Celebrity Chef Matt Moran to reinvigorate the Rockley Pub

Renowned Chef and restaurateur Matt Moran, has purchased the Rockley Pub and has some great plans to bring the small town of Rockley  back to life. 

Moran will take over the pub in mid-July and will close it down to transform and relaunch it later in the year.

"I want to put a restaurant in there, I want to put a beer garden, and an outside area with a pergola over the top of it with some heating, and I would love to have some accommodation upstairs when I reopen, and that will be stage one,” said Moran.

"Stage two, I'd like to see some more accommodation on the site, and maybe a shop or a general store and bakery further down the track."

Moran’s family has connections in the area that goes back many generations.

"I have a lot of history there. My family owned farms in the area since the 1850s, so 170 years they've been around," he said.

"My great grandfather was married in Rockley in 1883. I've owned a farm in Rockley for 20 years myself with my father and I love the area. I love the town, I think it's a very pretty town and I'd love to bring some life back into it."

His plans have received great support from Mayor Bobby Bourke and the tourism body.

"Local tourism and regional tourism is on the rise, and I think this is a great opportunity to capitalise on it and get people out of the city, into the country and spending some money."

Moran has a big challenge ahead of him. Rockley is a town where you can’t purchase the simple things such as bread or milk.

“It's not going to happen straight away, but I'd love to open some shop fronts and put a little bakery or something in and bring some life back to it," Moran said.

"Whether it's viable or not, I don't really know, but that's what the plan is and I'm looking forward to it. I love a challenge."

Irit Jackson, 29th June 2021