Mayne Street Brewing and Charleys Creek Brewing set to open their doors in 2025

Western Downs beer lovers will have something to celebrate with Chinchilla's first two breweries revealing when they plan to be pouring their first cold ones.

Mayne Street Brewing (left) and Charleys Creek Brewing are both aiming to be open in 2025.

The construction of Chinchilla’s first two breweries is almost complete with Mayne Street Brewing and Charleys Creek Brewing Co expected to be finished in time for Melon Fest.

Just four minutes apart, the two breweries will be tourist hotspots giving guests to the region a place to relax while enjoy locally sourced food and locally brewed beers.

Mayne Street Brewing, situated in the former Chinchilla News building, is the brainchild of four physics and chemistry teachers Brad Hubbard, Brian Hobson, Glen Ivers and Steve Johnson with the team aiming to maintain the building’s historic facade while creating a fun and comfortable space.

Mayne Street Brewing

Mr Hubbard said the team had been working hard to get the site up and running for early 2025.

“It’s going pretty well, we’ve got three main areas at the site, we’ve got the brewing area, the front bar and back bar and what we are doing at the moment is rebuilding the building from the inside out,” he said.

“We are ploughing through the front area and the brewing room which will be the first part we have open. At the moment we are finishing off sanding and scraping glue off the floors, we will be painting the walls in a week, and putting in lights.

“A lot of that stuff will be finished within the next couple of weeks with a view towards having brew club meetings on a regular basis.

“We are hoping to be open for the Chinchilla Melon Festival and even if we aren't open for the public generally, we are hoping to get a licence to be open for that day.”

Mayne Street Brewing

Mr Hubbard said the team had been refining their beers ahead of the opening.

“We have brewed a cata-blastas pale ale which is a lovely golden colour with a heavy feel, we are doing an Irish red at the moment which has a heavier feel and a stronger flavour, some ginger beer which is very popular and we are also doing a raspberry and lime cider for those who like things a bit sweeter,” he said.

“They are going to taste really good, our beers have a lot of body to them and a lot of flavour.

“They’ll feel heavier in the mouth compared to a normal beer, if you drink our beer and then go taste other beers they’ll taste like water.”

He said while it had been a difficult process the end was in sight.

“It is great to see the progress, it is looking good, everyone who has a look says what we are doing is great, it’s either going to kill us or we are going to finish,” he said.

“With the other brewery also starting up there is an opportunity to work together, if you’ve got two breweries here it’s a reason to make the trip out here.”

Steven and Ursula Keating with baby Andrew. Photo/Keating family

Meanwhile Charleys Creek Brewing Co at the Charleys Creek Campgrounds are also putting the finishing touches on their site.

Brewing beer for the past few years, Charleys Creek Brewing Co won gold at the Queensland Beer Awards for their sour ‘One in a Melon’ beer and are now looking to create a space that visitors and locals alike can enjoy.

“It's going well, there's been a few hold up with tradies, but it is coming together, they put the bitumen down today and we happy with how it is looking,” owner Steven Keating said.

“We are looking to open the first or second week of January and the official opening will be for the Melon Fest.”

Charleys Creek Brewery

Mr Keating said he hoped the family-friendly brewery would be a meeting place for families.

“We are hoping for it to be a weekend experience where families can come from the coast, camp at the grounds, try some of the beef and some of the arts and produce from around the region, have some nice beer and enjoy some entertainment with our horses,” he said.

“It will have a rustic feel, a big windmill recently blew over on one of our farms and we pulled that down and that’s hanging on one of our walls now, it’s going to have a really nice rural feel.

“We are 16 taps so we will have all different styles of beer from pale ales all the way through to dark ales and lagers.

“It is somewhere different where people can come and enjoy some craft beers in a family environment, the kids can come along kick a ball on a Sunday afternoon and families can relax.”