Coffee King innovates with new ‘Aus-Tex’ Smokehouse

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Sugar Creek Smokehouse is the latest venture to open at Zarraffa’s multi-million-dollar HQ and the future home of Distillery Road Market (DRM).

Sugar Creek Smokehouse will offer guests locally sourced meats smoked fresh on-site out of two re-purposed shipping containers which will eventually be rehoused within the DRM precinct.

Owner Kenton Campbell says it was the result of the COVID-19 lockdowns that created the necessary conditions to start creating his dream and celebrating an authentic food experience within reach of the Gold Coast, Brisbane and surrounds.

“I love barbequing, the enjoyment that food provides, and being able to bring good company together to share a meal in the outdoors,” Kenton said.

“Over the last couple of years, I started smoking meats purely as a hobby, then purchased a small smoker and decided to take a trip over to Texas to experience the home of smoked meats—it was then that the idea was born.”

The container fit-out will feature a rotisserie-style offset smoker, enabling the smoking process and flavours to be controlled while providing an authentic flavour profile, and has the capability to smoke hundreds of kilograms of meat per day.

The venue will also be fully licensed with drinks, including tinnies of local craft beers and spirits, available to complement the meaty menu.

“It was my vision to create signature flavours; an authentic ‘Aus-Tex’ venue, using the highest quality meats sourced locally that are smoked fresh daily and to perfection for everyone’s enjoyment,” Kenton said.

“Flavours will be everything at Sugar Creek Smokehouse. The entire menu has been crafted to harvest a deeper sense of enjoyment and a flavour hit from every bite, turning a casual lunch or dinner for the whole family into something to savour and really enjoy.”

Open Thursday to Sunday from 11am to 7pm with seating for up to 44 diners, Sugar Creek Smokehouse will offer a shaded outdoor area located near the smoker for the ultimate sensory experience.

Sugar Creek Smokehouse, Zarraffa’s Coffee’s national headquarters and its bespoke café experience – Kiwanda Café, are the anchor tenants of the cultural dining mecca that will be DRM, set to offer a world class destination for authentic food experiences and entertainment.

Located midway between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, the one-of-a-kind DRM venue will provide a compelling destination designed to celebrate Australia’s love of fresh produce, dining and entertainment with a mix of retail letting options.

Rising from the ashes of a reclaimed commercial warehouse, the 18,000+ sqm site is being reimagined as a space for families, a source of regional growth and a magnet for tourists and the global food generation.

DRM is expected to open late end 2021 and the Sugar Creek Smokehouse is proof-positive of what’s to come.

“I’ve personally invested my heart and energy into a long-held dream to create food and beverage experiences that make people happy.

It started with Zarraffa’s over 20 years ago; the simple joy in making something that brings a smile to people’s faces. With Distillery Road Market, it will be about creating a home for these types of experiences.”

“Sugar Creek Smokehouse is named for its historical significance to cane growing in the Eagleby area and the generations who grew the sugar cane. Today, my hope is that it signifies life’s little pleasures – to enjoy and share in great food experiences in your own backyard.”

Sugar Creek Smokehouse
124 Distillery Road, Eagleby
Opening hours: 11am to 7pm, Thursdays through to Sundays

Planning Scheme amendments reflect community feedback

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Support for jobs, a boost for tourism and a greater focus on city centres are among the highlights of the latest amendments to the Logan Planning Scheme.

The Logan Planning Scheme is the blueprint that guides development across the City of Logan.

The recent amendments are in response to community feedback.

They are also an opportunity for Logan City Council to continue to improve the current planning scheme, which was introduced in 2015.

Improvements to the Logan Planning Scheme – Version 8 video transcript

The new amendments took effect on Monday, November 16.

Key changes include:

  • Improved support for industrial activity, job creation and new warehouse technology in Berrinba.
  • Changes to allow small-scale breweries to open in places close to restaurants and licensed outlets. This follows a similar earlier amendment for coffee roasters.
  • Improved criteria for new centres in growth areas so they are better located to serve the needs of existing and future communities.
  • Restrictions on crematoriums to ensure they are only built in industrial areas along with provisions for the community to have their say on any proposed crematorium development through public notification and feedback.
  • Updates to maps to show new properties created through subdivisions and other boundary changes.
  • Enhancing the Heritage Register to make it easier to learn about Logan’s rich history.

The City of Logan is already home to a number of specialist micro-breweries including Monkey Tree (Underwood) and Loose Moose (Browns Plains).

Some of the city’s coffee roasters include Zarraffa’s Kiwanda Café (Eagleby) and Extraction Coffee (Slacks Creek).

City Planning, Economic Development and Environment Committee Chair, Deputy Mayor Jon Raven, said amendments to the Planning Scheme were made because Council had listened to the community.

“These changes are what residents and businesses want to make our city a better place to live and work,” Cr Raven said.

“Not only will they help create jobs here in Logan, they also help boost our recently announced Food Tourism Strategy which is aimed at attracting more visitors to Logan.

“The latest amendments also begin to address some of what we learned about our city from Council’s recent 10-year Housing Study which showed a record number of people are moving to Logan.”

More details on the planning scheme can be found through Council’s award-winning Logan PD Hub.

Please visit the PD Hub for easy access to the online Logan Planning Scheme viewer, as well as interactive mapping and a collection of tools to help understand how the planning scheme applies to a particular property.

Logan PD Hub Screenshot

Logan PD Hub homepage

Logan businesses embracing circular economy during Recycling Week

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City of Logan businesses are turning trash into treasure as they embrace this year’s theme for National Recycling Week.

Sixteen local companies have already signed up for a pilot program called ASPIRE, that provides a platform to trade and donate waste that would otherwise be discarded.

Logan businesses with up to 100 employees can register and use the platform for free.

The 25th annual National Recycling Week is Monday, November 9 to Sunday, November 15.

This year’s theme is ‘Recovery – A future beyond the bin’.

The ASPIRE program, supported by Logan City Council and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland, echoes that call to action.

It encourages local businesses to find ways to reuse or recycle material, treat waste as a potential resource and contribute to the ‘circular economy’.

Participating companies can buy, sell or donate waste to improve their own efficiencies, create new revenue streams and supply chains and reduce amounts going to landfill.

An example is coffee grinds and plasterboard offcuts, which often are dumped, can be used to make kitty litter.

Crestmead-based soft window furnishings manufacturer Vadain joined the ASPIRE program in September.

General Manager Tessa Schouten said the company, which employs more than 40 people, wanted to reduce its carbon footprint.

It hopes to find ways to reduce its general waste, such as fabric offcuts and cardboard and PVC centre tubes, from going to landfill.

“This is a great initiative and the best way to make it successful is to get as many companies as possible to join in,” Ms Schouten said.

City Planning, Economic Development and Environment Committee Deputy Chairs, Councillor Karen Murphy and Councillor Miriam Stemp, visited the Vadain factory this week.

Both praised the company’s recycling efforts and determination to minimise the amount of their waste from going to landfill.

“Some of the fabric offcuts are beautiful material that I know could be made into so many handy products rather than being dumped,” Cr Murphy said.

“I know there are groups across Logan, and possibly other companies, that could benefit from using these offcuts,” Cr Murphy said.

Piles of metres-long PVC tubes from the inner roles of material caught Cr Stemp’s eye.

“If there is any way we can recycle and stop this material go into landfill I’m all for it,” Cr Stemp said.

“That’s the beauty of the ASPIRE program in helping one organisation find another that can use their waste.”

Deputy Mayor Jon Raven said the Logan community strongly supports recycling.

“Recycling and reusing not only helps improve our environment but can also save money at home and in the workplace,” Cr Raven said.

For more information and to register visit the ASPIRE page or contact LOED on 3412 4888.