Walkabout, an Australian theme bar in Dur-ham, are likely to be greeted by a cheery voice from Down Under.

They can also sample delicacies from the Outback, including offerings under the menu heading "bush tucker", such as kangaroo and crocodile fillets.

Among the Aussie staff at the North Road pub are head chef Brad Walker, second chef Brett Rutledge and kitchen assistant and barmaid Jess Bullus.

Brad, a trained chef at home in Queensland's Gold Coast, said working in the pub trade helped people pay their way on their travels round Europe.

He admitted that crocodile and kangaroo were not usual items on the menu back home, although he had tried both.

"They are a bit of a novelty," he said. "It's very much like cooking any red meat, with the kangaroo, and the crocodile is similar to a white meat, like chicken."

With Jess and Brett, he is looking forward to the forthcoming Ashes test cricket series, as well as Monday, May 30, when actor Alan Fletcher, better known as Dr Karl Kennedy in the Aussie soap Neighbours, will make a guest appearance at Walkabout.