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Mackay’s Grazing Goat Cafe founder voluntarily liquidates

A popular cafe which survived the mining downturn and Covid has evaded yet another calamity after its founder’s company sold the popular spot before going into liquidation.

A popular Mackay cafe survived the mining downturn, Covid-19 and more, yet its founder recently sold the business and has filed for liquidation as a near decade of hardships took its toll.
A popular Mackay cafe survived the mining downturn, Covid-19 and more, yet its founder recently sold the business and has filed for liquidation as a near decade of hardships took its toll.

A Mackay cafe which survived the mining downturn and Covid has evaded yet another calamity after its founder’s company went into liquidation over a year after selling it.

Accountant Michael Harris founded the popular Grazing Goat Cafe on Wood St, a local favourite which was initially a paleo franchise that controversial health figure Pete Evans visited.

Documents lodged with ASIC show his personal company Sureline Investments Pty Ltd (formerly The Grazing Goat Cafe) owed $247,297.05 to various debtors at the time it was wound up.

The Grazing Goat Cafe on Wood St, Mackay. Picture: Zoe Devenport
The Grazing Goat Cafe on Wood St, Mackay. Picture: Zoe Devenport

The largest debt was to the Australian Taxation Office, where $167,554.44 was outstanding.

Yet documents show Mr Harris was himself owed $628,789 from sundry debtors.

Mr Harris said he had sold the cafe itself to new owner Renyee Bencsis in October 2022 and that it “continues to trade well under new ownership”.

“The company endured a number of hardships initially including the redevelopment of the City Heart (2015) and the localised mining downturn (2015-2017),” Mr Harris said.

“Despite this, the cafe managed to overcome these issues and had good periods of profitability and was well-supported by the local community.

Michael Harris in the early days of paleo Cafe, before it became The Grazing Goat. Photo Louise Starkey / Daily Mercury
Michael Harris in the early days of paleo Cafe, before it became The Grazing Goat. Photo Louise Starkey / Daily Mercury

“More recently, the onset of Covid had a significant financial impact where 80 per cent of the cafe’s revenue was reduced overnight.

“Again the cafe managed to bounce back from this and traded strongly post-Covid.

“The Company has not traded since the sale and is now basically a shell.

Grazing Goat Cafe on Wood St. Picture: Contributed
Grazing Goat Cafe on Wood St. Picture: Contributed

“There are other aspects to the winding up and finalisation of the company which are outside the scope of cafe operations.

“Hospitality can be a difficult but also a rewarding business (so) I take my hat off to all hospitality owners and their staff and wish them the best of success in their endeavours.”

Documents show Mr Harris’ four other creditors include more than $39,000 owed to National Bank of Australia, $35,438.77 to small business loan provider Lumi, and $4,563.64 to similar loan provider ZIP Business Australia.

Grazing Goat Cafe on Wood St. Picture: Contributed
Grazing Goat Cafe on Wood St. Picture: Contributed

Current Grazing Goat Cafe owner Ms Bencsis said, since its sale over a year ago, she wanted to assure patrons the business itself was in no danger.

“It’s nothing to do with us … it’s two completely separate companies,” Ms Bencsis said.

“So no dramas, no change at all.”

Originally published as Mackay’s Grazing Goat Cafe founder voluntarily liquidates

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Original URL: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/regional/mackays-grazing-goat-cafe-founder-voluntarily-liquidates/news-story/6bd8c682d5a289a67f77089b8b7a4bc8