Farmhouse-style brewery ‘Dunetown’ to open in the heart of East Gippsland on December 11

A unique, farmhouse-style brewery in the heart of East Gippsland is set to open right in time for the Christmas holidays — and it’s already proving a hit.

The new brewery "Dunetown" will open in the heart of East Gippsland on Wednesday, December 11, 2024. Picture: Supplied

A unique farmhouse-style brewery is set to open in East Gippsland with 20 Christmas bookings already on the cards.

Sailors Grave Brewing’s Chris and Gab Moore, who have been running the business for eight years at the old butter factory in Orbost, are shifting to “Dunetown” — located between Marlo and Cape Conran — opening to the public on December 11.

Ms Moore, a mum of three, said the three-year development would host an expanded and upgraded brewery operation in a “bloody big shed” built on land owned for generations by her family.

Dunetown will also feature a pilot malting plant, a bar and beer hall and gardens that will host a year-round calendar of events.

Sailors Grave Brewing renowned brewers Gab Moore (left) and Chris Moore (right) are ready to open their new “Dunetown” brewery in time for the Christmas summer holidays. Picture: Supplied

Ms Moore said she was expecting a busy summer period.

“We have hopes — we have taken a big gamble because it is in a very remote location,” the 47-year-old said.

“But we love being where we are and we wanted to have our business here in our community.

“And moving back to our family farm — it’s where we always wanted the brewery to be — but we couldn’t actually afford it eight years ago.”

Ms Moore said the importance of the brewery being situated on farmland was that it told a “prominent” story.

The farmhouse-style brewery was named after an old village in Cape Conran. Picture: Supplied

“And we can tell that story in a more real way,” she said.

Dunetown – as with Sailors Grave – took its name from the sea shanty village that existed at Cape Conran until the 1980s.

Ms Moore said her grandfather Jim Nixon had a house in Cape Conran and they would spend every summer there.

“By all accounts, they were wild times and full of fun,” she said.

“I remember there was a bar set up in the dunes, and by ‘bar’ I mean a table and a keg.

“That’s where we got the idea for this place.

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The brewery’s opening also marks the end of several challenging years for Sailors Grave, with the Black Summer bushfires coming within a few kilometres of the Moores’ home and brewery.

“It hasn’t been easy, but the challenges have made us more determined to bring change,” Ms Moore said.

“This isn’t just for us — it is also for our children, Orio, Hazel and Solomon and everyone else in our region.

“We are very grateful for their ongoing support.

“Dunetown is our love letter to Orbost’s history and the incredible produce of East Gippsland.”

The project has invested $6m into the local economy, engaging more than 50 Gippsland businesses during design and construction and brought manufacturing jobs to the region.