Australiana Personified: The Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre Opens in Marrickville.

In news that could be filed under “Only in Australia”, Hawke’s Brewing Co, the beer company co-founded by the former prime minister and beer sculling aficionado, Bob Hawke, has opened its first flagship venue just shy of its fifth year in the trendy Sydney suburb of Marrickville.

The Bob Hawke Beer and Leisure Centre, as it’s known, the interior scheme conceived by Bianca Isgro (ex Alexander &Co. and Solotel Hospitality Group), seeks to recreate that quintessential 1980s-pub experience complete with a very nostalgia-inducing Australian-Chinese bistro. Unearthing a time capsule of carefully curated Australiana, enveloped in Old Parliament House inspired wood-panel motif, Hawke’s pays a romantic homage to the past, while continuing to surface the timeless values that the brand has been built on.

On entry, it’s hard to ignore the cathedral of large, steel tanks that line the second level. Powered by a 100kW rooftop solar farm, the brewery implements an array of eco-innovations, including a carbon capture system developed in partnership with UTS Tech, which uses CO2 from the fermentation process to grow plants and vegetables for use in the venue. It’s all part of Hawke’s mission to use creativity to reduce their own footprint, while working with partners and hopefully even other breweries to help hit their sustainability goals.

Downstairs, The Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre is as much a tribute to Bob Hawke as it is a love letter to Australiana and the cosiness of familiarity, with areas like The Public Bar, The Patio and The Lucky Prawn Australian-Chinese bistro setting the stage on entry, while the Sanctuary Cove mezzanine can nest up to 30 guests for events.

Chinese Box Club Takeaway in Weert.

Zware Jongens revived the concept of a retro kitchen hatch for Chinese Box Club restaurant. Built-in nooks with sliding panels lined up side by side for customers to receive orders directly from the kitchen. Though practical, the hatch system has an undeniably kitsch air that adds to the overall experience.

Isgro’s main priority for the project was to “protect and honour Bob’s legacy, of course. It was a very delicate balance between celebrating Bob and the beer, but not taking the piss (pardon the pun). It could have very easily turned into a theme park. Whilst we had a lot of fun with each of the different spaces and brands within the leisure centre – taking cues from his cheek and charisma, there are areas of restraint, revealing the light and dark, public and private life of Bob,” she says.

The separate Pool Room area, featuring a museum-like collection of memorabilia and photos of the former Prime Minister, was modelled on Bob Hawke’s own pool room, where the founders spent much of their time during their visits to his Northbridge home.

“While we named the venue in his honour, we were mindful of being sycophantic and simply plastering imagery of Hawkie all over the place,” says Hawke’s co-founder, Nathan Lennon. “I think we’ve achieved a balance that pays tribute to Bob in the Pool Room, while delivering an authentic Australian experience.”

“We had lots of fun with our interior designer, Bianca, sourcing unique, reused items from places throughout Australia where Bob had made his mark. With sustainability at the core of what we do, it’s satisfying to know that their second life will be enjoyed at his Leisure Centre, “ says Nathan.

If you feel like a fun romp down memory lane—with prawn toast included—Hawke’s is for you.

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[Images courtesy of Studio Isgro. Photography by Jessie Ann.]