The northern beaches suburb of Brookvale is being transformed into a hospitality hub capable of rivalling Marrickville as the craft beer capital of Australia.

The first annual BrookieFest, held by a collective of local businesses over three days in mid-February, attracted thousands of visitors to the precinct between Powells and Chard Road.

Freshwater Brewing co-founder Jonny Bucknall says they experienced record sales. “We all had lines out the door, it was way more popular than we were expecting,” he says.

For many visitors, it was their first time visiting Brookvale since its hospitality scene began to flourish. There are now more than 10 artisan booze purveyors or manufacturers operating within five kilometres of each other, offering everything from Australia’s first non-alcoholic spirit distillery (Seadrift Distillery) to live music and ginger “bush beer” (Bucketty’s).

At least four venues have opened over the past six months: Goodradigbee Distillers and its accompanying The GoodBar; the new Chubb’s Bar and Q; Brookvale Surf Club; and most recently, Broken Bay Brewing Co.

The influx allows punters to recreate an experience similar to the popular Inner West Ale Trail, a self-guided walking tour between breweries that has long attracted tourists to Marrickville in Sydney’s inner west.

“People are looking to experience things in suburban areas, and it’s particularly important on the northern beaches where you rely so much on driving,” says hospitality veteran Cam McCauley, who helped manage the cafe at Brookvale Surf Club when it opened in November.

“It isn’t as concentrated as Marrickville, where it’s ‘bang, bang, bang’ one venue after the other, but it’s getting there.”

Beyond the booze, there are hidden cafes with vintage furniture and cacti shopping (The Moor); coffee roasteries (Barrel One, Supreme); and plenty of food trucks.

It’s a far cry from the Brookvale of the past, says Lara Allport, the vice president of community advocacy group Brookvale Arts District (BAD). When she first set up her design studio The National Grid two decades ago, the streets were abandoned at the weekend except for the occasional kids doing burnouts behind smash repair shops.

“Now, the streets are teeming with activity. There are young families, trendy people, all sorts of people traversing from one venue to another,” Allport says.

Allport co-founded BAD in 2019 with the aim of putting Brookvale, its businesses and its expanding hospitality scene on the map. The group has lobbied to change prohibitive council restrictions, attracted 16,000 people to their first GroundSwell Festival in October and plans to install more than 30 murals to encourage foot traffic between venues.

The similarities with Marrickville are many, but Allport says Brookvale has the potential to become far bigger.

“With the amount of industry that’s here, there’s the opportunity to make Brookvale a centre of excellence. Something more like the Miami Creative District, or the London Creative Quarter,” she says.

Plan your own Brookvale bar crawl

Stop 1: Brookvale Surf Club

Don’t let the name confuse you: there are no waves within viewing distance of this 55-seat cafe and bar, which opened together with SurfCraft Brewing in November. There is, however, a rich legacy of surf culture in Brookvale, where pioneering 1960s surfboard manufacturers The Brookvale Six once made their mark. Expect surf memorabilia, ice-cold tinnies and a laid-back coastal vibe.

2/10 Orchard Road, Brookvale, brookvalesurfclub.com

Stop 2: Bucketty’s Brewing Co

Bucketty’s on a Saturday afternoon is a wholesome good time. There are people playing darts, dogs stealing hot chips and children zooming around their own dedicated play area. Onsite food truck Dope Fusion serves a selection of tacos, there is a whopping 17 taps to choose from (our pick is the bush cider) and, more often than not, there’s live music playing (the brewery attracts more than 300 acts a year). Think country pub, but better.

26 Orchard Rd, Brookvale, buckettys.com.au

Stop 3: Freshwater Brewing Co

Freshwater Brewing Co encourages drinkers to expand their understanding of what a brewery can be. Sure, they have their line-up of craft beers on tap, but they also have a delicious selection of Australian-made natural-leaning wine; a (dog-friendly) bottomless brunch with margaritas and micheladas; and a (rare in Brookvale) fully equipped kitchen, serving a selection of tacos and burgers. It’s bright, airy and family friendly.

4 Powells Road, Brookvale, freshwaterbrewing.com.au

Stop 4: The Good Bar (Goodradigbee Distillers)

Founder John O’Connor uses native Australian botanicals and hardwoods to create his unique line of spirits, like the Tasmanian blackwood malt, Sweetwater gin (infused with ironbark) and Grey Gum vodka. Sample them in a tasting flight at the distillery’s adjoining cocktail bar, which features a cosy fireplace, chesterfield sofas and a selection of share plates (including Goodradigbee Vodka cured king salmon). Masterclasses and tours are also available.

41 Orchard Road, Brookvale, goodbarbrookvale.com

Stop 5: Manly Spirits

Manly Spirits offers an immersive cellar door experience with guided distillery tours, gin-making classes and a varied line-up of events (including gin yoga). The converted warehouse is dog-friendly, with indoor and outdoor seating, and serves their full range of whiskey, vodka and gin – the latter of which is made using Australian marine botanical sea lettuce. Line your stomach with their grazing board or a couple of caprese sourdough toasties.

Winbourne Industrial Estate, shop 4A, 9-13 Winbourne Road, Brookvale, manlyspirits.com.au