The Little Morgue Winery on
the Sunshine Coast is
one of the most unique cellar doors
in Australia.
It started as a dream for us, Hannah and Michael Van der Merwe,
who over a fifteen year period planned and prepared to open a
cellar door on the Sunshine Coast. The fast growing wine
industry on the Sunshine Coast Queensland and particularly the
hinterland of the Sunshine Coast attracted our family and
we moved to
the region in 2001.
Whilst looking for an
interesting location for a new winery we stumbled upon a much
neglected old Morgue. Driving past the property one day we saw a sign up “For Sale-Funeral Parlour” and immediately
realised the potential of the building and purchased the
property.
Over the space of a year, we
transformed the morgue into an unique cellar door and opened its doors on the
Yandina-Nambour Connection Road on the Sunshine Coast on 6th
December 2003.
The building
is a landmark in the area. Originally built as a textile factory
it was then converted to a morgue, and now into winery and
cellar door. The building style is Gothic with wrought iron
through out. The new interior aims to bring the new and the old
aspects of the building together. Hannah designed the stained
glass windows in the chapel area that is now a cellar door,
utilising her background as an artist.
The cellar
door is on the upper level that was originally the chapel.
With high vaulted ceilings, there is a viewing platform into
the winery operations below. The viewing platform is the
glassed in section where the coffins used to be hoisted
during services. At the cellar door guests can taste a wide
variety of wines, quirkily named such as Dead Smooth,
Supreme After Life and Rest in Peace.
The lower level is dug into the ground making it the perfect
environment for a cellar with a constant temperature of 18
degrees. This is where the bodies were stored prior to the
funeral services, complete with toe tags.f
18 degrees. This is where the bodies were stored prior to
the funeral services, complete with toe tags.
The Little Morgue on the Sunshine
Coast is open from Wednesday to Sunday ,10am to 4pm for
Morgue Munchies and wine tasting. The Cadavery Terrace is an attractive out
door dining area with fountain and gardens.
Special functions for small groups during the day or
evenings are also very popular. Contact Hannah for more
information.
Special events such as Halloween, Murder in the Morgue
Mystery Dinners and Black Friday Dinners are held regularly.
Call (07) 5441 5951
|
|
