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Beenleigh, QLD

Town famous for its Rum Distillery.

Beenleigh, which was once a separate town, has, through the inexorable expansion of Brisbane, become a commuter-belt suburb with half of the population catching the train to the city each day. The major employers in the district are the Teys Brothers slaughterhouse which employs nearly 200 people and exports beef to the US, UK and Japan; the privately owned Rocky Point Sugar Mill which employs around 100 people; and the famous Beenleigh Rum Distillery now owned by the Bickford's Group.

Location

Beenleigh is located 35 km south of Brisbane via the Pacific Motorway. It is now one of the city's southernmost commuter-belt suburb.

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Origin of Name

In 1865 John Davey and Frank Gooding established a farm near the present site of Beenleigh.  They named it Beenleigh after Beenleigh Manor in Devon, England.

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Things to See and Do

The Beenleigh Rum Distillery
The famous Beenleigh Rum Distillery is still the oldest-surviving still in Australia. It was built in 1864. It changed hands in 2012 when it was acquired by Bickford's Group of companies. It is open seven days - Monday to Friday 10.00 am - 5.00 pm. Saturday and Sunday 10.00 am - 4.00 pm. Tours run Wednesday to Sunday from 10.30 am with the last tour at 2.30 pm. There is extensive information and a booking form at https://www.beenleighrum.com.au/distillery. The website points out: "Please arrive at least 15 minutes before your tour time. The maximum group size is 20 people. For larger groups, please contact us in advance. All visitors to The Beenleigh Artisan Distillery who are under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times.
"Following your tour, adult guests aged 18 years and over are also invited to participate in a tasting experience, sampling various products from the Beenleigh range. Our rum and merchandise store is open to everyone, even if you do not take a tour.
"Come Prepared - This is a real-life working distillery, so all tour guests must wear closed-toe shoes (no thongs or sandals) as a safety requirement. We can’t allow photography on the tour, to protect our trade secrets, however photos before and after the tour in the Visitor Centre are definitely encouraged!
"Who Can Join The Tour? – It is a Health and Safety requirement that tour guests must not consume alcohol prior to taking the tour. All distillery tours include walking around the property and through production areas to give all customers a complete understanding of an operating distillery. This can include walking up and down steep inclines, stairs, and obstacles as to be expected within a working distillery.
Due to Workplace Health & Safety, wheel chairs, prams, and walkers are not permitted on the tour and you must wear closed in shoes - we apologise for any inconvenience.
"If you are unable to walk the required distance due to injuries, illness or pains, Beenleigh Artisan Distillery would recommend a tasting at our Visitor Centre as this area has wheelchair, walker and pram access.
"Tasting Experience
We offer a choice of 2 tasting experiences:
Classic Rum Experience – White Rum, Copper Pot Distilled Rum, Double Barrel 5 Year Old, Honey Rum Liqueur, Traditional Rum Liqueur
Distiller’s Selection - Cane Cutter Vodka, Bourbon Barrel Aged Rum, Spiced Rum, Port Barrel Infused Rum, 10 Year Old Rum."

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Visitor Information

Beenleigh Visitor Information Centre, 205 Main Street, Beenleigh, tel: (07) 3287 1377. Open from 9.30am-3.30pm daily.

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Useful Websites

There is no specific website for Beenleigh.

 

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