Comiskey Group Archives - Albany Creek News

Eatons Hill Hospitality Group Dominates QHA Awards, Snagging Five Wins

Photo Credit: Queensland Hotel Association Awards/ Facebook

Eatons Hill and the broader Moreton Bay area are basking in the glow of success as the Comiskey Group clinched five prestigious awards at the annual Queensland Hotels Association (QHA) Awards. This remarkable achievement underscores the group’s commitment to excellence in hospitality and tourism.

The Comiskey Group, renowned for its development and management of Eatons Hill Hotel and Sandstone Point Hotel, achieved top honours in multiple categories, showcasing its diverse strengths.

The group proudly took home awards for Best Family Dining with The Doonan, Best Mid-Range Accommodation and Best Tourism Initiative for Sandstone Point Holiday Resort, Best Retail Liquor Outlet for Harry Brown Liquor at Eatons Hill Hotel, and the Hall of Fame for Best Entertainment Venue awarded to Sandstone Point Hotel.

The Doonan, a relatively new addition to the Comiskey Group’s portfolio, was honoured with Best Family Dining. Opened just last year, The Doonan marks the first collaboration where Comiskey Group partnered with Josj Jones and Neville Allen. The group’s pride in this achievement was palpable, particularly as it was the venue’s inaugural entry into any awards competition.

The Best Retail Liquor Outlet award for Harry Brown Liquor at Eatons Hill Hotel is a testament to the venue’s excellence, securing this title for the second consecutive year. Following a successful renovation, the store had previously earned the national title and is poised to compete for the Australian title again this year.

Sandstone Point Hotel’s induction into the Hall of Fame for Best Entertainment Venue is a notable highlight. Having won this category three years in a row, the hotel will now take a break from this nomination to allow other venues a chance to shine. Similarly, the Sandstone Point Holiday Resort’s recognition as Best Mid-Range Accommodation for the third year running means it too will be inducted into the Hall of Fame next year.

Director Rob Comiskey expressed immense pride in these accomplishments, highlighting the importance of the family-friendly environment that the Comiskey Group strives to create across all its venues. The dedication and hard work of the group’s 686 employees were also acknowledged as keys to their continued success.

*Photo Credit:* *Queensland Hotels Association*

The recognition of Eatons Hill Hotel’s Harry Brown Liquor store, coupled with the consistent accolades for Sandstone Point Hotel and Holiday Resort, underscores the Comiskey Group’s ongoing commitment to providing outstanding hospitality experiences. This year’s achievements not only celebrate past successes but also set a high bar for the future.

Published Date 19-June-2024

Strathpine Set to Shine as North Brisbane’s Family Entertainment Hub

Photo Credit: DA/2022/1050

Brisbane’s northside is poised for a major transformation with the announcement of a sprawling $70-million development in Strathpine.

This exciting project promises to become the ultimate entertainment destination for families, boasting a range of attractions unlike anything seen before in the region.

Area 51, known for having Australia’s largest indoor family entertainment complex in Underwood, will run a massive play centre that will serve as the development’s focal point. This sprawling 6,000-square-metre space will offer boundless fun for children of all ages.

Thrill-seekers won’t be disappointed either. A multi-level go-kart track, meticulously designed by world-leading Slovenian specialists 360 Karting, will be a unique addition to Brisbane’s entertainment landscape. Adrenaline-pumping races across three levels are sure to provide an exhilarating experience for both seasoned racers and curious newcomers.

The award-winning Comiskey Group’s development is not just for kids. The 3,500-square-metre hotel will cater to adults as well, featuring two restaurants, an arcade, eight bowling lanes, and an American-style sports bar. This creates a complete entertainment package for families, allowing parents to unwind while their children indulge in the play centre and go-kart track.

Adding to the diverse offerings, a dedicated food precinct will be established, with Guzman y Gomez already confirmed as a prominent tenant. This ensures a range of delicious dining options for visitors throughout the day.

“We wanted to create something truly unique,” said Rob Comiskey, director of the Comiskey Group.

The three-level go-kart track, which experts from Slovenia designed, is something Brisbane has never seen before, and the play centre will be the biggest on the northside.

This project goes beyond mere entertainment. Mr. Comiskey emphasises the development’s role in addressing the northside’s lack of family-oriented attractions.

“There’s a significant gap compared to the southside,” he acknowledges. “We’re thrilled to be creating a destination that draws families from across the entire north Brisbane region.”

The hotel itself will pay homage to Strathpine’s history. “The Country Club Hotel” moniker is a nod to a well-known establishment that once stood in the area.

“It was a local landmark,” Mr. Comiskey reminisces. “By reviving this name, we hope to honour Strathpine’s past while creating a vibrant new chapter for its future.”

Construction is slated to begin later this year, generating a substantial number of jobs. The project is estimated to create a total of 476 positions, including both permanent roles and opportunities during the construction phase.

This development promises to breathe new life into Strathpine, transforming it into a vibrant entertainment hub for families across Brisbane’s northside. With its unique combination of attractions, dining options, and historical connection, the Country Club Hotel precinct is poised to become a landmark destination.

Published Date 07-May-2024

Comiskey Distillery Opens New Distillery at Eatons Hill Hotel

Photo credit: Comiskey Group / comiskey.com.au

The Comiskey Group expands its Harry Brown bottle shop with the launch of Comiskey Distillery, now taking space at Eatons Hill Hotel.

Comiskey Distillery officially opened on 25 November 2022 at the iconic hotel where they distil vodka, gin, rum, bourbon and their signature spirit “Comiskey Whiskey” produced from its 1,000-litre copper still, alongside Master Distiller, Colleen Walters. Mr Walters is a highly regarded “Flavoursmith” and has a professional history spanning more than 12 years in the fine food and distillery industries.

The Harry Brown bottle shop underwent renovations as part of the new venture which includes 300 authentic barrels, antique trucks, exposed brick, and copper displays among other improvements at the site.

The distillery will also be open to the public, offering spirit and cocktail classes. Here, workshop participants can craft their very own 500ml bottle of gin, brewed from a mini traditional Alembic copper still, with over 100 botanicals to choose from, as guided by expert craft smiths.

Directors Rob, Paul & David Comiskey with Master Distiller, Colleen Walters | Photo Credit: Comiskey Group / comiskey.com.au

Comiskey Distillery will also serve as a training centre for the Comiskey Group staff. Director David Comiskey said that the distillery will be a hands-on training venue for the staff working across the group’s portfolio of bars, bringing Comiskey Group’s offering and service to the next level.

“This really is a passion project of ours, something my dad, brother and I have talked about for a long time. Having owned pubs and bottle shops for many years, it feels like a natural progression for us. We’ve been actively working on this project for over a year and are very much looking forward to seeing the concept come to life” says Director Rob Comiskey.

Next year, customers will also be able to order spirits at any of Comiskey Distillery’s locations including Eatons Hill Hotel, Beachmere Hotel, Samford Hotel and Sandstone Point Hotel, as well as bottle shops. Then later, online ordering through their website will also be available.

The spirits will be bottled with a signature label design that celebrates the Comiskey family’s history in construction. So, expect to see each bottle signed by patriarch Paul Comiskey as a stamp of approval on every batch.

Eatons Hill Hotel Developers Planning Massive Strathpine Development

Developers behind the iconic Eatons Hill Hotel have unveiled plans for a new hotel and club with indoor sport and recreation showrooms located opposite Pine Rivers Park in Strathpine.

Read: Eatons Hill Hotel Owners Bringing Massive Festival Venue To Sunshine Coast

Plans indicate that the 3,000-sqm building will be used as a licensed hotel and club whilst a 220-sqm building, which will be a stand-alone development, will be used as a drive-through food outlet.

Photo credit: Moreton Bay Regional Council

There will be two buildings for a showroom, with a total floor area of 8,530 sqm. The buildings will be used mainly for sports and recreation, which will accommodate a range of tenancies such as gyms and fitness studios, dance or martial arts studios, indoor sports courts, activity centres, amusement parlours, and bowling alleys.

Comiskey Group is also seeking to add a 1040 sqm restaurant precinct building that would be home to a variety of food tenancies.

The food and drink outlets, based on planning documents, have been designed to provide sufficient car parking and drive-thru queuing areas to ensure the free flow of vehicle movements through the site is maintained.

Meanwhile, the proposed parking space will have the capacity to house up to 508 cars. Planning reports said “the proposed development has been designed with provision for 508 on-site car parking spaces, which equates to one car parking space per 25 sqm of GFA or use area.”

Public notification

Hotel/club plans |(Photo credit: Moreton Bay Regional Council)

The proposal is currently undergoing public notification. As of writing, the proposal has received a number of submissions from residents, who are mainly concerned about the road impacts it might bring to the area, and the site being a flood-prone area.

One resident said the northern entry and exit ramps onto Gympie road are too small for the size of the car park and vehicles anticipated during peak event times.

“This will cause backups and major disruption to traffic on Gympie road. The development must not impact the traffic along Gympie road,” the submission reads.

To learn more about the plans and submissions, visit Moreton Bay Regional Council’s website, with the reference DA/2022/1050.