Maffco Brewery and Taphouse
Tom McINTOSH (Eastern Victoria) (09:49): Maffra is a beautiful town on the banks of the Macalister River in the middle of the Macalister irrigation district. The town has a strong dairy farming identity, a great ag show, a strong footy club, a brand new basketball and gymnastics stadium, the Gippsland Vehicle Collection, a beautiful outdoor pool – you name it, Maffra has it – and now it has its very own local brewery. I opened the Maffco Brewery and Taphouse on behalf of the minister, and I was so impressed with the historic renovated milk factory. It is a place of absolute character. I visited twice late last year while it was under construction, and the space has come so far in such a short time since then. Local entrepreneurs Nicky and Lashay have worked so hard to turn this dream into a reality, and they have brought a community along with them. They worked every minute they could to finish in time for their first booking, a friend’s wedding, because that is just the sort of people they are.
This will be an iconic destination for the region for generations to come and adds to the growing list of food and wine venues along the Gippsland Plains rail trail, which now includes the Tinamba Hotel, Mewburn Park, Duart Homestead, the Vines on Avon and the Badger & Hare in Stratford, all within 18 kilometres of each other, and now the jewel in the crown, the region’s first and very own brewery. I am so happy that this fantastic project and the community of Maffra, like the rail trail, have had state government support through the Regional Tourism Investment Fund. What an investment. Congratulations to all involved.