Police are appealing for information following the armed robbery of licensed premises at Moonee Beach earlier this week.

About 11:25pm, Thursday 11 August 2011, a 23-year-old man was in the process of closing the tavern on the Pacific Highway when he was confronted by three males.

Police have been told the males, who were armed with an axe, screwdriver and tree branch, forced the man into the poker machine area and made demands for the keys to the machines and safe.

The employee was able to flee the armed males and ran out of the front door of the tavern onto the Pacific Highway. He was chased by two of the males and hid in a nearby road works site.

When the man attempted to run to a nearby house he was chased to the intersection of the Pacific Highway and Hoys Road where he was able to hide in bushes and elude the armed males.

He attended a farmhouse a short time later where he raised the alarm and police were contacted.

Police attended the tavern and investigations revealed a sum of cash had been stolen during the robbery.

Detectives from Coffs/Clarence Local Area Command are conducting investigations into the incident and are appealing for witnesses to come forward.

Investigators are particularly keen to hear from anyone who was in the vicinity of the Pacific Highway and Hoys Road about 11:45pm on Thursday 11 August 2011.