A BEER-led recovery could help bolster Geelong’s economy amid the gloom of closures and threats elsewhere.
A $60 million showcase Little Creatures brewery launched today at South Geelong by the Lion is set to churn out 1.25 million cartons of beer in its first year.
The brewer will make its boutique Little Creatures and White Rabbit ales at the heritage site, its new Australian east coast base, and is expected to employ up to 100 people.
The village-style brewery will include a restaurant/dining hall similar to its renowned Fremantle complex.
The South Geelong brewery has involved considerable alterations to the old red-brick woollen mill, including removal of a second floor of the brewhouse building and roof removal and replacement during installation of brewhouse tanks.
“Little Creatures is one of Australia’s most popular craft beers, and our investment in this major new brewery at Geelong will allow us to meet the growing demand for the Little Creatures portfolio of beers now, and into the future,” said Lion CEO Stuart Irvine.
“Importantly, we’ll be able to produce beer closest to where our future growth will come from – the eastern states. Beer is always best consumed fresh, and this allows us to provide fresher product to the eastern market.”
Little Creatures was taken over by Japan’s Kirin holdings’ Lion Co last year and confronted by high-profile industrial strife when unions defied a Supreme Court order over building sub-contractor labour to picket the site.
The brewery’s redesign of a former woollen mill has used old features widely as well as recycled pallets and other materials for furniture.
Mayor Darryn Lyons was on hand to oversee proceedings. His verdict: “This is brilliant!”
Cr Lyons described the new brewery as “an exciting milestone for Geelong, with the old Valley Worsted Mills being pulled forward from history and reinvigorated to become an exciting new addition to our city”.
“The City’s Enterprise Geelong team have worked closely with Little Creatures since they began scouting for a new brewery location, providing critical support in their endeavour to secure the old Mills for their Geelong headquarters in 2011,” he said.
“This is one of the most exciting new major private enterprises to open in Geelong, and I urge the Geelong community to get behind it.”
“It is a brilliant addition to the city and further builds on our whole region’s reputation as a world class destination for top quality food and drink.”
“This is the kind of thing we are going to be seeing more and more of in the future – big businesses – national and international – investing in Geelong and setting up headquarters in our city.”
“Today’s opening is a positive sign of things to come – it’s onwards and upwards for this great city of Geelong.”
