Hospitality mogul Justin Hemmes has bought a second venue in the small NSW town of Narooma.
His Merivale group announced on Tuesday that it had acquired the Whale Inn motel and restaurant for an undisclosed amount. This follows the purchase of The Quarterdeck, a “tiki bar”, in the south coast town in March.
It also comes after a spate of purchases by the group in recent months, including its first pub in Victoria, the Lorne Hotel, for $38 million, Tomasetti House in Melbourne for $40 million, the former Cheeky Monkey’s bar in Byron Bay for $13.5 million and Norton’s Irish Pub in Leichhardt, in Sydney, for about $24 million.
Mr Hemmes, who reportedly owns a private property in the area, said Narooma had “become my second home and the backdrop to so many of my happiest memories with my family – I think it is one of the most beautiful spots in the world”.
The Whale Inn, with its renowned restaurant, bar and 17 rooms overlooking the coast, has for the past 15 years been run by well-known local couple Matthew Deveson and Jen Houghton-Deveson. Mr Deveson died in May following a battle with cancer.
“Matt was a true gentleman; a man of great kindness and dignity who truly loved Narooma and the wonderful people who call it home,” Mr Hemmes said. “It is an honour for us to continue Matt and Jen’s legacy.”
In a statement, Merivale said it would receive the keys to The Whale Inn this week and close the restaurant for “a quick refresh” before reopening it in July. The accommodation would continue to remain open, it said, ahead of a bigger refurbishment for the property, which would be announced at a later date.
The Whale’s head chef, Matt Hoar, told The Narooma News he had been apprehensive about the takeover but had been reassured after meeting the Merivale team.
“Justin seems like a good bloke and they were all very interested in food and the dining experience,” he told the paper. “I don’t think anything will go backwards.”