Download the Expressions of Interest document here:
Food and Beverage Provision at Clarendon Estate – Evandale, Tasmania
The National Trust of Australia (Tasmania) is seeking Expressions of Interest from a Food & Beverage service
provider for Clarendon Estate.
Clarendon Estate is 10km south of Evandale, Tasmania and 15 minutes’ drive south from Launceston Airport.
Clarendon Estate
Clarendon is one of Australia’s most imposing and romantic pastoral homesteads. The house features a double storey portico reminiscent of the mansions of the American South. Clarendon was built in 1838 by James Cox, wool grower and merchant, and son of William Cox, who had built the road over the Blue Mountains in NSW in 1815. Set in seven hectares of riverside parklands, the house retains its service wing, walled garden, impressive rural outbuildings and rare elm avenue. Furnished to the 1838-1850 period, the house also features changing exhibitions of historic fashion from the 1830s to 1960.
Also located on site, the Australian Fly Fishing Museum celebrates the history of this recreational sport with displays of fishing equipment, art and artefacts. Located on the banks of the South Esk River, it is a venue for fly fishers to gather and learn the techniques of fly casting, fly fishing, fishing etiquette, ecology, aquatic insects and history.
The National Trust aims for cross promotion between Clarendon and Woolmers, and Brickendon World Heritage Sites and Glover Country (Patterdale, colonial artist, John Glover’s house open on occasion) and the Clarendon Arms, Evandale, which have AI content funded through the Commonwealth Government / Northern Midlands ReAssign project: https://northerntasmania.com.au/reassign
Clarendon is located in Tasmania’s Northern Midlands which includes picturesque towns such as Campbell Town, Perth, Longford and Evandale. Evandale has the Evandale Market each Sunday and annual festivals such as the annual penny farthing race (February) and Glover Prize (March long weekend). Visit Northern Tasmania is the peak tourism operator’s organization: https://northerntasmania.com.au/ The Tasmanian Government offers programs for business start-ups.
Visitor experiences of Clarendon Estate
Visitor experiences of Clarendon Estate include:
– House, garden and estate visits
– Passive recreation such as fly fishing and dog walking (potentially also cycling)
– NTT-operated public programs such as horse drawn vehicle displays, vintage car rallies; fundraising events, antique and garden fairs
– Contemporary digital interpretation through the Northern Midlands ReAssign program.
Commercial use of the Clarendon Estate currently includes:
– Clarendon as a film location
– Venue hire such as weddings and marquee events.
Scope of service
The beauty of Clarendon’s architecture and parklike, riverfront setting makes it an ideal wedding venue, capable of hosting marquee functions up to 2,000 guests.
The conservatory is an ideal space for café service during museum opening hours, currently four days a week and expected to increase. The conservatory café space is potentially a shopfront for offering wedding venue inspections, wedding planning and a foretaste of the quality of wedding service. It may be used for dinners, birthday and other life celebrations and themed events. The conservatory seats 60 to 80 people comfortably.
Clarendon’s garden offers attractive backdrops for wedding ceremonies and wedding photography.
The rustic stone barn may be used for dinners and events and seats up to 100 people.
The riverbank is a lovely area for picnics, which may be catered through hampers.
Facilities
It is anticipated that food and beverage service will be offered from the conservatory to the east of Clarendon’s façade. An adjacent modest scale kitchen space is available. It is anticipated that the selected Food & Beverage operator will upgrade kitchen facilities at their expense (with appropriate consideration under the lease / percentage of turnover agreement) and understanding that food and beverage service at Clarendon may involve a degree of off-site preparation of food and delivery to site.
A site for a marquee will be identified on the lawn facing the house.
WCs are located in the house’s service yard. Additional portaloos may have to be hired by the food and beverage provider for larger functions.
National Trust Tasmania will investigate three-phase power for the site.
National Trust Tasmania will investigate improved internet access, currently provided by hot-spotting from smart devices.
National Trust Tasmania will confirm the location for storage for marquee/s and folding chairs.
In future (funding dependent) the National Trust aims to make four accommodation spaces available on site, for use in association with weddings and other programs.
We are not currently considering commercial events for the house’s interiors for conservation reasons.
Our Vision
Clarendon Estate will offer an enhanced visitor experience on the model of the National Trust – England & Wales ‘great day out’ with house and garden tours, passive recreation, and branded food and beverage experiences.
Our vision is to attract an operator capable of delivering a high-end food and beverage experience. The operator should be capable of delivering:
– High-end weddings and marquee events meeting contemporary expectations of these events, attracting significant income and promotion
– Café service during museum open hours
– Use of the Clarendon Estate for filming (estimated five weeks pa) may position the operator to contract for film production catering services
– Themed events that may include birthdays, dinners, high teas, book clubs, picnics and music events that promote the businesses as community resources.
The operator should work with the Trust for the complementary promotion of the two businesses, including via the Trust’s website and bookings engine, social media and events program. We anticipate regular meetings between the operator and the National Trust’s Property Manager – North on the forward program, promotion, the property’s conservation needs and to provide client feedback.
National Trust Tasmania proposes to offer an exclusive food and beverage agreement with a single operator who handles all aspects of commercial events from initial enquiry to delivery of the event. Café service during public opening hours will provide onsite opportunities to field enquiries and accept deliveries.
The food and beverage operation should promote the sustainability of Clarendon Estate through:
– Increasing visitation and public regard for the site through a variety of quality experiences
– Increased income through venue hire fees and a percentage of turnover
– Increased income for grounds maintenance
– Commercial use of the site that respects its heritage values and conservation needs (separate guidelines will be available on these).
– Collaborative problem-solving in respect of seasonal operations, Tasmania’s tourism trends and occasional reduction of access to parts of the site for commercial events.
Your vision and experience
Please share your vision with us and details of your experience in providing bespoke food and beverage services.
Site visits
Inspections of Clarendon Estate are available for interested parties. Please contact admin@nationaltrusttas.org.au
Submitting your EOI.
Please email your Expressions of Interest to admin@nationaltrusttas.org.au by [March / April] 2024.
If submitting by post, please send to 6 Brisbane Street Hobart Tasmania 7000.
Enquiries: (03) 6231 0911
