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General News

12 September, 2022

New owners prepare to take on railway station cafe

Maryborough’s Railway Cafe and Tracks Bar has officially changed hands, with the new owners set to maintain the businesses high standing in the community, while also returning to the station’s roots — creating an attraction for locals and...

By Riley Upton

The Railway Cafe and Tracks Bar has new owners, with David Graham and Matt Drew taking on the business.
The Railway Cafe and Tracks Bar has new owners, with David Graham and Matt Drew taking on the business.

Maryborough’s Railway Cafe and Tracks Bar has officially changed hands, with the new owners set to maintain the businesses high standing in the community, while also returning to the station’s roots — creating an attraction for locals and visitors alike.

Co-owners David Graham and Matt Drew are expecting to be handed the keys to the business early next month, subject to signed lease agreements from VicTrack and the Central Goldfields Shire Council.

The cafe will have its final day of trade this coming Sunday, September 18, under current owners owners Kate, Jane and Lloyd Bond to allow for the changeover period as lease agreements are signed.

Under the new ownership, it’s planned the business will expand its trading hours, increasing to 8 am until 4 pm each day of the week initially, before again expanding tooffer an evening service Thursday through to Sunday.

Mr Graham, who has a professional history in real estate and also owns Whiskey June — a local, luxury accommodation business, said the cafe was a “perfect fit” moving forward.

“The Whiskey June story really starts with me, half my family are from Maryborough and when my nan, who lived here, passed I wanted to have something to commit to Maryborough and that’s really how it came about,” he said.

“The real estate side of me saw the potential of Maryborough geographically because of where it’s located and I think there’s so much potential here.

“Over the last three years we’ve acquired six properties in town, we launched our first B&B in May this year and we’re about to launch our next property in High Street.

“The railway cafe was very much a case of right time, right place for us and it also ties in with our brand — the ethos of Whiskey June is old world charm with a luxury experience right here in central Victoria and we feel the station is a perfect fit for us.

“My grandad was an engine driver and instructor here at the station from 1947 until he passed in 1976 so to have this opportunity is quite special to me.”

Mr Graham said the business will undergo some changes, but will remain a recognisable and loved place by residents.

“The opportunity to work in a building as iconic and historic as this is like being given the keys to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, it’s the best building in town and we see so much potential here,” he said.

“Our idea is that we’ll bring the business back more to the heritage of what this space used to be.

“You’re going to see changes to the tables, chairs, lights and colours — it’s going to resemble more closely what it used to be like to dine in this space.

“The idea is we’ll come in and the business will operate as normal until about February or March next year, then we’ll make some of these changes.”

The same is true of the menu, which Mr Drew, who will also be working as head chef, said won’t look to reinvent the wheel but round out the menu offerings.

“My approach has always been fresh is best, we’ll go from there and continually build from that,” he said.

“I don’t want to take the things I like and jam it down people’s throats and I don’t want to come in and step on anyone’s toes, I just want to give a different offering.

“I’m not going to reinvent the wheel with the food I’ll do, but I will do it my way and hopefully I’ve taken enough consideration into what is and isn’t offered and found that balance.

“In the process of learning more about the business there were really no red flags or anything — there were no roadblocks so we went with it and I’m really excited to be able to work in this space.”

Mr Graham said he was eager to work with other local hospitality businesses to better promote Maryborough.

“We don’t want other businesses to see us as competition, with Whiskey June it’s not just about us,” he said.

“This is about what we can bring to the community and we would really like to be able to work with other businesses — it’s not us against them.

“If we have a number of great places in Maryborough that will bring people in and keep them here longer and that’s good for everybody.”

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