Dinner and drinks on glowed-up trawlers? Fishizzle!
Dinner and drinks on glowed-up trawlers? Fishizzle!
Avast, me hearties! Feast your eyes on the newest dining destination set to make waves here on the Gold Coast – Holy Ship Bar & Restaurant. A treasure trove for both locals and visitors, Holy Ship invites you aboard their seas-oned trawlers, the ‘FV Havana’ and ‘Austral Eagle,’ for a spectacular dining experience that’ll have you in a chokehold, hook, line, and sinker.
Not to be confused with your average whiffy trawlers, these authentic timber beauties have been refurbished to perfection, inspired by the traditional charm of timber vessels, but with a striking modern twist. Perfect for your next event, there’s indoor covered dining for 56 people on custom timber furniture, with outdoor seating on the upper deck on both vessels (up to 36 people on FV Havana and 12 people on Austral Eagle).
We’re talking front-row seats to the stunning Broadwater and a dining/sipping experience set to become a GC lega-sea.
So what’s on the menu? Plenty of seafood for a start and duh, no ship Sherlock. Austral Eagle’s full commercial kitchen serves up fresh trawler seafood and an array of small plates.
Why not start with some Oysters, natural, mignonette, Kilpatrick or even Thai style? Then, tuck into their signature dish, the ‘Holy Ship I’ll Have It All’ seafood platter, with oysters, prawns, bugs, salmon and sashimi a-plenty. If land dwelling fare is more your thing, how about some Saucy BBQ Ribs or a ship-shape Charcuterie Board with all-the-things?
If you’re anything like us, we want to know all-a-boat the bevs and yes, these tidy trawlers pack a punch with their oar-some drinks selection. Get shipfaced at the bar on FV Havana (but don’t really) with its 10-tap system serving up beer, wine, ready-to-drink spirits and cocktails. Speaking of, it would be remiss of us not to single out their signature sips – the Frozen Margarita and Cosmopolitan – which folks, are a shore thing.
Who masterminded this maritime marvel, you ask? None other than Kane and Yvette McCarthy, the legends behind the iconic Tonic on Chirn Park and ELV 525 on Mt Tamborine, along with co-owner Jake Ruttley. With their extensive expertise and passion for hospitality, it’s o-fish-al – we’re ready to dock and roll.
Kane and Yvette’s journey to bring Holy Ship to life has been nothing short of epic. It started with finding the illustrious Austral Eagle in Harvey Bay, a famous shark fishing trawler that worked actively out of her Adeliade port.Her sister from another mista, FV Havana, is a local girl, who was still fishing prawns in Tweed Heads until she was brought down and lifted out.
Both old girls were renovated on the hard stand at Coomera for 18 months, stripped back to their bare hulls and rebuilt to their former glory.
Sea you there!
Where: Birth 7&8 Marina Mirage, Marina Commercial arm, Sea World Drive, Main Beach (but both vessels are available for functions at private pontoons, Gold Coast marinas and events around the Broadwater).
When: Launching Wednesday 27th March
Website: holyship.restaurant
Instagram: @holyship.restaurant
Words by Bianca Trathen.
Images by Mathilde Bouby.