SANCTUS: Brewing up the success of regional areas

Local brewery say investment in the region will lead to more success stories like their own

Sanctus Brewing owners Nicole and Trent O'Connor with celebrity chef Matt Moran at the NSW Government Regional Economic Plan launch at the brewery.

There was a buzz at Sanctus Brewery last week as more than a hundred people were busy greeting each other, talking business, enjoying beer and food.

It could’ve been any weekend at the brewery, but it was a Wednesday, and the crowd was there to hear about the government’s plans to revitalise regional areas into success stories, just like the brewery.

For owners Trent and Nicole O’Connor, it was preaching to the choir.

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“The attitude is changing from ‘You’re going to go broke’, and now it’s ‘we’ll give it a go’,” Mr O’Connor said.

“I think with the government investing into regional areas it’s changing. People are leaving the city, and bringing city ideas and taking a punt in regional areas.”

For Mr O’Connor, it was a return to his old school stomping ground where they wanted to raise their kids led to their investment which has grown to a regional success in the space of a year.

“We bought this land when they released (the plans) for the highway, as a pure investment, but we thought something’s going to happen, all the exits are here,” he said.

“We sat on it for four or five years, and we had spoken about a brewery for seven or eight.

“We travelled pre-COVID and we saw craft beer in the States and Australia, and thought – we have to do this.

“We had an acre, and a blank canvas with the shed the old Busways one, and it was a given – we could create a great venue.”

Clarence MP Chris Gulaptis with Sanctus Brewing owners Trent and Nicole O'Connor

For the pair, it was about finding a gap in the market, and pointed to fellow Maclean success story Botero as an example of what could be done in the area.

“Look at what they’ve built there – everyone said you’re going to go broke when they were starting, and now they’re all across the country,” Mr O’Connor said.

“For us it’s the same thing, we did the research, found what suited us.

“We wanted to be family friendly, not have the gambling or the pokie machines.”

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Mr O’Connor said with the influx of tourists created by COVID lockdowns, and the destination experience they offer at the brewery, it was ensuring a customer base of locals and tourist into the future.

“We had people this summer who a lot had never been to the Clarence, and had never been to Yamba,” he said.

“Suddenly they couldn’t go to Queensland, and where was the closest place? There’s this place called the North Coast, and it’s all going to be repeat, because once they’ve been here they’ll keep coming back.”

His comments were echoed by event host, and chef Matt Moran, who joked at the launch after finding a good coffee, his next visit was to a real estate site on his first visit in more than a quarter of a century, when he helped put the Yamba king prawn on the world stage.

“You look at that guy, he hasn’t been here for 26 years … and he comes and says what have I been doing? This place is beautiful,” Mr O’Connor said.

“We have the mountains, ocean, rivers.”

Mr O’Connor said he backed the comments of deputy premier John Barilaro at the launch, who said it was a priority for government to help businesses with assistance and cutting of red tape in planning.

“It’s encouraging to see that support, they want the process to be quicker and easier,” Mr O’Connor said.

“I think local government can have a good look at themselves and free up the process … there are a lot of road blocks often because something has never been done before.

“And instead of roadblocking it, they can really assist, and see these things are going to bring people in.

“There have been plenty of times I’ve wanted to walk away.”

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