INDUSTRY FEATURE Brewhouse begins new chapter
Few brands carry the same authority in Launceston as Boags. The brewery’s red-brick presence, the faint malted aroma drifting across the river on brewing days, and generations of locals who measure their lives in “remember when” stories — Boags is not merely a business, but part of the city’s identity. Now following several turbulent years, the unveiling of the Brewhouse redevelopment represents something far larger than a construction project. It is a statement about continuity, confidence, and the enduring role of an iconic Tasmanian brand within its home region. O nly a few years ago, the future of the Boags visitor experience appeared uncertain. In 2023, news that the visitor centre would close due to declining numbers sent ripples through the local community and the wider hospitality industry. For many, it felt unthinkable that such a deeply woven part of Launceston’s cultural fabric could simply disappear. As the second most visited tourist attraction in Launceston behind Cataract Gorge, the closure would have been a devasting blow. For Claire Donnelly, the impact was even more real and carried more personal weight. Just six months into
her career with the company – and one of a dozen employees at the time – she was staring down the barrel of a redundancy. “Boags is such a huge Launceston icon. Growing up, smelling the beer across the town, the malt and everything, is a huge nostalgic thing for me. It was a place I’d always wanted to work,” says Donnelly, who is now venue manager. “I was a bit heartbroken given the news that we were going to be closing the business center. And then obviously a pretty quick turnaround which was great. It was good to see the support behind it thanks to the Government, and the company getting in as well and turning it around.” Survival, however, was only the beginning. What might have been a quiet stabilisation instead evolved into something far more ambitious. The announcement of a $2.4 million redevelopment signalled not merely continuity, but renewed confidence – an investment in both the physical space and its role within the region’s visitor economy.
The Brewhouse’s transformation, which was
19 Tasmanian Hospitality Review February/March Edition
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