Historic Cascade Brewery façade to undergo restoration
Hobart’s Cascade Brewery will undergo its biggest repair project in almost 60 years with the restoration of the Brewery’s historic façade.
Scaffolding has this week been mounted on the façade of the seven-storey sandstone brewery for the $1m+ project, as builders set about repairing and restoring the time-damaged brickwork. It is the most significant repair work to occur to the historic building since it was substantially rebuilt after the Black Tuesday bushfires in 1967.
Operations and tours will not be impacted by the works, which are expected to be completed early next year.
The site is visited by around 300,000 people each year and Heritage Tasmania approved the plans to ensure best-practice conservation principles are applied at the site.
Cascade’s Head of Manufacturing Brendan Flanagan said the restoration will protect the historic building well into the future.
“This work will restore the building’s facade and protect its place as one of Tasmania’s most important and enjoyable historical sites,” Mr Flanagan said.
“We’re sorry the scaffolding will cover the brewery’s façade over the summer, but the warmer months really are the safest and most efficient time to do work like this.
“It will be many decades before similar work is again needed and soon the brewery will be looking its very best again. It is a privilege to be the custodian of this beautiful old landmark that is loved by all Tasmanians – not just for its beauty but for its superb beers.” Cascade is Australia’s oldest brewery with a history like no other. First established as a sawmill among the picturesque foothills of kunanyi / Mount Wellington in 1824, before brewing began in 1832.
To prepare for the project, Cascade custodian Asahi Beverages engaged a heritage architect and engineer to undertake a major assessment of the building. This included using camera-equipped drones to inspect thousands of bricks and advise what ones need to be replaced and repaired. The works will be routinely monitored and maintained after completion.
The last major capital expenditure on the brewery was in 2018 when $10 million was invested to modernise and expand the brewery’s operations.
