Former Half Cat Steve Sobey to transform tram into bed and breakfast venue

The man formerly known as Half Cat, Steve Sobey, has turned his sights to a new business venture – one that involves a converted 96-year-old tram and some great wine. This is what he has planned.

THE man formerly known as Half Cat, Steve Sobey, has turned his sights to a new venture –

converting a 96-year-old tram into a bed and breakfast and wine tasting venue.

Mr Sobey purchased the W2 Class Melbourne tram during COVID-19 lockdown and hoped to have the business up and running in three years from his property, Brittany Estate, in Teesdale.

“Our goal is to restore Tram 502 to its 1920s art-deco style era by 2024, in time to celebrate its 100th birthday,” Mr Sobey said.

“I think from a tourism perspective it could be really big.”

In addition to the wine tastings and B&B, Mr Sobey is developing a small vineyard on his property, and also hopes to run art classes from the historic tram in the future.

The change of direction comes after the Geelong Baptist College arts teacher was ‘delisted’ as the Geelong Football Club’s beloved mascot after 24 years last year.

After 24 years, Steve Sobey was delisted as Half Cat. Picture: Glenn Ferguson

Mr Sobey had performed the role since 1996, but confirmed in September the Cats had told him they no longer needed him at the club, choosing to instead pursue a more acrobatic mascot.

“My role as a volunteer took up every weekend, every school holidays – I was on call for whenever the club wanted me to be involved,” Mr Sobey said.

“But since I’ve been delisted, I’ve been getting the vineyard up and ready, our grapes should be matured enough to make wine in three years.”

Steve Sobey has purchased an W2 Class Melbourne tram to restore and use for wine tastings and a bed and breakfast. Picture: Glenn Ferguson

Following the announcement last year that Mr Sobey would be departing the Half Cat role, a petition calling on the club to re-sign him gathered almost 3000 signatures.

Mr Sobey said although the delisting was still a “bit raw”, he remains as a “passionate” Cats supporter and would still attend games.

“I’m a bit disappointed by it all, but I’m trying to remain positive and look at it as an opportunity to use that time to follow my other passions,” he said.

“I found it really humbling to know there was that much support.”

The tram was one of the 40 commissioned art-series trams in Melbourne during the 1970s.

Mr Sobey said he had discovered it on back blocks of Sandon, near Newstead in Central Victoria, rescuing it one month prior to being burnt on a planned bonfire in April.

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Originally published as Former Half Cat Steve Sobey to transform tram into bed and breakfast venue