It was 15 years in the making, but Barragunda Dining is officially open and offering guests the opportunity to share a dining experience that has a bigger story to tell.
When the doors to Barragunda Dining officially opened at the end of February, it marked the end of one journey and the beginning of an exciting new one.
For Hayley Morris, it was a moment she’d been imagining for about 15 years.
“It actually feels quite momentous because it’s been so long in the making,” she said.
“I’ve never been this close to the whole process from the very start with any of the other hospitality businesses.
“Usually when you have a win in business you go ‘great, that’s really good’ and you move onto the next thing. But with this, to have it open and be able to sit there and actually enjoy the fruits of your labour, it’s really special.”
Barragunda Dining is Morris Group’s new 40-seat restaurant set amongst the market garden on the Morris family’s Cape Schanck property, Barragunda Estate.
All profits from the restaurant will be directed back to Morris Family Foundation to support grassroots projects that are working towards innovation and systemic change in Australia’s food systems to advance the shift to regenerative practices.
“It just reinforces to us and to everyone else that this is not just about making money,” Hayley said.
“Of course, we want to make money because if we make money, we can donate it. But it’s part of a bigger story.”
That story has its origins in Hayley’s passion and advocacy for regenerative practices in agriculture.
Over the last decade, the estate has been front and centre in Hayley’s mission to work towards creating a food system model that aims to restore nature, rather than control it.
Barragunda Dining is the next step in telling that important story.
“Right now, around 90 percent of the food in the restaurant comes from the farm. We’ve got cattle, sheep, and the vegetables and an orchard,” Hayley said.
“Everything’s just so fresh and delicious. It’s stuff that’s picked yesterday and prepared this morning. That level of freshness you just don’t see it a lot.
“The vegetables are the hero on the menu for sure, but that will decrease as we go into winter because we’ll be able to grow less.
“But even then, it’ll be heavily regionalised and seasonal. There are a lot of farms in the area that will have some different things that we won’t have.”
The road to opening Barragunda Dining was anything but a smooth one. Hayley says she came up against so many obstacles along the way that she often doubted whether it would ever come to fruition.
“There were many, many, many times that I really wasn’t sure. I don’t think I actually thought it was going to happen until a few months ago,” she said.
“I just kept thinking ‘surely something’s going to stop us now.’”
But ultimately, she persisted. And Hayley says that came down to a few factors. One being her co-collaborator and Barragunda Dining’s Executive Chef and Farmer Simone Watts.
“Simone’s a big part of that because she lives down here. This is her whole life. It’s her full-time. She lives 100 metres from the restaurant,” Hayley said.
“I think between having her driving force, with my love for showcasing regenerative agriculture and wanting to help people reconnect with food just meant that it was worth persisting. There’s a real purpose behind it and I think that’s certainly what drove us.”
It was that shared sense of purpose that initially brought Hayley and Simone together as collaborators.
The two of them met when Simone was working as Head Chef at former Morris Escapes property, Daintree Ecolodge.
Hayley says at the time she’d been looking for ways to hero local, regional and organic food on menus across Morris Group’s venues but was having limited success.
“This kind of knowledge amongst chefs was a lot lower than it is today,” she said.
“Supply was extremely challenging and asking chefs to adapt their menus more regularly was a big change. They had to be really adaptive, and it just wasn’t the way menus were done then.
“But when I met Simone, I just knew she was on the same wavelength and had the same ethos as mine.
“She ended up moving back to Victoria and she came to me and pitched this idea of doing a small-scale restaurant somewhere on the Mornington Peninsula.
“Barragunda Estate already had all the farm infrastructure, all the fencing, the water, the sheds, and the packing rooms. Everything was in place and not really being used. So, it was just this beautiful, perfect opportunity that was ready to get going.”
With the restaurant now open comes the opportunity that Hayley’s been working towards from the very beginning: the opportunity to not only give people an exceptional dining experience, but also to share her passion for creating a food system that’s more in sync with nature.
“I want people to feel healthy and I want people to feel loved. Food is such a great way for people to disarm and be more open,” she said.
“Being in such an immersive space where you’re seeing that alternative brought to life in this way and learning about it with other people, is such a different way to take in that information.
“For us it’s not just about being awarded the next Chef Hat. It’s really trying to showcase a way of doing things differently.
“Hopefully by seeing what we’re doing, people can start thinking about how they integrate a bit of our philosophy into their own lives, by finding out where they can support a local farmer either at a farmers’ market or through the Barragunda Collective’s box system or something like that.
“I guess for me, ultimately I hope people leave maybe just having contemplated that a little bit more and understand why we’ve done it.”
1. How does it feel to have Barragunda Dining open to the public?
Every day feels like a dream. I can’t wipe the smile off my face during service and I’m just so happy to see familiar faces coming through the door every day and sharing the celebration.
2. What can diners expect from the menu?
Our menu is a representation of all that is beautiful at Barragunda each week. From what native flora is flowering to the vegetables coming through the market garden and orchard. I base the menu simply on what is available.
3. You had a lot of time to think about how you’d approach the menu over the last few years. How has that evolved over time?
Things really changed for me when I moved to Barragunda. It was one thing to understand general agricultural seasons, but to really know a place and recognise the small daily changes can only happen when you’re here full time with your feet in the soil.
4. How often does the menu change?
The menu changes most days, but never drastically. Mother nature doesn’t work that way so why should chefs? Small simple nuances in dishes change to invite new season flavours. Just today I started slipping fig leaves into the jus because autumn is in the air.
5. Are there any dishes or ingredients that you’re particularly excited about at the moment?
I’m always excited about serving our hogget and advocating for giving lambs a longer time on pasture. It’s better ethically, economically and culinarily (aka more delicious). I wish more producers would follow our lead.
The origin story of Barragunda Dining is all about showing people a sustainable alternative to our modern, mainstream food system.
It’s an extension of the work done by Hayley Morris and the Morris Family Foundation in supporting grassroots projects that are geared toward innovation and systemic change to help Australia’s agricultural industry shift towards regenerative practices.
It’s an issue Hayley is extremely passionate about, and she explains why we should all care:
“In our mainstream food system there’s huge inequality between who’s selling the food and who’s growing the food. What’s happened over time is the farmer has no say over the price of food, because it’s controlled by the big buyers, which is ultimately the supermarkets,” she said.
“Their focus has been on efficiency, which has led to big mono crops. Rather than farmers having a diverse array of foods, they just focus on one because it means things like their machinery and packing systems can be tailored to suit that one product.
“But what that means is if there’s ever something like a pest that wipes out broccoli, and all this farmer grows is broccoli, then their whole livelihood is gone.
“So, naturally you do everything you can to keep your crops growing which means you’re probably going to spray it a lot.
“As a result, what you end up doing is treating nature like it’s a resource to extract from. You’ll get synthetic and chemical pesticides and fertilisers to add back to the soil. But that means there’s no life left in the soil. Everything that the food’s growing from has been added to it.
“Then when prices go up on those fertilisers and pesticides because they’re made from finite resources, farmers don’t have the control to increase the price of food, so the pressure is on them to just get more efficient and cut their costs, which is never conducive to the environment.
“This has led to a situation where the average return for a farming business is less than a five percent. Some of them are losing money and going further and further into debt. So then you have this horrendous statistic where farmers are 60 percent more likely to take their own lives than any other member of the community.
“And this whole system feeds on itself in a cycle, and we buy into it everyday without even knowing about it.
“So, for us what we’re trying to do is showcase what a localised food system and diverse ecosystem can look like.
“One that builds nature, and supports nature, and brings people and the community back into the picture. It’s a philosophy that’s about respect. What you take, you put back in.
“We’re far from perfect. There’s human intervention in any system that can still destructive even in a small way. But it’s about how to do it and be as light as possible and ensure that we’re looking to regenerate what we’ve taken out.”
Read more about how Morris Family Foundation supports regenerative agriculture projects around Australia.
Morris Nautical is on the cusp of an exciting new era. For the first time, all three of its superyachts will be calling Cairns home; and another vessel is about to join the fleet.
From Cannes to Cairns. M.Y. Northern Escape has arrived in Australian waters for the first time after three successful seasons in the Mediterranean.
The 41-metre Benetti superyacht is the jewel in the Morris Nautical crown, offering a truly one-of-a-kind experience for private groups to experience the region’s unsurpassed beauty.
Morris Group Founder and Executive Chairman Chris Morris said welcoming Northern Escape to Australia was a proud moment.
“Northern Escape is the latest design by Benetti and is rated the best 40-metre boat available,” he said.
“For two years in a row it was ranked in the top five charter boats on the Mediterranean. It will be the best charter boat available in Australia.”
Its exciting arrival marks the beginning of big shift for the whole Morris Nautical business.
When M.Y. Northern Escape arrives at the Cairns Marina, M.Y. Flying Fish and M.Y. Beluga will be there to meet her. It’ll be the first time the Morris Nautical fleet has been berthed at the same location, offering guests the opportunity to cruise the waters of tropical North Queensland to the South Pacific.
Mr Morris says this change is a big deal for people who are looking for a different experience to what they’re used to elsewhere in the world.
M.Y. Northern Escape on its arrival in Australian waters
“We have one of the world’s most pristine and diverse marine environments, and with our fleet, we’re offering a way to explore it in ultimate luxury,” he said.
“Our fleet really offers the best in every category of boat. We have Flying Fish which is a 32-metre Warren that’s been totally renovated and is perfect for small groups and day charters.
“We have Beluga, the 35-metre Moonan which is the best explorer boat and great for diving. Then there’s Northern Escape, the best 40-metre superyacht in the world.”
And then, there’s the next piece in the puzzle: Gambler.
Currently being built in the Gold Coast and due to join the fleet in the coming months, Gambler is a 61ft Assegai. Custom-built for game fishing adventures, it’s touted as the best in its class in Australia.It’s addition to the fleet means an unrivalled experience for fishing enthusiasts and luxury travellers alike.
If there’s anyone who loves boats more than Chris Morris, it might be Morris Nautical CEO Sam Aldred. He’s quite literally spent a lifetime on the sea.
So, there’s perhaps no one better suited to steering Morris Nautical towards its new horizons.
Growing up in Cairns, Sam says he was drawn to the ocean at an early age.
“As a kid I basically was working my weekends and school holidays on a local dive boat,” he said.
“Both of my parents were skippers back in their day. My mum was one of the first female skippers on the east coast of Australia on the trawlers. My dad was on trawlers as well and he went on to drive tenders and tugboats. My family is full of mad sailors.
“So, I left school at 16 and started a cadetship which put me through my first captain’s ticket, and I flew over to Genoa in Italy to join my first white boat. And that’s where my superyacht career started.
“From there I worked my way up, getting sea time and learning the ropes and just kept climbing the ladder until I got my Masters.”
Sam’s co-Captain in work and life, and Morris Nautical’s Chief Operations Officer Emily Aldred’s journey to a life at sea was not quite as inevitable.
Morris Nautical Chief Operations Officer, Emily Aldred and Chief Executive Officer, Sam Aldred
A fellow Cairns local, Emily originally started out pursuing a career in banking. But it wasn’t long before her own adventurous spirit (and a little bit of arm-twisting from Sam) saw her getting on board for a career on superyachts.
“Sam and I actually met when we were 14. We went to high school together and then Sam left to live overseas. I always knew he worked on boats but didn’t quite understand what superyachts were like or anything,” she said.
“I got into banking after school. I loved working there, but I just knew it was going to be one of those jobs where I was going to be there for the rest of my life.
“Sam came back to Cairns, and we got together when we were 21. He was about to head back overseas and was like ‘Do you want to come overseas with me and try working on the yachts? I’m going to go back on my own, or we can go back together.’
“I’d never worked in hospitality before – always just customer service. But I gave it a go and we ended up working for that owner for nearly 10 years.”
In 2020, Sam and Emily moved back to North Queensland with the intention of leaving their superyacht days behind them.
But when an ad looking for managers to run a luxury lodge west of Cairns caught their eye, little did they know that the ocean would soon be calling them back.
“We moved home and basically thought, oh well, we’ll finish up yachting,” Sam said.“Somehow, we saw an ad in the paper for the roles at Mt Mulligan Lodge, so we sent an email and within 10 minutes of sending it, we got a phone call. We thought it was maybe recruitment calling, but it was Chris Morris.
“We ended up at Mt Mulligan for a season, and once that was done, we actually left. But Chris told us about his boat, and it was just too good.
“I think that nine months we spent at Mt Mulligan was the longest we’d been on land. We were like ‘We need to get back out to sea. We need to get back on the water.’
“So, we went over to Europe to finish off the build of Northern Escape, and here we are four years later!”
While the pair admits the life of a superyacht crew may not be for everyone, there’s just something about it that works for them.
“I like the team, and the camaraderie that you get with the team,” Emily said.
“I had that a little bit in the corporate world, but being on a boat is completely different. You’re working and living with your team, so you’ve really got to get on with each other.
“We’ve been really lucky. We’ve held the same crew for quite a number of years.”
“The travel is definitely a big part of it,” Sam said.
“Whether you’re somewhere in Australia, or around Italy or France or wherever, it’s a pretty amazing way to see the world.
“But it’s also just the people that you meet. We’ve had some clients who’ve become quite close friends.
“So, I suppose that’s what it is for us. It’s about going to new places and meeting new people.”
With the new year comes a fresh opportunity to focus your attention on the things that bring you joy. In true ‘new year, new me’ spirit, we went looking for a little bit of inspiration from colleagues across Morris Group who are dreaming big and following their other passions outside of their regular work.
The Albert Park Hotel, VIC
My secret life outside of work revolves around sharing my experiences as a Somali refugee through poetry and storytelling at open mic events around the Melbourne scene. For around nine years, I’ve been attending these events, especially at Bar Oussuo, sharing my story and connecting with others.
Over time, my storytelling naturally transitioned into poetry, as I attended numerous poetry workshops to hone my craft. I’ve learned various poetic styles, rules, and devices along the way. My experiences in a Kenyan refugee camp, where I learned multiple languages and observed so much around me, heavily influence my work.
At the heart of it all, my ultimate goal is to reach different communities and inspire them to tell their own stories, empowering them to write from the heart. This passion drives me to keep doing what I love – using my voice to motivate others to put their thoughts and stories on a page. Whether they choose to share those stories publicly is entirely up to them, but I hope to inspire that first step.
I first started sharing my story when I was in Kenya, learning English after speaking Somali and Arabic. When I moved to Australia through a sponsored visa, I promised myself to stay positive and keep connected with my family overseas, appreciating their blessings and prayers. Over time, I embraced the moments and opportunities in Melbourne, which motivated me even further. One of my long-term goals is to visit the refugee camp in Kenya again and plan an event where I can inspire the community, encouraging them to dream of being sponsored too. Additionally, I graduated with a Diploma of Community Service after the hard lockdown, which further fuels my passion to give back to my community.
Over time, my storytelling and poetry have evolved as I began mixing multiple languages into my pieces, treating language like a passport or green card to connect different cultures. Bar Oussuo became my training ground, where I tested my stories and poems, seeking feedback from guests to improve. My process involved refining my performance – starting with reading from drafts, speaking clearly, and eventually memorising my work to add body language. This approach helped me overcome stage fright and create a unique delivery style, which continues to grow as I challenge myself to perfect my performances week by week.
I love poetry because it connects me to the rich tradition of Somali oral poetry, where clans and tribes would speak in poetry back in the days of the nomads. I enjoy learning and exploring past poetry styles. My first piece was a Haiku, which led me to research other styles like Middle English poetry (for example, “Hark”). I’m inspired by both past and modern poetry, especially through open mic events where I see different poets with their unique styles. Chatting with them often leads to valuable advice and inspiration, helping me grow as a poet. That ongoing learning process is what keeps me going.
I had the honour of qualifying as one of the finalists for the 2024 Australian Poetry Slam, representing Victoria in the state final. It’s been a huge privilege and an incredible experience to be part of this prestigious event. This platform is one of the blessings I carry with me, and I’m embracing it while continuing to build and share stories through it. It’s something I’m truly grateful for, and I look forward to where it will lead me. In the future, I hope to have the opportunity to share my stories in front of a refugee camp in Kenya, to inspire not just individuals but the entire community as well.
I have a following on social media, where people can connect with me through my Facebook page Moman Hero’s Journey. It’s a space where I share my stories, poetry, and experiences, allowing me to engage with a broader audience. Having a following is encouraging because it means people resonate with my journey, and it creates a sense of community. It’s motivating to know that my work can inspire others to reflect on their own lives and stories, and the support I receive keeps me grounded and driven to continue sharing and growing.
Mohamed’s first book, Somalia Too Soon, Vol 1 is available now to purchase in soft cover or e-book.
Follow Mohamed’s work:
CBCo Brewing, VIC
My hobby is cooking, and I really enjoy making reels for TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. I cook up different dishes – anything from pies to steaks – and film the whole process, edit it, and share it online. For me, it’s all about having fun with food, experimenting with different cuisines, and showing people that cooking at home can be enjoyable and easy. It’s a way to express my creativity, and at the same time, I get to eat some really good food.
I’ve been doing it for over two years now. It all started back in October 2022, when I was dealing with some serious back issues. I had two prolapsed discs and one perforated disc sitting on my nerves which made everyday things impossible, especially playing golf with my mates every Sunday. Golf was my go-to way to unwind, but when that was taken off the table, I had to find another way to deal with everything. I’ve always cooked for fun, and someone close to me who suggested I start filming it. It gave me a creative outlet and a way to focus on something positive.
It’s evolved over time. When I first started, I was using my phone with a dirty camera lens, and my tripod was literally just a cardboard roll from some paper towels. The quality was rough, but I didn’t care because it was more about getting the content out there. Now, things have definitely levelled up. I’ve upgraded my equipment, learned a lot about filming and editing, and I’ve also gotten way more into the cooking itself. I love trying out different recipes and cuisines. I’ve got a bit of an addictive personality. I like to get better and better at things. So, the more I do it, the more invested I’ve become, and I love the challenge of creating something new each time.
Cooking has become a way for me to relax and take my mind off things. It’s therapeutic. Editing the videos is something I’ve really grown to enjoy too. There’s something satisfying about putting together a polished final product after the whole cooking process. Another plus is that it’s a hobby that doesn’t involve drinking, which is pretty rare for me since I work in a brewery! It’s great to have something that lets me unwind and focus my energy in a positive direction.
My mum is probably my number one fan – she likes all my videos. TikTok, Instagram and Facebook have been great for connecting with people. I’ve actually reconnected with a lot of people I hadn’t spoken to in years through the videos. It’s been cool to see people enjoy what I’m doing and give feedback. It’s not about having a massive following, but more about sharing something I love and seeing how it resonates with others.
I think one of the funniest and most memorable things that’s happened since I started has to be how often I burn my mouth in my videos. It’s become a bit of a running joke at this point. But on a more exciting note, having my breakfast pie featured on LADbible and getting millions of views was a pretty cool. It’s wild to think how far a simple video can reach.
The best thing about it has been rediscovering my passion for cooking. Before all of this, cooking was just something I did, but now it’s become a real creative outlet. I also get to eat really well, which is a nice bonus. On a deeper level though, it’s really helped with my mental health, especially when I was dealing with the tough times with my back issues. Focusing on cooking and creating has given me something positive to dive into, which has been incredibly helpful.
For now, I’m just enjoying what I’m doing and seeing where it takes me. Eventually, I’d love to write a cookbook – something that captures all the recipes I’ve been working on, with a mix of easy meals and more creative dishes. I’ve already started working on it, but it’s tough to find the time with everything else going on.
Follow Stiv on Tik Tok and Instagram @Stivalicious
The Ville Resort-Casino, QLD
I started training as a circus and fire-twirling performer as a teenager and have performed at all sorts of events and festivals. That has led to various performing and training opportunities, including dance, theatre, and even bearded lady drag shows.
Post-COVID, I began training to be a wrestler. After a few years of wrestling, when I felt my body couldn’t cope with it anymore, I took some time off before returning as the ring announcer. On top of all that, I also run regular trivia nights at some local pubs here in Townsville.
I started performing about 15 years ago. It began with couple of mates and I trying to recreate different acrobatic tricks we’d seen on YouTube in the backyard. That turned into small performances at friends’ parties and our local youth group, which led to an invitation to perform at a small festival out of town.
We combined our skills with a friend who was a fire twirler for that show, which quickly morphed into a small performing troupe. We still perform as that troupe at different festivals today and it’s grown well beyond what we originally created.
Over the years, I drifted in and out of other troupes and performance types, learning new skills along the way that led to various entertaining and teaching opportunities. For a few years, I taught circus at a local arts company, which was incredibly fun and rewarding. My interest has always been about learning and doing new things, and it is still growing.
Running into people who recognise me from different parts of my performing career can sometimes be a little awkward because I’m pretty bad at remembering people’s names. But it often leads to great opportunities to talk about what I’m doing now and to promote any upcoming projects and shows. In recent years, I’ve started running into past students at pubs and bars, which has been a bit of a trip.
The thing I love about performing is the communities that are built, the friendships formed, and the new experiences. Ultimately, it’s just fun! And it’s how I’ve met most of my closest and best friends.One of the most memorable things that’s happened to me over my performing career has been founding and performing in the circus and fire-twirling troupe Circus Alabanza with two of my best friends. We performed at the grand opening of a circus bar in Melbourne, and unofficially broke a world record there. I could go on for days about all the amazing people I’ve worked with over the years, as there are so many memorable moments.
If you’re ever in Townsville and want to come to a trivia night, you can follow and find the details for our events at Trivia with Matt and Ryan on Facebook, where we currently run events twice a week. If wrestling is more up your alley, check out Queensland Wrestling Alliance on Facebook and Instagram. While I’m not currently an active performing member, I’d be remiss if I didn’t recommend following the troupe I founded, Circus Alabanza, on Facebook and Instagram.
Railway Club Hotel, VIC
Outside of work I enjoy dancing, singing, and acting. I’ve been dancing since I was three years old but had to quit due to a serious knee injury when I was 18. But I still love the art of dancing and watching it.
I started as a ballerina and then moved into competitive dance when I was eight learning many different styles like jazz, tap, contemporary, hip hop, lyrical, aerobics, as well as ballet. My parents say I was a very excited and active child that probably needed a place to express my energy.
I think dancing is a great way to explore emotion and let go, as well as a great way to exercise. I know people may think that dancing is an easy sport but being a competitive dancer has taught me how to work hard and that is why I loved the sport so much.
Although I’ve stopped dancing, my love for singing and acting has grown since. I have an agent, and I have participated in lots of different things like amateur theatre, voiceovers, and advertisements. These activities are all about passion and I think my interest in them is why I have so much passion for my work and life in general.
The best thing to come out of this side of my life has been the people I’ve met along the way. I’ve made many lifelong friends from singing, dancing and acting. When I was an extra on a television show I even met my childhood crush!
Probably one of the most memorable moments has been acting in a Nintendo ad which boosted my career in acting and voiceovers, but also all of my dance concerts have been memorable. I definitely want to keep working and hopefully land a big movie or TV series someday but at the moment I’m just trying to stay open minded and take whatever opportunities come to my door.
There are a few reasons why Ainslie Smith loves having a career in hospitality, but most of all it’s her passion for people. We caught up with Ainslie to find out what makes working at The Albert Park Hotel special, and about her trip to Townsville to celebrate her win in Morris Hospitality’s Summer Stars program.
I’ve just recently celebrated my two-year anniversary working at The Albert Park Hotel (APH). I started off as a runner but moved into the role of section waiter pretty soon after. I also jump behind the bar from time to time – I will say I do pour a mean pot of CBCo.
I’ve worked in and out of hospitality since I was 14. My first job was at Subway, but since then I worked in London at an old workman’s pub. I’m originally from Perth and before moving to Melbourne I managed a café, worked in a food truck serving acai bowls, was a barista, and then moved into training people to be baristas. I’m an actor and screenwriter by training, so hospitality is great inspiration for characters!
The thing I love about working in hospitality is being able to interact with all different kinds of people. I love having a chat with everyone, hearing people’s stories, and just general chats about their days. It’s so fun. I’ve made really great friends with some of our guests which is such a reward. It gives me a great opportunity to work on my improv and comedy chops, and an excellent excuse to chat about food and wine all day.
It’s a pretty special team at APH. Knowing I get to work with some of my favourite people every day, is just the best thing. I also can’t go past our regulars: the banter, life chats, and just general warmth these people show are what make APH so special. It’s not every venue where you can go from in-depth footy chats with the old boys, to life chats with the book ladies, and finish off the day with a good celeb gossip sesh with the gals. I also love a really busy service on the pass. I feel like I’m in my own personal episode of The Bear.
Spring racing season is always fun at APH. I have zero idea about who is going to win anything, but it’s always fun to see the people post races come in all dressed up. Grand Prix weekend is also something I really look forward to – the venue really comes alive.
I was pretty overwhelmed to win the Summer Stars competition to be honest. I’m still not convinced I did anything other-worldly to deserve it. The prize trip to Townsville was incredible: a hidden gem. Ardo itself is so stunning, and I could happily continue spending my days by the pool with a book in one hand and a strawberry daquiri in the other. The food on offer was next level! Dancing the night away at the (Townsville nightclub and institution) Mad Cow with one of my closest friends Maddy was chef’s kiss good.
I’m so grateful for the recognition of my work, and that of the team around me. I’m not an island, so the award also just demonstrates how hard the entire team at APH works. It does make me feel proud to know that me just being myself and treating people the way I’d want to be treated is award worthy.
Goals wise, I just want to continue getting better, and just keep doing what I’m doing. I will happily take any new opportunity that comes my way, as long as I can keep the guests laughing and smiling, that’s the goal!
If there’s one place in the world that’s perfectly placed for researching the Great Barrier Reef, it’s Orpheus Island.
We meet some of the PhD students from James Cook University’s Orpheus Island Research Station (OIRS) to find out more about their research projects and how they’re helping to protect the future of our iconic reef and its inhabitants with support from Morris Family Foundation.
Growing up as an adventurous and outdoorsy child, I was always fascinated with wildlife and ecology. When I learned to scuba dive as an early teen, I became passionate about the ocean and developed an interest in sharks.
I started out as a volunteer for a shark research team, and as I gained experience and learned more, I realised I had too many unanswered questions about the movement patterns of the sharks we were working on. My volunteer supervisor, who is now my research supervisor, guided me in designing my study to answer some of these questions.
Apex shark populations are declining globally, so understanding their habitat use and movement can help us manage their populations, as well as guide efforts to minimize negative human and shark interactions.
My research aims to answer some big questions about habitat use for juvenile shark pups. Specifically, I’m trying to define where shark pups live during the early years of their lives, and if these habitats are different to the ones used by adults.
Some shark species use ‘nursery habitats’, or areas where small juvenile sharks can access food and shelter and have a safe haven to grow and mature. My research focusses on trying to find these shark ‘nurseries’ for two species: the tiger shark and the great hammerhead shark.
I’m using a method called acoustic tracking, where we implant a tracking tag into the sharks. It allows us to track their movements to find out which areas they are using. By comparing the movements of adults and juvenile sharks and finding out which locations they use most often, we can define some of the early years of these animals’ lives.
Understanding habitat use by large shark species is really important because they have become a threatened status from overfishing and fisheries bycatch, and because of the threats they can pose to humans.
Unfortunately, the public view of large sharks is not always good, so finding solutions to mitigate potentially dangerous human and shark interactions may help change the public opinion and allow for increased conservation efforts. Looking for shark nurseries specifically can allow us to close the knowledge gaps on shark lifecycles, and better understand how different life stages may use areas differently.
Using Orpheus Island Research Station as a base for my fieldwork has opened a wide door of research opportunities. Operating out of the station is efficient and easy, with the facilities and boats ready to go upon our arrival.
The station has great access to many different coral reefs, islands, bays, mangrove forests and more, which gives us the opportunity to conduct our fieldwork anywhere that the weather allows. It’s also fully equipped with a laboratory and field gear, so when you finish the day, you can process samples such as blood and genetics immediately and store them safely in a scientific freezer.
The semi-remote location of the station means we don’t have to deal with as much public curiosity- which naturally happens when you’re handling large sharks.
For my PhD, I investigate how juvenile stingrays use intertidal sand flats to forage for food. I use drones to observe them feeding in real-time to understand how and what they forage; and I also get in the water to catch rays and collect vomit and tissue samples to analyse their stomach content
This helps me detail the dietary habits of each species, which is important so we can understand their key habitats to help us conserve the species.
I don’t come from a marine background at all. I come from the cornfields of Illinois in the USA. I went through my bachelor’s and master’s degrees without specialising in anything marine.
At the PhD level, I decided to take a leap and try something new. I knew I wanted to live abroad, and once I narrowed down Australia as my next haven, I realised you can’t go to Australia and not be allured by its oceans. At the same time, I realised how intrigued I was by stingrays, so my love for them brought me to Townsville.
We actually know surprisingly little about stingrays across the Indo-Pacific. When I was looking for inspiration for my research topic, I started watching drone videos of rays so I could see how they interacted with their environments and their foraging behaviours caught my interest right away.
Why do this species feed in this habitat, but not that one? Why does this species excavate such deep holes when its foraging, but this one doesn’t? What are they trying to eat anyway? I had to get to the bottom of all these questions!
Working from OIRS was an incredible experience. Most of my work involved flying drones in Pioneer Bay so I could collect video data on the three resident stingray species. I think my most memorable moment was crashing a drone into the cliffside at Little Pioneer Bay and magically recovering it with generous help from the OIRS staff.
Orpheus Island was the perfect place to do cutting edge research on stingray foraging behaviours because of the abundance of rays and excellent water clarity. It’s also across the water from Lucinda Beach, where another colleague of mine did observational surveys on stingrays. Being able to collect data from nearby but in a different environment will allows me to make meaningful comparisons and makes our independent projects more impactful.
This research is important because very little observational work has been done on stingrays, and there is still much to learn about the rays in Pioneer Bay specifically.
Studies by previous researchers have shown that it’s likely the two common species – the cowtail stingray and mangrove whipray –consume different prey and that they use the mangrove habitats differently.
But no one has ever used longer-term observations to watch them forage within the reef flat to understand how these species reduce competition with one another.
There is also a third species – the pink whipray – and we don’t know how they interact with the other species. Studying these interactions is valuable for understanding the ecological roles of rays and where they fit in food webs.
You can see a summary of Jalen’s research in this video.
Morris Family Foundation has provided more than half a million dollars to reef conservation projects in the last financial year through its Reef Keepers Program.
Under the program, the foundation donates a certain amount of money for every guest stay at any of the Morris Escapes luxury lodges, The Ville Resort-Casino, Ardo, and Morris Nautical.
The last financial year saw a total of $577,000 going towards grassroots projects that support the health of the ocean and the Great Barrier Reef.
The supported projects undertake important work around protecting marine ecosystems, reducing ocean pollution, and improving water quality to reduce sediment run-off.
Since the program began in 2019, the foundation has invested over $2.9 million in key initiatives including reducing plastic pollution and marine debris; improving water quality; advancing reef-based research; and Queensland-based projects that help mitigate human activity that contribute to climate change.
We’re proud to collaborate with leading organisations such as Rainforest Rescue, the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), James Cook University, and others to help deliver these vital outcomes.
When you spend your days helping others reach their full potential, you don’t often have the chance to reflect on your own success.
But The Ville Resort-Casino’s Learning and Development Coordinator, Bec Hoffensetz finally got her well-earned moment in the spotlight when she was named Queensland Vocational Education Trainer of the Year at the recent 2024 Queensland Training Awards.
“I really wasn’t expecting it. I was super amazed and shocked,” she said.
“It’s humbling. There are so many inspirational trainers that I got to network with at that event, and I just thought ‘No, these people are amazing.’ I guess sometimes you just don’t realise what impact you have yourself.”
Humility aside, Bec’s impact on The Ville team has been profound.
In a little over three years, she’s revolutionised training and development at the entertainment precinct, introducing a number of training programs that have not only made positive change for the business, but more importantly for its people.
“We introduced school-based traineeships, where we employ school-aged students to complete their Certificate III in Hospitality,”
“They get released one day a week from school and come into the workplace as a paid employee and learn the skills from our amazing team, and they get their certificate as well.
“We’ve had so much success from that. We’ve employed 100% of the students that have graduated. Honestly, there’s been some amazing employees from that program. If you ask any of the departments – they were fighting over some of the students when they graduated!”
“I also delivered the Certificate IV in Hospitality as a pathway for some of our people to become leaders, and then last year I developed the Leadership Excellence Program for some of our current and emerging leaders like shift supervisors.
“We had 29 participants in an 11-month program that was all about developing those soft skills, like values, people management, conflict management, and all of that lovely stuff.”
While some of us can take a little bit of time to find our passion, Bec says her love for training fell into place pretty early in her working life.
“I’ve loved training ever since I worked at McDonald’s when I was in high school,” she said.
“You go through a lot of training at McDonald’s, and you become crew trainer, and they really empower you to coach and develop others. I guess that started my love for it.”
Since then, she’s worked in a variety of roles and industries including Commonwealth Bank and for NEATO Employment Services helping people find work. But her dream role at The Ville came about almost by accident.
“When I moved back to Townsville from Brisbane, I got a job as a croupier in the casino to pay for my wedding,” she said.
“Because I’m a trainer and assessor, I’m qualified to deliver training in hospitality, business, and retail, and then having that experience in casino operations meant I knew how to deal all the table games and learned electronic gaming. So, it gave me a really solid foundation to step into this role when the opportunity came about.”
Bec says while the personal accolades like her award win are exciting, by far the biggest reward from her work is the impact she has on others.
“I really love watching other people grow. I have what I call ‘mother ducks’ syndrome’,” she said.
“I don’t have children – I have dogs. But I really feel like all the trainees are kind of my children.”
“When you train, and develop, and coach them in skills and then see them succeed and thrive in a workplace like this, that’s so rewarding.”
“The great thing about being here is that there’s been a real culture shift where people really want more development. They’re asking for more, so that makes the role really easy. You’re not forcing anyone into training.
“You can’t do anything without the people around you. I didn’t do any of this myself. So many of the opportunities that have been given to me have been because others allowed me to develop my career that way.
“I’m really lucky working in a place like this – the people really make it. It feels like family.”
They’re the creative forces behind some of Morris Group’s celebrated kitchens, creating extraordinary food every day. Meet some of our newest chefs and find out more about their food philosophies and what really drives them.
Scattered across Australia in the kitchens of our collection of luxury lodges, hotels, and pubs, our chefs are a driving force behind Morris Group’s passion for elevating the Australian good life.
With such a diverse portfolio of restaurants each serving a unique style of cuisine, finding the right people to bring the vision to life is key.
But for Group Executive Chef, Peter Reffell, that’s come together just the way he’d planned.
“The depth of talent and experience we have in our team is amazing, and it’s a critical to the overall success of the group,” he said.
“We have such an array of chefs with diverse experiences who each bring unique skills and perspectives. That’s meant that we are creating more versatile and innovative menus than ever.
“Our chefs are highly creative, talented, and are constantly pushing the boundaries of traditional cuisine to offer something new and exciting to our customers. It’s a really exciting time for food at Morris Group.”
Meet Morris Group’s newest head chefs
Mt Mulligan Lodge, QLD
For Gianni Hendrickx, taking on the role of Head Chef at Mt Mulligan Lodge is the culmination of a lifetime spent in the kitchen.
Growing up in Belgium, Gianni recalls fondly the hours he spent cooking with his grandmother from a young age.
“I just really loved spending time with her in the kitchen,” he said.
“With all the grandkids around it was a lot, so it was fun to have some time alone with her cooking and learning all the family dishes. That’s where my love for cooking came from.”
At 13, he began training at Spermalie Hotel and Tourism School in Belgium, one of Europe’s most prestigious culinary schools.
It was here that Gianni got his first taste of the fast-paced world of running a restaurant. He says it was an eye-opening and often humbling experience for him and his peers.
“The thing you really learn is discipline. They were a really strict school but that’s what I needed because I wasn’t the easiest kid,” he said.
“There was a lot of pressure, but that pressure prepares you for real life. It really helped me out working in the restaurants that I worked in. You learn how to deal with authority and the pressure and just to push through.
“You learn that as a chef you never really know everything. You just have to keep learning and learning, so the possibilities are endless.”
Training at Spermalie laid the foundations for an esteemed career that would see him work in some of Europe’s top Michelin-star restaurants including Vrijmoed, Zilte, and ’t fornuis under the mentorship of renowned Belgian chef Johan Segers.
Since moving to Australia and finding his way to Mt Mulligan Lodge in March 2024, Gianni says he’s been given one of the greatest gifts a chef can get: the chance to play.
“You can do whatever you want here – you can experiment – so that’s what makes it fun,” he said.
“I have a classical French background, so sometimes I will go really classical. But then there’s days that I feel like ‘Oh let’s do something crazy today!’
“We change up the menu every day, so it’s nice to come in and just go to the fridge and see what we’re going to make today.”
For Gianni, part of that excitement comes from Mt Mulligan’s unique location in outback Queensland and the interesting array of fresh produce at his fingertips.
“I’ve really enjoyed learning and experimenting with the fish here in particular,” he said.
“The quality of the seafood is amazing, and all the different species of fish like coral trout and nannygai.
“It’s been great to work with things like kangaroo and emu because I’ve never worked with them in Europe, and I really wanted to use them in the menu.
“But also of course, it’s really special working in a place like this. It’s not just about cooking, but the surroundings that really makes it.”
Terasu at Ardo, QLD
There’s only one place in the world that you want to be if you’re an aspiring sushi chef, and that’s the world famous Tsukiji Fish Market in the heart of Tokyo.
That’s where Head Chef of Terasu restaurant at Ardo, Yukio Ozeki, earned his stripes; and it set him on course to head up renowned kitchens all over the world.
“When I graduated school, I was working at a sushi restaurant in Tokyo. There’s the big fish market in Tokyo called the Tsukiji Fish Market and around that market there’s over 100 sushi restaurants,” he said.
“It’s quite hard. Every day I would go into the markets to get the fish with my boss. You had to compete with the other restaurants around there to get the best fish.”
“Once we have chosen our fish and the rest of our seafood, we’d take it back to the restaurant and start preparing it.”
Apart from the obvious high level of technique required to prepare sushi correctly, much of what takes the cuisine to the next level is the quality of the produce.
Yukio says it can take some time to learn how to spot the best fish from a crowded marketplace.
“First you need to learn which fish is the best. You have to look at the colour – if it’s dark, it’s old. If it’s pink, it’s fresh. You also check the eyes. If the eyes are dark, it’s not fresh.”
After broadening his skillset into other styles of Japanese cuisine, Yukio left Japan in search of new culinary challenges.
His travels took him far and wide, working everywhere from small restaurants in South America, to a friend’s 200-head Japanese restaurant in L.A. on Santa Monica Beach.
For the last 10 years he was based in Auckland working at a celebrated modern Asian fusion restaurant in the CBD.
It was here that the DNA for Terasu was first conceived. When the opportunity came to make the move across the ditch to sunny Townsville and start something new, Yukio jumped at the chance.
“I came to Townsville over 20 years ago when I was on a working holiday where I visited Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and Alice Springs,” he said.
“I remember Castle Hill and it was so beautiful. I just loved Queensland, the climate, the lifestyle. Everything.
“With Terasu’s menu, I took my knowledge of traditional Japanese cuisine and things I’ve picked up from other cuisines around the world to create something new.”
Much like his first experience in that restaurant in Tokyo all those years ago, Yukio says the Terasu menu lives and breaths on the quality of the fresh produce available.
“The quality of the seafood is really important. Before we opened, we got some samples from our supplier Red Coral Seafood and it was very fresh, so I was excited to work with it,” he said.
“The quality of the produce is very good – the fish, the Wagyu meat. It’s all very good.”
Half Moon, VIC
If there’s one trait that Aaron Brodie has in spades, it’s adaptability.
Before stepping into the Head Chef role at Half Moon, he spent seven years as Executive Chef at Oakridge Wines in the Yarra Valley where the food philosophy was all about sustainability and hyper-local produce.
“We had a kitchen garden that provided about 80 percent of what we were serving,” he said.
“We set some tight parameters around what we did and how we did it. It was very much that everything’s made in-house, but we took it to another level – we made absolutely everything, from bread to charcuterie, and cheese.”
But with the strict rules came opportunity for limitless creativity.
“It takes a little bit of getting used to. You have to be able to adapt and be very fluid,” he said.
“It’s very produce led. Basically, the garden tells you what you’re putting on the menu. You don’t have the luxury of looking at a supplier list and ordering whatever you want. You’re bound by what’s at your back door.
“It means you can’t be set in your ways. You might have made something years ago, but you don’t have the same resources available, so you have to adapt.”
For Aaron, moving from a boutique winery to a bustling pub in the heart of Brighton means adapting again to a totally new way of thinking.
“I guess the goal is to be able to do a little bit of that, but to do it in a way that’s more approachable,” he said.
“The audience is a bit broader because a pub is something to everyone. When people come into a pub – especially somewhere like Half Moon that has such a reputation – and they’ve got a preconceived idea of what they’re going to get.
“What I’m trying to do is use a lot of old-world techniques, but just presented in something that’s a little brighter, and a little fresher.
“It’s food that people can relate to, but at the same time something that’s a little bit different. We’re not trying to scare them.”
Aaron’s deft ability to adapt and stay cool under pressure is no accident.
It’s a muscle he’s strengthened through an illustrious career working in some of the world’s most renowned kitchens.
Having kicked off his career in Perth working at the iconic venues such as the Subiaco Hotel, Aaron made the move to London to immerse himself in the ‘intense’ food scene.
The five years that followed saw him on board at a series of one and two Michelin-star restaurants including Gordon Ramsay’s Maze working under Jason Atherton.
For Aaron, that kind of experience has been pivotal in making him the chef he is today.
“You just become very goal-orientated, and you learn,” he said.
“I always had a thirst to learn. You really need to learn, and you need to learn quickly. You get a couple of chances but by the third chance, they’re probably not so nice about it.”
“There’s a lot of repetition but that’s how you become better. I guess it’s a bit like sport in that sense. If you’re training for something, there’s a lot of repetition and incremental gains.
“I really like that competitive nature of the kitchen. There’s no such thing as perfection, but the goal is just to make today better than the day before.”
O’Connell’s, VIC
It’s not that much of a stretch to say that Iker Garcia seems destined to be a chef.
Born in Basque Country and growing up in Spain’s coastal Catalonia region, Iker was immersed in the chef life from a very young age.
“My dad used to be a chef, and worked on boats all around the world,” he said.
“I travelled a lot. On school holidays I would go with my parents on the boat, so I was really lucky to visit a lot of countries.
“I spent so many hours in the kitchen, watching my dad cooking. I think that’s when I fell in love with it. I started cooking when I was 12 and had my first job when I was 14 working with my dad for about 10 years.
“Working with my dad really gave me my work ethic. He taught me so much about being consistent and having discipline.
“I wasn’t the best student so my dad would say ‘If you’re not going to study then you have to at least be good with your hands.’”
Since then, his career has been one filled with globetrotting, working in fine dining kitchens all over Spain, France, Italy, and Korea before he found his way to Australia 10 years ago.
“Learning English was the main priority for coming to Australia at first,” he said.
“I was supposed to come only for six months and then I extended my Visa for another year, and another year, and another year, and now here we are ten years later.”
While he’s well and truly settled into the Australian way of life, Iker says travel remains one of his biggest inspirations in the kitchen.
“Knowledge comes from travelling around the world,” he said.
“I feel very grateful for all the places I’ve been able to travel and go to really good restaurants and see what they do.
“I just want to explore as much as I can, surround myself with the best people, and learn from the best.”
A peruse through the menu at South Melbourne neighbourhood favourite, O’Connell’s, is a nod to Iker’s upbringing, with a definite shift towards a lighter, Mediterranean inspired fare.
“I used to live in a fishing village, and I was really lucky to have friends who worked on boats so I could get the fish from them and take it home and cook it for that night. You can’t beat that,” he said.
“Obviously coming from the Mediterranean it’s all about seafood – I really love cooking fish especially on charcoal. I just love seafood. If I had to pick one ingredient, my favourite thing would be seafood every time.
“My main thing with cooking is always to treat the ingredients and produce well and do the least possible with it and showcase it because if it’s good, you don’t have to do anything to it. Less is more.”
Beechmont Estate, QLD
While their paths towards the chef life were pretty different, husband-and-wife team Chris and Alex Norman say they were both sucked in by the same thing.
“For me I think it’s the camaraderie, the banter between the chefs, and the lifestyle,” Chris said.
“I remember walking into my first kitchen at 14 or 15 years old and just going ‘This is so cool. This is an environment I want to be part of.’
“I just was drawn to the idea of being part of a team – especially at a young age. They really took me in.
“It’s a lot like going into the military or something. You’re in a team and it’s got a strict hierarchy, and you’ve got your leader at the front driving the team. And sometimes going into service is a lot like going into battle.”
The story was much the same for Alex.
“I always worked in big places with like 40 or 50 chefs. You were doing big hours, but you were all in it together,” she said.
“The bonds that you make – they’re friends for life because you just go through all this stuff together.”
Having cut his teeth working in a pub kitchen throughout high school, Chris had no doubts about his direction post-graduation and began his chef apprenticeship.
It wasn’t long before he sensed a big change. Suddenly it wasn’t just the team dynamic driving him. His passion for food and the craft had been ignited.
“I was working in a fairly good place, but it wasn’t the best of the best,” he said.
“I just had this realisation that if I’m going to do this I may as well do it properly. From there I started what we call ‘chasing stars’, which is looking for work at any restaurants with a Michelin star.
“I put myself through 10 years of working at the best places that I could, trying to learn and soak up as much as I could like a sponge.”
The decision to become a chef was a pretty clear one for Alex. Clear enough for her to follow her gut take her career advisor’s words of warning with a grain of salt.
“My career advisor at school really didn’t want me to be a chef. She was like ‘You’ll just waste your career!’ But I think that kind of I was like ‘Well, I’m just going to go and do it now,’” she said.
And with that, at the age of 16 she landed a scholarship at London’s Royal Academy of Culinary Arts: one of the UK’s most prestigious culinary schools.
“Only 30 people a year get to do this scholarship, so I was very lucky,” she said.
“You essentially do three months full time at the University of Bournemouth and then you go to London for a year and you’re just a chef in the kitchen.
“So, I was a 16-year-old living in London, and I just had the best time! It was pretty clear then. I was like, ‘Yep, this is this is what I want to do.’”
As her skills in the kitchen grew, so did her fascination with the pastry kitchen.
“I think I was attracted by the science behind it. It’s a little bit more academic in some ways,” she said.
“There are really clear rules. Like, there are reasons that things will work in a certain way – a sponge will rise in different ways depending on how you make it. I really enjoyed that part of it.
“I also enjoy that you can do a some more crazy things with pastry and push the boundaries. You can do some mad stuff!”
The pair met when their careers both led them to working at The Ritz in London, and they’ve been working together ever since.
While most people would find it difficult working in such a high pressure environment with their significant other, Alex and Chris say they’ve found a way to make it work seamlessly.
“We like to be under the pump we like to be under pressure,” Chris said.
“We’ve had some steep learning curves. It was very tough earlier on,” Alex said.
“There are times when you bring work home, but now we are used to working each other. We kind of know and understand each other and what we do so it’s easy.”
In 2011 they made the move to Australia and found their way to Southeast Queensland – a place that holds a special place in their hearts.
For them, that stunning location was a huge part of the appeal of joining the team at Beechmont Estate to lead its celebrated chef-hatted restaurant, The Paddock, into a new era.
“It’s a beautiful area and we’ve worked already with the local suppliers for years. So, coming here was very easy for us,” Chris said.
“For us, having full creative autonomy is a big factor. We want it to be a destination where people know they can come and have a really good meal, but not necessarily just for special occasions.
“One of the biggest things for us is that we want to get the best quality ingredients and cook them with respect – it does matter whether it’s a piece of Wagyu or some coral trout or some vegetables from a local farm.
“We don’t want to change anything. We don’t want to take ingredients and dehydrate it, mix it with a load of chemicals and turn it into something else. We’ll keep it as it is.
“We’re classically trained, and we’ve worked in restaurants that have kept to that kind of philosophy, but we do it with a more modern Australian spin.
“We like to think our food is unpretentious and approachable but still really high quality.”
The kitchen at The Vincent has been brought back to life as Morris Hospitality’s production kitchen and butchery.
Under the direction of Head Production Chef, Dan Greenwood, one of the kitchen’s main responsibilities is preparing the array of premium meats for the group’s collection of Victorian pubs from the bulk deliveries from suppliers.
Dan says that apart from the obvious cost benefits, there are other big advantages to the concept.
“Skilled labour is always hard to find, so pulling this kind of labour out of the kitchens and letting the chefs focus on the thing they do best which is service makes a lot of sense,” he said.
“I can spend a bit of time continuing to build the strong relationship with suppliers like Flinders & Co, and it just gives us a bit of quality control over the product that ends up making it into the restaurant kitchens and onto the plates of our guests. I can make sure we’re getting the consistent level of excellence we’re looking for.
“Centralising also means we can make the most of any trim and wastage and have it all in one place to repurpose and value-add to it rather than it just being used for staff meal or chucked into a stock. We can actually repurpose it in a way that is more thoughtful, so it doesn’t get wasted.”
Before joining the Morris Hospitality team six months ago, Dan was working in product development for LaManna gourmet supermarkets, where he’d also been head chef for their ready-meals production kitchen.
“I started out in restaurants and then transitioned into production kitchens after that,” he said.
“The hours are a little bit more family-friendly and I found it really interesting. I did some time in airline catering before that, and I’ve just kept growing in that side of hospitality. I just really enjoy it.”
Sure, you might have had a beer or two in your time. But have you ever had an ‘epiphany beer’?
CBCo Brewing’s Head Brewer Ash Hazell has, and he credits it with setting him off on his path to brewing enlightenment. One single pint launched his 20-year quest to find the magic formula for the greatest tasting beer imaginable.
“There’s a term that brewers use called epiphany beers,” Ash says.
“It’s like the first beer they picked up where it’s changed everything, from being just a beer to get me drunk to something much bigger. This epiphany beer is a life-changing moment.”
For Ash, the pint in question was served up at Western Australia’s Little Creatures brewery where he celebrated his 18th birthday.
Up to that point he’d been brewing some admittedly pretty nasty beer – mostly as a way to get around his problem of being underage with a social calendar full of uni parties to attend.
“I was brewing horrifically bad beer and when I tried the Little Creatures Pale Ale, in that moment I was like, ‘I have to learn how to make beer this good’. That one beer sort of set my whole career path,” he says.
“I was studying chemistry at the time and was doing some boring mining-related chemistry units. So, I dropped out of all of them and instead I picked up some biochemistry and microbiology units to learn how to make that beer.
“And 20 years later I’m a tragically obsessed brewer, still trying to make the best beer I can.”
The shift from casual hobby brewer to full-time fanatic was swift.
“I was just obsessed. Absolutely obsessed. Every waking hour I was researching brewing,” he says.
“I’d built a semi-automated, fully stainless steel brewhouse in my back shed, using kegs I’d ‘borrowed’ from the back of pubs.
“I found a local welder to weld it all up for me and found all the parts online from across the world. At the time you just didn’t have access to homebrew equipment like there is now. You had to piece it together yourself.”
As it turns out, the efforts to upgrade his set-up clearly paid off. From that point Ash entered and won a couple of home brewing awards including one major national one.
As time went on, brewing became increasingly ingrained in his life and his studies. When his classmates were doing their final year research projects on crystal formation, Ash opted for his own beer-centric topic.
It was such a step outside the norm, that even his uni lecturer had no idea what he was talking about, so he was to enlist the help of an expert to verify his research.
Little did he know that this would be the beginning of his big break in the industry.
“On a whim I reached out to the head brewer at Little Creatures to verify my research and he agreed,” Ash says.
“I got questionable but somewhat useful results, but more importantly he offered me a job as a keg cleaner, cleaning kegs by hand while I finished my degree.
“And by the time I finished my degree I worked there full-time and have been a brewer ever since.
“There were probably only about 50 craft brewers in the country at that time. It was such a tiny industry, so just to get your foot in the door was huge.”
From there he began his slow rise through the ranks, jumping on new opportunities as they presented themselves.
“Little Creatures was growing really fast in those days. It wasn’t the easiest industry to work in at the time – the hours were long. It was a hard slog,” he says.
“But just by persevering through it, and being absolutely obsessed with it, I ended up getting lots of opportunities.
“My career goal was always to become the quality control manager of a significant Australian craft brewery, and I’d achieved that by the time I turned 25.”
When Little Creatures was bought out by global beverage giant, Lion, Ash found himself at a crossroads.
Wanting to stay fiercely independent and not work for ‘the man’ he took it as a sign to move on and started his own brewery with Little Creatures’ ex-CEO, called Barrow Boys.
Despite a few strong years in Melbourne, Barrow Boys eventually closed down leaving him looking for a new opportunity.
And that opportunity came at CBCo.
“I came here and chatted to (Managing Director) Lawrence (Dowd) about contract brewing,” he says.
“But I also knew he was looking for a head brewer at the time. So, I was half coming to suss out contract brewing for my old business, and half coming into suss out opportunities in case I lost faith that I could make that work.”
One thing led to another, and before he knew it he was head brewer at CBCo Brewing and the rest is history.
For Ash, the best thing about working at CBCo is that he gets the freedom to play with flavours, and for him that’s the magic of brewing. That’s what keeps his obsession going, even after more than two decades in the industry.
“When you work for one of the big guys, you have resources – and resources are great. But you also have many different gateways to pass between the idea and delivering the idea,” he says.
“The whole reason I love working in craft beer is that I love craft beer and I want to play with flavours, and I don’t want to work for a company that just wants to make boring beer.
“There’s nothing better than brewing a beer and having that first pint off tap and being like ‘Yeah, this is delicious; we’ve nailed this. That’s still what I strive for every day.”
