Murray's Brewery is located on
Nelson Bay Road at Bobs Farm, Port Stephens. You can find it on the main road into the Nelson Bay region, so ensure you slow down when you see the brewery and winery signs on the side of the road. There is plenty of parking - but don't be put off by the large amount of cars that you may see there, as the property is spacious and there is plenty of room for everyone.
Murray's is a busy venue every day - it makes its own
beers and
spirits on site, has
wine tastings at their Cellar Door, offers beer-matched foods in its
restaurant, hosts
weddings, supports
live music and sells
local products in its little shop. The whole venue is rustic, quirky,
family friendly and it has a very "chilled out" vibe. If you are driving to Nelson Bay, make sure you stop for lunch on the way!
Take your appetite! Image: Murrays Brewery Facebook
I have been to Murray's a few times, but I recently visited Murray's Brewery again with my mother - which was ironic as neither of us drink much alcohol! I had told her that it was a relaxing place to have lunch - particularly if you sit at the picnic benches under the trees - and the food was particularly tasty. She didn't take much convincing to hop in the car and go!
When we arrived, we grabbed a couple of
menus from the food counter, bought some drinks from the shipping container bar and found a picnic table in the shade on the lawns. We sat under a beautiful, old gum tree which provided speckled shade over the table, as bees buzzed around the grapevines in the winery nearby. You couldn't have found a more peaceful place to relax and enjoy lunch in the shade...
Sit on the lawn and enjoy lunch under the trees
Buy a drink from the shipping container bar. Image: Murrays Brewery Facebook
After perusing the menu, we walked down to the counter and ordered our meals - a Farm Burger and a Vegan Burger - and returned with a buzzer, which would sound when they were ready. Meanwhile, we sat and watched as a local lady on horseback walked through the vines, to meet some women who were chatting on a picnic blanket nearby. The horse casually nibbled at the lawns, as if it came down to the brewery every day.
The sound of the buzzer interrupted the quietness and I went down to pick up our meals. They looked and smelled delicious - we were not disappointed!
Farm Burger & Vegan Burger - all burgers come with chips
Choose from pizzas, cheese boards and spicy specials - all which match the beer! Image: Murray's Brewery Facebook
Both burgers were soft, flavoursome and full of flavour - particularly the Farm Burger with grilled halloumi, which had a bang of flavour due to the aioli sauce. We both agreed that we would come back to have this one again!
Although we visited during the weekday, which was fairly quiet, Murray's is "the" place to be each weekend. There are plenty of different areas to sit and there is often live music to enjoy, as you catch up with friends on the lawns. There are also two large indoor areas with rustic seating, as well as a large number of tables on the deck in the beer garden. See
here for how to book your table, so you don't miss out. Also,'s see
here for all their FAQ answers about pets, booking numbers, kitchen times and how to organise wine tastings.
Ensure you stop at the signs - you won't be disappointed!
Lastly - as I can't write an article about a brewery and not mention the beers - check out the
range of 100% natural beers that they make onsite. With names such as Angry Man, Spartacus, Wild Thing, Heart of Darkness and Punk Monk - you know they will be packed full of flavour and attitude!
Everything on the food menu has a beer that matches, so you could easily spend a leisurely afternoon with friends, finding your favourites. Really, is there a better way to spend a Sunday? I don't think so...
Relax over lunch, at Murray's Brewery. Image: Murray's Brewery Facebook
