Spirits soar as new distillery opens at Ballarat Goods Shed
12/10/2023Visitors from near and far can now wet their whistles with whisky, gin and vodka at Ballarat’s biggest distillery, Itinerant Spirits.
The distillery is located within the Goods Shed at the Ballarat Train Station and is the brainchild of Brad Wilson, owner of Little Lon Distillery in Melbourne, and Craig Ryan.
The new state-of-the-art venue opened to the public last week. It features a cocktail bar and event and masterclass space and is expected to attract 30,000 visitors to Ballarat in the first year of operation. It will also offer a range of single to multi-day courses for local tourism operators and their staff.
The construction created 14 jobs and operators have hired an additional 18 staff members now that it is open. It is anticipated the venue will provide up to 30 local jobs into their second year of operation.
All whiskey, gin and vodka products are manufactured and served from the Goods Shed using locally grown distlled ingredients and proofed with nearby volcanic spring water. The products will be distributed nationally and exported internationally, with the capacity to manufacture more than 1 million bottles each year.
The venue complements the recently opened Grainery Lane on Armstrong Street, cementing Ballarat’s position as a must-visit craft and small batch drink destination.
Ballarat continues to be a huge drawcard for visitors. In the year ending June 2023, Ballarat attracted an estimated 3 million domestic overnight and daytrip visitors, who contributed $728 million to the local economy.
The project closely aligns with the food and drink pillar of the recently released Experience Victoria 2033 strategic plan. It aims to provide more opportunities for visitors to explore and enjoy Victoria’s first-class produce and locally made drinks.
Building a highly skilled, local workforce is also central to the 10-year plan, with a particular focus on building a strong and resilient visitor economy.