Smokalicious owner Josh Giles sets up shop at Melaleuca Golf Course

After investing $30,000 and three months of his life into building a one-of-a-kind smoker, a Mackay diesel fitter gave up his day job to barbecue full time — with plans to roast an Australian record.

Most people would agree a golf ball smashing into their car would make for a bad day, but for one Mackay business owner it sealed the deal on an exciting new venture.

Despite never having smoked a piece of meat in his life, Mackay diesel fitter Josh Giles took nine months and $30,000 to build his first smoker in 2018.

“I realised I had to make some money back,” Mr Giles said.

Mackay barbecue business Smokalicious owner Josh Giles. Picture: Facebook

So he began lugging the portable barbecue to functions and events in 2018, but said he could not shake the idea of bigger and better.

“I built the first one and while everyone thought it was the coolest smoker ever — I thought there was room for improvement,” Mr Giles said.

“It was burning up a lot of timber, but this new one burns bugger all and only takes 25 minutes to heat up.”

Josh Giles spent $30,000 on steel alone for his steam train designed smoker. Picture: Facebook

So Mr Giles got to work again, this time spending $30,000 on steel alone and designing the barbecue in the style of a steam train.

Again Mr Giles realised he needed to make some money back on his mammoth project, and began exploring options with various vendors in the Mackay region.

Smokalicious owner Josh Giles with Mark Fenech. Picture: Facebook

Mr Giles said he was driving through Slade Point when inspiration struck — in the form of a golf ball smashing into his car.

He pulled into the driving range to speak with the managers about the incident, but walked out shortly after with a new agreement on a lease for his latest project Smokalicious.

Smokalicious is now set up on the Melaleuca Golf Course grounds for coffee Monday to Friday from 5.30am until 11.30am with the smoker cranking from 2pm until 8pm and live music from 4pm on Friday. Picture: Facebook

The shop is now set up on the Melaleuca Golf Course grounds for coffee Monday to Friday from 5.30am until 11.30am with the smoker cranking from 2pm until 8pm and live music from 4pm on Friday.

He said it was a match made in heaven with the golf course offering a relaxed environment with “no dress codes” where punters can have a hit in thongs.

Mackay barbecue business Smokalicious has set up shop at Melaleuca Golf Course in Slade Point. Picture: Facebook

Mr Giles has given up his career as a diesel fitter to operate his smoker business full-time — something he said he would not have dreamed of five years ago.

And with a third smoker on the drawing board, Mr Giles is showing no signs of slowing down.

“I want to break the record for the biggest smoker,” he said.

Mr Giles said the current Australian record was about eight metres, just two metres bigger than his current one, while an American one held the world record at about 18 metres.

He said he was confident his next project would easily take out the top spot in Australia.

“But the American one doesn’t have any rivets, they’re very simple — I like jazzing them up.”