A former racehorse training facility on the Mornington Peninsula that hosted the likes of three-time Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva has been transformed into a restaurant and brewery that will grow half of its own produce onsite.
Located 85 kilometres south of Melbourne on a 38-hectare site, the St Andrews Beach Brewery retains much of the existing structures from the historic horse training facility. This includes 16 stables that have been turned into booths named after Australian racing stars that occupied the stalls.
The Melbourne-based designers on the project, Ewert Leaf, used rammed earth to construct internal walls and bespoke furniture built from both salvaged timber and Victorian Ash and Tasmanian Oak hardwood.
Aside from using recovered materials from the former buildings, the Ewert Leaf-designed hospitality facility aims to reduce its environmental footprint in a number of other ways.
Sustainability features include slab hydronic heating and louvre windows that allow natural ventilation and help maintain a comfortable temperature without resorting to mechanical cooling and heating.
Around 8000 apple and pear trees have been planted on the former racing tracks, which will eventually bear fruit to make cider in the “tank to glass” brewery.
With the goal of supplying 50 per cent of the produce for the venue’s food and beverage needs within five years, the site has 8000 apple and pear trees have been planted on the former racing tracks that will eventually bear fruit to make cider in the tank to glass brewery.
There is also a generous kitchen garden and various hop varieties growing onsite.
The multipurpose hospitality venue includes a paddock-to-plate eatery and brewery with a cellar door, tasting rooms and bars.
Ewert Leaf has worked across a range of sectors including multi residential, residential, hospitality and commercial. The firm’s portfolio includes the Groundskeeper cafe and restaurant in Cheltenham, the London Hotel site in Port Melbourne and the clubhouse for the new Ocean Dunes golf course on King Island.