Construction on Four Pillars’ new home in the Yarra Valley commences this week on a site adjacent to the distillery’s existing one in Healesville.
With Australian sustainable design firm Breathe Architecture at the helm, the six million dollar development will incorporate new hospitality, production, bottling and events spaces. The site will be outfitted to accommodate 250 guests, along with increased off-street parking and retail space. Four Pillars’ production capacity will also increase with the addition of a sixth German-designed Carl still.
Four Pillars co-founder Cameron Mackenzie, a Healesville local himself, said the development is a huge vote of confidence in the local community:
“When we began making Four Pillars, the Yarra Valley was always intended to be our home and when we found our original site, we couldn’t believe our luck. When the opportunity came to buy the land next door, we simply had no choice but to roll the dice and back our Yarra Valley dream to the hilt.
“Since we have re-opened over summer the distillery has been busier than ever and too often, we have queues out the front and far too many people are turned away from sharing a drink with us. With this new home that shouldn’t, hopefully, be a problem any longer.”
Expectations are that the new development will increase visitor capacity to more than 200,000 a year and will create another 30 jobs in the region. It currently employs 60 people. In 2019, close to 100,00 people passed through its doors making Four Pillars one of the most popular destinations in the Yarra Valley.
Four Pillars’ existing distillery will continue to trade with minimal interruption throughout 2021.
