The famed and multi-award-winning St Andrews Beach Brewery on Victoria’s prized Mornington Peninsula is being sold, with major expansion options.
Located just over an hour’s drive from the Melbourne CBD, the property is 37-ha (92 acres), and was previously a world-renowned horse training facility known as ‘Markdel’, once owned by the Freedman brothers; some of Australia’s most successful racehorse trainers, graduates include legendary thoroughbreds Makybe Diva and Mummify.
In 2017 the property was repurposed as a state-of-the-art hospitality venue and on-site brewery. It features a public bar, a fully-equipped commercial kitchen and multiple dining areas – including private spaces converted from the original stables – the Birdcage, Triple Stable and Double Stable function areas, an expansive beer garden and plenty of onsite parking.
There is also The Barn retail store, and a 25-hectolitre brewery incorporating its own onsite manufacturing, with canning and storage.
What was a racetrack is now home to an orchard of 6,000 trees, producing the Brewery’s cider while rounding out the onsite production capabilities.
St Andrews has become a leading Mornington Peninsula leisure brand, set amongst renowned golf courses and tourism destinations, such as Moonah Links, Gunnamatta Beach and Peninsula Hot Springs.
The area is home to some of the country’s most exclusive real estate, considered a ‘playground of the rich and famous’ and marketing literature suggests the venue has become one of Victoria’s most highly coveted hospitality assets.
Beyond expansion opportunities in the complementary wholesale business, the asset could be further diversified through onsite accommodation (STCA).
A sales campaign is being managed by JLL Hotels’ Will Connolly, Peter Harper and Lachlan Persley, who suggest rarely do trophy assets such as St Andrews also present so much upside, expecting diverse interest from national hospitality operators to high net worth individuals and private syndicates, and even beverage brands. No price expectation was disclosed.
“An incoming investor, whether established or not in the sector, could quite easily come in and continue to run as-is, or look to take the asset to its obvious next level and replicate the many success stories we’ve seen across similar ventures,” suggests Harper.
The freehold going concern of St Andrews Beach Brewery is being sold through an Expressions of Interest campaign, closing Wednesday, 11 October.
