Lion has announced a $1.8 million upgrade to its James Boag’s Brewery visitor centre, including $1 million in funding from the Tasmanian Government as part of its 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future. The new venue, which will be renamed as Boags Brewhouse, will seek to leverage its existing heritage value while simultaneously introducing a new brewhouse hall, tasting area, redesigned beer garden, and relocated Boags museum.
“This new design will honour the legacy of the James Boag’s Brewery, while strengthening the existing love of the brand with a quintessential Boag’s experience, deeply rooted in Launceston where it all began,” said James Brindley, Managing Director at Lion Australia.
“Already, Boag’s is the second most visited attraction in Launceston, following the Cataract Gorge, and market research shows that the Boags Brewhouse could attract up to 29,000 extra visitors each year. These are additional visitors who will stay and increase economic activity for the businesses of Launceston – and particularly hospitality, accommodation and tourism businesses.”
Tasmanian Deputy Premier Michael Ferguson echoed a similar sentiment, stating that the new “partnership underscores our belief in Boag’s ability to attract even greater visitation to Launceston, benefiting Tasmania’s tourism and hospitality sectors, and the local community, more broadly.
“As part of our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future, the Government is sustainably growing our tourism sector and this investment partnership will play an important role in meeting our goal.”
The new construction will incorporate Tasmanian timber throughout, with some of its walls to feature around 1,000 limited edition beer cans, bottles and memorabilia. A new feature wall capturing the histories and stories of Launceston’s pubs will also be established, encouraging patrons to continue exploring the city’s tourism opportunities after completing the brewery tour.
“We also want to create a place that benefits the community and people of Launceston – somewhere we can all come together over a shared love of the James Boag’s Brewery and beers,” said James Brindley.
“From the moment visitors spot the eye-catching red neon Boags Brewhouse sign and walk down the laneway created by the two heritage buildings, they will get a sense of the old meets new that’s been at the centre of this project.”
Michael Ferguson added: “As part of our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future, the Government is sustainably growing our tourism sector and this investment partnership will play an important role in meeting our goal. We know the tourism and hospitality sector is a major employer in Tasmania, providing more than 42,000 Tasmanians with jobs, including thousands in regional communities… By investing in our regional tourism offerings, we are helping keep the Tasmanian economy strong.”
Lion also confirmed that Boags Brewhouse will continue to offer free tours for Tasmanian residents, an offer which has seen more than 1,700 locals visit the venue over the past year.
Construction is expected to start in late February next year, with the new facility to officially open in mid-2025.
//
Designs unveiled for Stone & Wood’s $30m Murwillumbah brewery upgrade
James Boag St George 3.5 off-premise launch
