Bluestill plan to open in Cowra approved

A vacant block on Shelley Street may soon transform into a cellar door and distillery. Bluestill Distillery from Young are planning to relocate their operations to the block with a development application for the project recently approved by Cowra Shire Council. The distillery proudly lays claim to a unique range of hand crafted all Australian made spirits including whiskeys, whiskey liqueur, bourbon, gins, rums, tequila, cherry liqueur and other wines and liqueurs. All of the Bluestill range is bottled on-site and a core part of business operations includes on-site product tastings. Bluestill owner, Steve Norris, said he has been planning the move for some time having acquired the block two years ago. "We are going to start afresh, its a great spot for the business, located on the Grenfell road with access to traffic coming from Canberra," Mr Norris said. "The new facility will house a whole new bottling plant and cellar door where we also plan to sell local wines, but wholesaling will remain as the backbone of our business," he said. Mr Norris said his son Rodney, who handles Bluestill sales in Sydney, will become more involved in the new Cowra venture. "We will be applying for the necessary licenses now we have Council approval for our plans. Because the land is considered flood prone there have been additional things we have needed to consider," he said. "We will be building up to a certain level and planning around the possibility of future floods. We've learnt a lot from the last couple of years," he said. Plans approved by Council consist of a 300 square metre colourbond structure with appropriate landscaping. According to the Development Application, "Bluestill have purchased the land with a vision to create an attractive development on the land that is designed in a way that minimises potential impact from flooding" for the site and nearby land-uses.