Great Ocean Road Gin.....the beginning

The Great Ocean Road has always held a special place in my heart. Just over 47 years ago my parents built a family home at Moggs Creek, not far from the famous Great Ocean Road sign.  I spent all of my childhood weekends and school holidays here: exploring the coast, searching for fish and crabs in the rockpools,  taking long beach walks with our dog, discovering native heath and wild flowers in the bush and trekking up the old dirt track at the back of house to the big hill that overlooks the coastline from Fairhaven through to Lorne.  Fantastic memories and a truly beautiful place.

Twelve months ago, and now with my own family in tow, we decided to finally make a sea change to Anglesea so that our kids could grow up in this amazing place and I could develop my own business making premium craft gin, a gin that reflects the sense of this place. Great Ocean Road Gin, or GORG,  is my expression, my love of quality craft gin and a nostalgic nod to my favourite place in the world... the Great Ocean Road.  

My Background

My background has been in project management, marketing, and market development for companies such as the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival and the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria.  I’ve worked in the food and booze industry for over 20 years and wanted to be part of the thriving food scene here on the Surf Coast. Having supported Australian food producers, craft brewers and distillers in my previous roles,  I wanted to finally produce something of my own, that showcased this special place.  

I have always been a gin lover and was involved in developing the first Australian craft spirit awards.  I have been around the Australian craft distilling industry since its inception and have had some fantastic support and encouragement from the industry in developing my own craft gin company.

The Team

As a small producer,  I couldn’t do this all on my own so I have been working closely with a team of people who have helped me to realise my vision.   This has included Sebastian Raeburn at The Craft & Co, a makers’ incubator in Melbourne, who has worked with me to perfect my gin recipe.  Seb has a wealth of experience  working in the alcohol industry. He is also the distiller and owner of the award winning Anther Gin.

The Gin

I wanted to be able to showcase this region and, where possible, work and collaborate with other regional businesses, farms, and producers. So far, with my first gin, I have been lucky enough to work with Nick Day at Otways Indigenous Nursery who propagates native plants from Torquay to Cape Otway. Nick has been my go to person for local botanicals and I source all of my indigenous ingredients from him.

I wanted my gin to also talk to specific destinations that had meaning to me. So my first gin is affectionately called  Guvvos, after a popular local surf beach that sits between Point Roadnight and Urquhart Bluff.  It's one of my daughter's favourite places to surf and it is a beautful and rugged stretch of coastline, great for dog walking and  the inspiration for my gin.

Guvvos Gin is a modern take on a classic dry style – its citrus forward, with a hint of salt.  It’s a lovely, clean, bright, & luscious citrus gin with savoury ocean notes.  It has crisp clean juniper reminding you that this is a gin!

There are 24 botanicals 9 of these local – coast daisy, ruby salt bush, coast salt bush, hop wattle, pigface, kelp, two indigenous eucalypts, even local Surfcoast Honey produced in Torquay.  I also use local water for the distillation process.

All of theses ingredients make this gin truly unique to its location.

There has been a lot of care and attention given to the development of this complex but beautifully balanced gin which is delicious as a G&T, or in a cocktail, such as a Martini or a Negroni.

The Production

The R&D and production of my gin taskes place on a 180 litre copper pot Carl Still. Production is one shot pot distillation.

Each month I collect my botanicals, pack up my car and head to Melbourne to develop the recipe and will soon, with your support, produce and bottle my first batch of Guvvos Gin. Each process, each step, is done by hand with love and care and distilled in small batches.

The long term plan is to establish and have my own beautiful still on the Great Ocean Road.  In the short term,  I plan to have a tasting room and gin garden on the coast.  But for now,  the next step is to produce the first batch of Great Ocean Road Gin – Guvvos Gin.

Legal

Under the Liqour Control Reform Act 1998 it is an offence to supply alcohol to a person under the age of 18 years (Penalty exceeds $17,000), or for a person under the age of 18 years to purchase or receive liquor (Penalty exceeds $700).  All deliveries of GORG must therefore be received and signed for by a person over the age of 18 years,  We are unable to post to PO Boxes.  Due to licencing restrictions we are unfortunately not able to sell GORG to supporters outside of Australia at this time. 

VIC LICENCE NAME; GREAT OCEAN ROAD GIN PTY LTD

VIC LICENCE NUMBER: 90134489

Contact Us

Email: [email protected]

Website: greatoceanroadgin.com.au

Mobile 0402 086 002

How will the funds be used?

As a small producer,  so far the development of my gin, the research & development of my recipe, licences and permits and the costs associated with establishing the company and the brand have been entirely self funded, but now I need your support. Your support will go directly to helping me to produce and bottle the first batch of Guvvos Gin and assist to kick start my production of batch #2.  

Partnerships

At GORG we value collaborations and partnerships and as part of our business will look for these at every opportunity.  We would like to thank Capi for their support of this campaign.

The Challenges

Quitting my job and starting a new business has been full of challenges, but all of them have lead me to this place - making and ultimately selling my own craft gin on the coast.  

I am hoping you will come on board as one of my first customers.  By purchasing a bottle or 2 of my first batch you will be an early supporter of Great Ocean Road Gin and a valued long term customer.

I would love you to be the first to try GORG. I have received amazing support and interest so far and I can’t wait to share it with you.  

So go on, Dive In, Splash liberally and Share it around. Buy a bottle or 2!