Katalin Blond owns The Royal Queenscliff art gallery and cocktail bar with her husband, Stephen. She speaks with Jena Carr about what she loves about living and working in Queenscliff.
What is your connection to Queenscliff?
My husband Stephen spent much time in Queenscliff as a child on family holidays. He felt a deep connection to the town and its people.
When we met, we would often do day trips and stop in to buy the mandatory seaside fish and chips or pizza in Hesse Street and devour them on the beach. We then shared that tradition with our three children.
After moving to Queenscliff, having 20 years of experience in accommodation venues throughout Victoria, we wanted to contribute to Queenscliff as a destination.
As passionate lovers of heritage buildings and restoration, the opportunity to purchase The Royal came up, and we jumped at it. Stephen and his team then spent the next few years on its meticulous restoration.
What do you like about where you live?
Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale deliver natural beauty, an easy lifestyle, and a safe environment to raise a family.
Everything you need is here. We have fabulous galleries with Queenscliff Gallery and SALT Contemporary Art and great eateries like Nivana, 360Q, Shelter Shed, Noble Rot and The Kiosk.
We also have a state-of-the-art yoga facility at Samana Yoga, beautiful fashion at SUKii Boutique, and the Queenscliff Coutas football and netball club.
More than anything, and as a lover of change, I enjoy the contrast between quiet winters and the buzz of summer with new people to meet, things to do, and adventures to be had.
I feel truly blessed to be able to live in a small coastal town like Queenscliff and to be able to work on all of the things I am passionate about.
What, if anything, would you change about where you live?
With what we’ve done at The Royal, we hope to alter some people’s perception that any change is somehow intertwined with a threat to this beautiful town’s cultural and historical integrity.
Progress and the preservation of history can coexist when approached sensitively, collaboratively and with a deep respect for what the town represents.
Bear in mind that safeguarding heritage buildings entails considerable financial investment and is a responsibility that passionate individuals willingly shoulder.
By nurturing a robust local economy through community support and tourism, we fortify our ability to entice like-minded individuals to undertake the same task.
To be accepting of fresh perspectives, fosters an atmosphere of growth and infuses our community with renewed vitality.
Where is your favourite place to spend time?
I love Aperitivo Hour with my girlfriends at The Royal on the weekends, but my favourite place is always home, where I can cocoon myself at the end of the day.
If I venture beyond Geelong, you can’t go past Osteria Fiorenza for delicious Italian food and the 18th Amendment Bar for impeccable service and an inspirational cocktail menu.
Gorge, Damo and the bar team are simply the best, and we had the good fortune of hosting their award-winning team at The Royal for the last two Summers.
What is something people may not know about you?
I am a lawyer and managing director of Fortitude Legal, a law firm focussed on serving regional people, including Geelong and the Bellarine.
Living in Queenscliff, I am part of the community I serve, and anyone needing help knows that they can speak to me.
It gives me great satisfaction to help people I know, and it is a privilege to be given that responsibility.
What do you like about your role with The Royal Queenscliff?
My role at The Royal fulfils my passion for art and hospitality. It’s where I escape to on the weekend, and it’s like my Yin and Yang.
I get to be surrounded by the beautiful artworks of our talented artists, including my sister-in-law Joan Blond, William Linford, Aliki K and Jane Downing.
I also get to play a part in creating bespoke experiences for our guests and exercise my creative side with themed events and functions.
We even had Italian-Australian chef Guy Grossi and his team serve up an extraordinary lunch last year.
Our accommodation offering will also be up and running by next year, and the circle will be complete, which means we can deliver The Royal back to the community fully dressed.
To bring friends and families together in an environment where they can create lifetime memories is truly a gift, not a chore.
