Queenscliff Brewhouse occupies the site of one of Queenscliff’s earliest and most significant hotels.
In 1878, Thomas Greenwood constructed a two-storeyed, 30-room brick building at 2 Gellibrand Street. Known as the Palace Hotel when it opened in 1879, it was Queenscliff’s first substantial two-storeyed masonry hotel.
The hotel was renamed the Esplanade Hotel in 1882, after Martha Nugent and her brother, Joseph Goslin, took over the licence. They expanded the building by adding a second two-storeyed section and a distinctive timber observation tower.
The Esplanade was one of several grand hotels built during Queenscliff’s late nineteenth-century boom, as the town developed into one of Victoria’s premier seaside resorts. It became known locally as the fishermen’s hotel, reflecting its proximity to Fishermen’s Flat.
In 1887, William Sheehan purchased the hotel. Further alterations were made over the years, including the eventual removal of the observation tower. The hotel continued operating under several owners before changing hands in 2016 and becoming Queenscliff Brewhouse.
The current owners are committed to preserving the building’s heritage while giving it a new lease on life. In 2020, the original cantilevered cast-iron verandas, which had been replaced with timber in 1969, were reinstated. The verandas now provide sweeping views across Queenscliff Harbour.
Queenscliff Brewhouse celebrates the region’s food, drink and seaside setting.
The venue is home to a microbrewery producing craft beer onsite, alongside a range of local beers, including Prickly Moses. Visitors can enjoy beer-tasting and brewery experiences, including information and tasting sessions and the opportunity to work alongside a brewer.
The onsite boutique distillery produces Queenscliff Gin using Macedonian juniper, hand-zested fruit and a blend of foraged and organic botanicals. Its cellar door offers tastings of locally made beer and gin, as well as wines, ciders and artisan products from the Bellarine, Moorabool and Otway regions.
Guests can also enjoy the family-friendly bistro, sports bar, TAB, bottle shop and cosy fireplaces. The venue offers semi-private and private spaces for celebrations, weddings, corporate events and other special occasions.
Queenscliff has a rich maritime, military and tourism history.
William Buckley, an escaped convict, lived in the area with local Aboriginal people from 1802 to 1835. European explorers, including Lieutenant John Murray and Captain Matthew Flinders, visited the region in 1802.
Permanent settlement began in the 1830s, and land sales commenced in 1853. The town was named Queenscliff in honour of Queen Victoria by Lieutenant-Governor Charles La Trobe.
Originally a fishing village, Queenscliff later became an important port for steamships trading through Port Phillip Bay. Its lighthouses, pier, pilot service and lifeboat station supported the growing maritime industry, while the arrival of the railway in 1879 further connected the town to the region.
Fort Queenscliff, located at the entrance to Port Phillip Bay, played a vital role in defending Melbourne and Victoria from the 1850s until the end of the Second World War. Today, it is one of the area’s most important heritage attractions.
Other local landmarks include the Queenscliff Hotel, dating from 1888, the former Lathamstowe Hotel from 1883 and the Black Lighthouse, which was constructed from numbered stones brought from Scotland in 1863.
Queenscliff Brewhouse remains part of this continuing story: a historic hotel building welcoming locals and visitors in one of Victoria’s most distinctive seaside towns.