After nearly a century and a half overlooking Port Phillip Bay, Julian Gerner has revived Sorrento’s Koonya Hotel, in a return to days of old.
The pub was built by John Boswell Clarke and family using local limestone, opening as the Mornington Hotel in 1876 as a place for visitors to the seaside precinct to stay.
It was operated for nearly 80 years by the Clarke family, who lived next door. In 1952 it was sold and took on the new moniker of the Koonya Hotel, stemming from an Aboriginal word meaning ‘seagull’.
In 2001, then known as Morgan’s Beach Shack, it avoided becoming a footnote of the Monington Peninsula courtesy of a period refresh. Gerner bought it in 2012, tweaking the moniker to Morgan’s Sorrento.
After a period in limbo, the pub has recently undergone significant changes, bringing a complete rebranding and restructuring, new management, staff and even a new liquor licence, to transform it into a new iteration of the Koonya.
The revival has embraced its rich heritage and made a concerted effort to retain an unpretentious, seaside atmosphere, so as to deliver old-world charm to its 21st century patrons.
There is a classic public bar, lounge bar, bistro, private dining room, and outdoor waterfront seating with uninterrupted views of the bay, with the layout inspired by old 1960s photographs of the former beer garden.
After nearly 30 years on the job, Gerner was looking to sell his long-held Morgan’s, but has instead headed back behind the bar, with a new commitment to preserving the hotel’s old-time appeal.
Heading into his 12th summer at the pub, he says its new chapter has become a “formidable” business, going better than ever, and is now the “best version” of itself, back to its pub roots.
“Koonya Hotel’s charm lies in its simplicity,” he offers.
Embracing the nostalgia can be seen in the hand-painted signs, brass nautical decorations and tartan carpets, and a prized cricket bat in a frame, signed by the legendary Sir Don Bradman and his 1938-39 cricket team.
The retro revival welcomes all comers, catering for families, kids, prams and even dogs.
From the menu comes pub classics including the quintessential burgers and parmas, and location-inspired fish and chips and freshly shucked oysters.
The drinks list offers the popular draught beers, as well as a refreshing Aperol Spritz and Curatif cocktails, and a range of non-alcoholic spirits. Plus, the Koonya’s affiliation with the Peninsula’s renowned wine scene brings a selection of local varietals.
And topping the tipple temptations is ‘happy hour and a half’, providing $5 pots (middies) and Mornington wines by the glass for $10, every day from 4pm.
“There’s something undeniably special about spending a day at the Koonya, where the beer is cold, the views are breathtaking, and the spirit of Sorrento is alive and well,” declares Gerner.
“With a catchphrase that feels like a friendly invitation, Koonya Hotel is the perfect destination for anyone who has ever thought ‘I do love a beer beside the seaside’.”
