The Grounds Collective to open new cafe in the Bucasia Gardens

Mackay’s newest cafe owner hopes to give locals a taste of her Northern Rivers hometown by creating a space for art, organic food and premium coffee blends.

The Grounds Collective Bucasia cafe opens early April.

After moving up to Mackay to work in the mines Tammy van den Barselaar saw the prospect that a career change would bring her closer to home.

Now she’s getting ready to open Bucasia’s newest cafe and bringing the taste of Byron with her from the Northern Rivers.

The Grounds Collective cafe is set among the luxurious nursery in the Bucasia Gardens.

Expected to open in early April, Ms van den Barselaar wants to bring premium grade Campos coffee blends to Mackay and complement it with locally sourced food.

The cafe will also be jumping on the latest coffee trends teaming up with Cha-i to bring their own versions of matcha teas and a range of chai blends.

The Grounds Collective Bucasia have teamed up with Cha-i to supply Australian made grounds including chai, matcha and chocolate blends. March 19, 2025

But Ms van den Barselaar hopes the cafe can be more than just a place to eat and drink.

“It’s a place of collaboration with the locals, whatever their art is,” she said.

“If it’s pottery, if it’s music, painting, if it’s knitting.

“It’s really lacking in this town, those spaces for that. There’s some nice cafes but there’s nowhere with the space.”

Tammy van den Barselaar wants artists to come together at the cafe.

The cafe faces the Bucasia Salvos and stretches out into the neighbouring nursery where guests can expect a dog friendly garden area with sheltered tables and chairs overlooking a lake.

“I used to own a nursery, I’ve been around nurseries all my married life so I know what it brings to people,” she said.

The cafe is nestled in the Bucasia Gardens

With the help of her son, stepson and husband, Ms van den Barselaar has managed to bring to life the foundations of the new cafe with the final touches underway before the grand opening.

Ms van den Barselaar will be joined by head chef Todd Attfield who began his culinary journey in Hayman Island in the Whitsunday before working in Gold Coast resorts.

Todd Attfield’s smoker will be set up in the nursery garden at the Grounds Collective Bucasia cafe. Photo: Todd Attfield

“I’m excited to bring fresh, vibrant dishes to life, using the best seasonal produce available,” he said.

Mackay locals can expect an American style cuisine accompanied by Mr Attfield’s smoker which will inspire a Sunday roast each week and smokey meat, vegetarian, vegan and gluten free meals every day.

Ms van den Barselaar hopes to push native bush ingredients into her menu too.

Todd Attfield is set to bring smokey roasts to the Grounds Collective menu when it opens this April. Photo: Todd Attfield