The Royal Hotel Spring Ridge, Premer Hotel, Royal Hotel Tambar Springs and Mullaley Post Office Hotel have already borne the brunt of reduced business during the drought, and now they have to lock up tight and turn to takeaway as a source of revenue.

Premer publican Peter Costa said they have had to cut down to takeaway food and alcohol, and accommodation because it was separate to the pub.

"Whatever we do, we have to be mindful of the social interaction part of it, as well as health. We're lucky, we can supply takeaway and we have put in place on our Facebook page," he said.

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Mr Costa had the business had already been "battling" because it's the "smallest trading pub" in the area, and since the rain, farmers had been putting their money into restocking and cropping.

He said they had been just scraping by with accommodation, takeaway and in-house dining and the bar, but now money would be even tighter.

"The business had to survive on all three of those and now it's lost one of those three components of people coming in and having a drink and a meal," he said.

"For people out there offering services, it's getting harder and harder ... there are only so many ways you can re-invent the wheel."

In Mullaley, the pub is closed but the roadhouse is open, however, passing traffic has faded away as travellers return home to roost.

While the roadhouse is still serving up takeaway and fuel, pub and roadhouse co-owner Judith Commins said she's starting to wonder whether it's worth keeping it open.

"The first couple of days, everyone was trying to get home ... [but] the passing trade's just about passed," she said.

"I'm shocked like everyone. Everyone's been impacted.

"We're all in the unknown and we haven't had anything in writing about what we can do or can't do.

"Hopefully, it passes as quickly as possible."

Over at Spring Ridge, Tom Archer is a little more hopeful and says it's all a matter of "being sensible" and "keeping your chin up"

Staff are running the kitchen at night so locals, truckies and travellers can order takeaway meals, but it's still a huge blow for the "destination pub".

"We'll take a huge financial hit out of this like everyone will and we'll reassess in weeks to come," Mr Archer said.

"We're just asking everyone to do the right thing. If we do the right thing, we will get past this. We're happy to serve meals but keep your distance. Let the girls know when you're going to pick them up."

All payments must be done with contactless Eftpos, and truck drivers can continue to order their meals ahead, but no accommodation will be on offer while the coronavirus is about.

Mr Archer said the welfare of their staff took precedence over any financial decisions right now, particularly as the backpackers can't go home.

"We said, 'This is your home while you're in Australia. You're all in it together ... you're part of the crew and you'll remain part of the crew'," he said.

Mr Archer said "like all country pubs, it's the centre of town" and that would make the new mandates difficult to adjust to.

"The community support for a little country pub such as ours has been unbelievable over the years," he said.

"In difficult years, we've had to turn around completely 180 [and say], 'If you need to come down and get something off your chest, come down and do it' ... but in the last few days, we've had to say, 'Best you stay away'.

"It's probably the biggest, most heartbreaking thing we've had to do."

Mr Archer said "a bright note in all this" was talk of continuing the pub's "famous" Wednesday steak night in small groups in the community "to try and keep the tradition going until the pub can resume doing them here".

He said it may take a while but " we will come out the other side".

"We just want to be in good stead so when times are bright again, we can open the doors ... [and] we'll put a keg on for everyone to celebrate and that's a pretty big thing because if you ask the locals, it's pretty hard to get a free beer out of Tom," he said.

Tambar Springs hotel is still selling takeaway alcohol and food, day and night.