Dollar Bill ups the ante

AWARD winning local brewery Dollar Bill Brewing is hoping to help cement Ballarat as the craft beer and tourism capital of regional Australia, with plans to set up a new, up-to-the-minute facility at the Goods Shed redevelopment next to Ballarat Station.

Dependent on securing funding, it’s hoped that move will serve as the 2021 AIBA Champion Beer winner’s sustainable, carbon-neutral brewing and packaging headquarters, with its fermentation and blending program to continue at Invermay.

Dollar Bill’s co-founder Fiona Nolle said it was a conversation with Pete Quon, the investment facilitation and marketing officer at the City of Ballarat, about the project that caught her and husband Ed’s interest.

“You know, it’s massive, and we’re going for an absolute state-of-the-art facility because Ed knows how to do it,” she said.

“I’ve said it all along. There’s one thing I’ve trusted since we started this business, and it’s Ed, because he is so good at what he does.

“It’s almost the perfect setup. What we’ll have there is a 20-hectolitre system, our canning line and our taproom as well – we’re not even going to keg the beer, we’ll serve it straight from beautiful rose gold serving tanks.

Built in 1863 to house goods bound for export via Geelong and Melbourne, the Goods Shed was decommissioned in the late 20th century and has sat empty ever since.

Led by Melbourne-based construction and property development company The Pellicano Group, the redeveloped shed is set to also accommodate other retail and hospitality spaces, a convention centre and theatrette, free parking, and a community and events plaza.

“We think we can do something amazing. It really is a once-in-a-lifetime chance, and we both believe that opportunities are presented for reasons,” Ms Nollie said.

“We want this to be something that’s good for Ballarat that supports the industry that we’re in and that looks after our community.”