Scott Imlach has the midas touch when it comes to opening venues locals love and he’s about try his hand again with the opening of Nightjar, a dive bar in Burleigh Heads.

We chat to the man who brought you Barchino, Nobby’s Arc, Bine Bar & Dining, Hideaway Kitchen & Bar and Soho Place about what it takes to create these gems and what we can expect from the Burleigh newbie.

How long have you been a Gold Coast local?
Probably 12 or 13 years now. I was in Melbourne for a year before I came here and in London for 10 years before that.

What made you decide to open your first venue here?
I was just looking to open a business of my own when we got Barchino. I always worked in big companies and came across Barchino, I liked the location and the fact it was a locals’ place and I really wanted that. There was no such thing as bars back in those days, about 12 years ago, so I thought I’d give restaurants a go. I opened Freshly Stacked in Broadbeach next (a burger restaurant) then Nobbys Arc, Bine, Hideaway and Soho after that.

Where do you come up with ideas?
I travel a lot and pick up ideas for little bars, I always take lots of photos and get a picture in my head and run with it. I love coming up with unique ideas that haven’t been done before. I look at magazines throughout the world and keep in contact with friends overseas to see what’s hot and what’s not. When I find an idea I just go after it.

Why do you think people love what you do so much?
I think it’s because our venues are a bit more laid back; they’re not up really up market. We look for the right staff to manage each venue and my Managers are all really friendly and like working for a small business. I try to keep my them all pretty reasonably priced and I also try to make people feel welcome – Bine for instance is a very local bar, I definitely try to create that local feel.

What can we expect from Nightjar? 
Nightjar is an unusual bar design I saw in the States. It’s an idea I’ve always had in the back of my head but it was never really my style. I’m doing it anyway obviously. It’s going to be a dive bar – we’ve teamed up with Sailor Jerry and used quite a bit of their artwork. Everyone on the Coast is starting to ban tattoos but we’re not doing that. It’s very casual, just walk straight in off the beach, wear whatever you like. It’s going to have a real locals feel about it. We’ve gone for that really grungy vibe, let your hair down and away you go. There’ll be live music, a good range of cocktails and the fitout is very bespoke, Steampunk 1950’s American tattoo art-style. We should be open early October.

Why did you decide to open up the Coast’s first small bar?
I’ve always wanted to do bars and I think the Coast is lacking good ones. Personally I like to go have a drink but I don’t really like going to pubs. I prefer to go to a smaller venue where you can meet local people and have a drink with them. I wanted somewhere I could go myself that’s why I decided to just do it.

What do you think about our rapidly expanding hospitality scene?
I think it’s good; everyone’s coming up with new ideas at the moment and really going the extra mile. We’re catching up to the big cities now. The suburbs are starting to boom and I think that has a lot to do with people being able to walk to restaurants. The Coast is just getting better and better with a lot more options and it’s going to keep growing.

Do you have any other plans in the pipeline?
I wouldn’t mind opening a restaurant in Brisbane, probably another Hideaway. I’d like to do that in next 12 months. I’ve been scared of the big cities previously but now I think with the way Hideaway is going, it’s good enough to hit the Brisbane market. After that I think I’ll stop.

Best piece of life advice you’ve ever received?
Back yourself. Have faith in yourself and don’t doubt your ideas but be flexible. Give anything a go once and don’t be afraid.

Being a Gold Coast local we have to ask your favourites…
Café: Honey Bee and Saint in Mermaid Beach
Restaurant: I like Gemellini at Nobby’s Beach
Beach: You can’t go past Burleigh
Weekend hang: I go to Cambus Wallace a lot but if I’m just chilling out I go down to Byron Bay

Correct us if we are wrong, but most of us would be pretty well versed in knowing the taste and look of the famous purple liquid that sits behind most bars. And of course, we are referring to none other than the renowned Ink Gin. And ahead of International Gin Day (yes it’s a thing) on the 9th of April, we thought it would be only fitting we interviewed the man behind Ink Gin. Founder of Husk Distillery, Paul Messenger gives us an insight into how Husk came about and what the once-Goldy-local loves about the Coast when he does make the trip up north from his home in Northern NSW.

How long have you been a Northern New South Wales local?
I grew up on the Gold Coast and have fond memories of visiting Tumbulgum as a ten-year-old when the chain ferry ran people and cars across the river. When we realised we wanted to make agricultural rum, Tumbulgum was the first place that came to mind with its fertile soils, abundant water, rich sugar cane history, picturesque river village and close proximity to some of the world’s best surf beaches. It was with enormous satisfaction and a great privilege that we were able to buy Husk Farm in 2011, finally moving here in 2012.

Tell us how Husk came about.
It’s a long story. I was flying over the Nullarbor Plain on my way to a drill rig in the West Australian goldfields in 1998 when I read a story about how a fella by the name of Bill Lark, the Godfather of Tasmanian whisky, lobbied to change the law and allow small craft distilleries to operate legally. That story captured my imagination and over the next 10 years I followed the success of Tasmanian Whisky and wondered how I too could follow this dream. But it was during a Caribbean cruise in 2009 that my distilling ruminations started to take form during an afternoon sipping 20 year-old Rhum Agricoles in a small bar next to a small distillery on the small island of Martinique. While reflecting on the vast fields of sugar cane back home, my dream took on a clarity quite at odds with the relaxed rum haze that became the rest of the afternoon in that charming place. The locals explained to me that rum made from fresh cane juice has “terroir” – the taste and soul of the place where it’s made. As a geologist, the idea of capturing the provenance and spirit of the place where I grew up made my heart skip a beat and that was where our journey began.

What’s your proudest entrepreneurial moment?
Everything we were doing was novel or innovative and it was clear that it would take many years of devotion to perfect our rum and reveal the true spirit of this place. It was also clear that we needed an income fast, and with the early signs of a gin renaissance taking root in England we started looking for quirky gin ingredients. I actually found the colour changing butterfly pea flower early in the journey and had been experimenting with it in liqueurs, vodka, even rum as well as with a range of gin botanicals. I was mixing these concoctions with lemon or lime to make the colour change, but the “eureka moment” came when I mixed an experimental butterfly pea gin with tonic water. The magic of seeing that deep blue liquid transform into a bright, sparkling blush pink colour sensation will stay with me forever, I knew we were onto something big and that butterfly pea gin and tonic would be a match made in heaven.

What’s the most popular Husk Spirit you sell?
At the moment, at least, Ink Gin is by far our most popular spirit, even though we continue to invest heavily in developing a unique Australian expression of a French-style fresh cane juice rum. Ink Gin came about because of the need to generate cash flow and because cane juice rum is seasonal and can only be made during the harvest (August-November). The fact that we spent three years developing the recipe and getting the infusion right meant we had to keep our day jobs for a few more years, but we wanted to make sure that people would buy the first bottle because of the colour but they’d then buy their second for the taste. Ink Gin hit a nerve with people at the right time, when the craft gin boom was about to take off and people were thirsty for something new and different.

What’s your personal favourite Husk Spirit and why?
No question, Husk Pure Cane. This is how all our rums start – it’s the most pure, unadulterated expression of our ‘terroir’, our provenance. Call it what you like, agricole, fresh juice rum or Cultivated Australian Rum, this is a style not well understood in Australia and unaged rums even less so. But in the French Caribbean, where it is as much a part of their heritage and identity, this is how people drink rum – clean, fresh and full of flavour. Drink it in a short ti’ punch, a daiquiri, caipirinha or mojito, but it must be Pure Cane.

What’s a Gin Cocktail recipe you would recommend to all Gin-lovers?
The Southside is one of the classics, that’s also really easy to make at home. Otherwise, you can’t go past the simple G&T. I like simple drinks where you can really taste the quality of the spirit.

What does the next 5 years have in store for Husk Distillery?
The next 5 years will be just as adventurous, bold and busy as the last 10 years. We are investing in the future of Australian rum with a new sugar mill onsite at Husk. This is a complicated project which will take up a lot of my time this year and next. We are also finishing up a new tank farm and barrel storage and we are planning additions to our fermentation capacity and an upgrade to our wastewater treatment. As always we are very focused on quality control and process improvements and we are committed to making Husk Distillers, Tumbulgum one of the safest, most efficient and sustainable distilleries in Australia. You can also expect to see plenty of new product releases, a new Husk Rum brand identity and bottle (shhh…), and lots of new experiences at the Husk cellar door.

When you visit the Gold Coast, what are your favourites…

Café: Café D’Bar after a surf off the rock wall is always a favourite.
Coffee spot: Zephyr Coffee in Kirra is fantastic. And they roast their own beans!
Restaurant: Jimmy Wah’s in Burleigh is great.
Bar or pub for a drink: Rainbow Bay surf club. Best view on the coast.
How do you choose to spend your weekends? 
Surf as much as I can, catch up with work, spend time with my beautiful wife. BBQ with family and friends and share a few Botanicals & tonics. We also enjoy cruising down the coast and catching a show at Bruns Picture House. Ending up in the Brunswick pub also makes for a great Saturday night.

If you weren’t aware, it’s World Tourism Day on Monday 27th September 2021. And whilst the Gold Coast would typically be packed with both international and domestic school holiday tourists this time of year, it is still our home, and we can all still very much serve as a tourist mecca for the local market in these current times. Ahead of the day, we spoke to Destination Gold Coast CEO, Patricia O’Callaghan about what a usual day-in-the-life for her is, and what exciting things the Gold Coast has in store for both tourists and locals!

Tell us a bit about yourself.
I think most people would still class me as a newbie to the Gold Coast having relocated from Townsville with my family earlier this year to take the role of CEO at Destination Gold Coast. I had been working at Townsville Enterprise for the past nine years where I started as the General Manager for Tourism and Events and then was the CEO for the past five years. I knew the Gold Coast was hurting after bearing the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic and the role would be tough, but at the same time I found myself excited about the opportunities ahead. Six months on, I could not be prouder to call this city my home.

What does a typical day of being Destination Gold Coast’s CEO look like?
Every day is literally an adventure. In the morning I could be on our Broadwater with Paradise Jet Boating and then by morning tea I am at Burleigh Headland with Jellurgal Aboriginal and Cultural Centre learning about our 60,000 year-old ancient history and then that evening I am launching a new marketing campaign atop of Rydges Gold Coast Airport. I am very honoured to have such an amazing role and know at the moment our industry is really hurting, so we are all working really hard to not just support them but to ensure their message is being heard by Government.

Whilst I’ve loved getting to know my new hometown, there’s been some heartbreaking moments as well. It’s obviously been an extremely tough time for the local tourism industry. Our operators are struggling due to the unprecedented challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, having lost $3.2 billion of tourism revenue and 1 in 5 tourism jobs over the past 18 months. COVID has hurt the heart and soul of the Gold Coast, but it won’t hold us down and despite these ongoing hardships, we continue to push through and the future is still really bright.

What do you love the most about the Gold Coast?
Where do I start! If I’m not hanging out with our industry during work, I’m making the most of every weekend to organise itineraries with the family. Whether it’s family fun, a date night or a staycation to experience the Gold Coast from all different angles, I love to spend every waking minute being a tourist in my new hometown. What surprised me most when I moved here is our surreal Australian landscapes being so close in proximity. The fact you can take a dip in the ocean at Surfers Paradise and hit the road for 45-minutes and immerse yourself in ancient rainforest is very cool.

With the Wonder Reef due to open early 2022, how do you think this new attraction will assist the Gold Coast Tourism industry?
The Wonder Reef will add a new layer of attraction to the city and we’re proud to support the City of Gold Coast’s vision which will see us home to Australia’s first floating dive site. This is another product that will support the visitor economy and help us cut through a very crowded market as people travel again.

What are you most looking forward to, for the Gold Coast, over the next year?
Opening up again! Whilst the next 10 years is shaping up to be a decade of opportunity for our region, the next 12 months will be integral in capitalising on this opportunity. The 2032 Olympics in Brisbane will bring global attention and visitors from all over the world to Queensland and we know there will be a significant benefit for the Gold Coast beyond the games themselves. As the world opens again, tourism will bounce back in a big way, and we know there are massive amounts of pent-up demand we can capitalise on. And as Australia reaches vaccination targets, borders open again and consumer confidence returns – all those postponed and cancelled holidays will finally come to fruition.

How do you suggest people celebrate World Tourism Day?
Back a tourism operator and invest in a local business that has been doing it tough. Gold Coasters have been phenomenal in supporting local tourism businesses and we still really need them whilst we wait for things to open again. Maybe buy an early Christmas present for someone, head to a theme park, jump on a paddleboard, or take that hot air balloon ride you have always been thinking about. It’s time to adventure! The Play Money Rewards campaign that the City of Gold Coast is investing into makes this easy, so jump onto destinationgoldcoast.com and grab a voucher today!

What are your Gold Coast favourites…
Café: Baritalia – This is an all-day dining option with beautiful coffee and Italian food which is really authentic and yummy
Coffee spot: Anywhere along the Coolangatta foreshore – I love the viewpoint from Coolangatta Surf Club and The Coffee Club
Restaurant: A tie between Nineteen at The Star and The Tropic at the Burleigh Pavilion
Bar or pub for a drink: Southport Yacht Club (especially on a Sunday afternoon – live music is always fun and a great way to start the week)
Weekend tradition: Visiting the Fisherman’s Co-op on a Saturday to pick up our local seafood – you can’t beat the prawns, they are sensational
Hinterland: The Polish Place – spectacular cabins with wood fires and the Pork Hock in the restaurant is a must try!

How do you choose to spend your weekends?
In between my son’s sports and house hunting, my family and I love being outdoors and a passion of mine is chasing sunsets. We are either at the HOTA markets on a Sunday getting a Largo or having a Milkman’s cookie, creek swimming at Currumbin or Tallebudgera Creek and heading to a Surf Club for lunch, or finding a nice spot to watch the sunset (whilst eating of course).