Bamaga Tavern has reopened its bistro with a refreshed interior and menu and a revised name.

The Bistro will again be known as ‘Regina’s Lounge’ in honour of Regina Wasiu, the Tavern’s longest-serving manager.

Thanks to the students at Northern Peninsula Area State College, Regina’s Lounge received a splash of colour. Led by visual arts teacher, Tullia Cilia, the students painted a range of murals in the bistro, including one mural of the original ‘Wet Canteen’.

Other murals feature colourful nods to the NPA region’s history, including a mural of the Bamaga family canoes used historically by Saibai Islanders.

Visual Arts Teacher Tullia Cilia led

the work on the new murals. 

New menu

The refreshed bistro is offering a delicious new menu with pizzas, burgers (including a jackfruit option for vegans) and classic pub fare.

Bamaga Tavern has also introduced Tuesday Night Specials, such as Spanish mackerel fish and chips, or chicken schnitzel with chips and gravy for just $15 (subject to change).

The family friendly bistro is open for lunch and dinner from Tuesday to Saturday outside of the festive period.

Bamaga Tavern Manager, Chris Jackson, said the COVID-19 closure period was an excellent opportunity to complete the refurbishment.

“The entire Tavern was painted during the COVID lockdowns and the bistro floor was also retiled,” Mr Jackson said.

“Regina’s Lounge is more than just a watering hole; the upgraded bistro is the ideal meeting place and social hub for the people of the NPA looking to enjoy a good feed with family and friends or to play a game or two of Keno.”

To book a table, contact Bamaga Tavern on (07) 4069 3256.

BEL’s application to build 15 motel-style accommodation units behind Bamaga Tavern was finally approved in November.

As Trustee of the Deed of Grant in Trust (DOGIT), Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council (NPARC) recognised the benefit of the project.

BEL Chairperson, Robert Poipoi, said the hospitality accommodation market in the NPA was limited to either the high-end Cape York Peninsula Lodge, or low-budget campground, donga-style facilities.

Units similar to those BEL is planning to build.

“The Lodge caters for the government and corporate market visiting the NPA on business, plus the pre-paid tourist coach tour market,” Mr Poipoi said.

“After the trying conditions of 2020 with COVID-19 lockdowns, the pent-up desire for travel has seen our 2021 peak season almost fully booked, with 88 tour groups already secured for next year.”

A two-storey building will house the accommodation rooms, which will offer good-quality, self-contained budget accommodation at an affordable price.

They will be suitable for tourists, visiting contractors and for those attending local sporting and cultural events such as the Ropeyarn Cup and the NPA Show. The units will also cater for visitors during peak periods when Cape York Peninsula Lodge is booked out.

“The new units could encourage visitors to enjoy Bamaga and the region for a longer period. We see this as a vital development to build on local tourism and benefit the wider community,” Mr Poipoi said.

“We’d like to thank the newly-formed Council for dealing with this Development Application in a timely and positive manner, after the previous Council stalled the project.”

Bamaga Enterprises Ltd expects construction on the building to be completed by late June 2021.

The BEL Administration Office has seen many familiar faces recently depart – Donna England, Dee Holmes and Frances Holt – as well as Regis Beauvois.

BEL General Manager, Chris Foord, said he had worked with Donna England for more than 25 years, both at Council and at BEL, and that she was a dedicated staff member with an array of skills. “Her wealth of knowledge will be sorely missed as she leaves the community with husband Anton to seek new opportunities,” Mr Foord said.

Regis Beauvois, Building and Maintenance Manager, leaves after five years to start his own business and develop a recently purchased property.

Paul Wynn

“His trade skills have been invaluable in building, renovating and maintaining BEL properties and he has developed BEL’s Building and Maintenance division from scratch into a viable business.”

Dee Holmes will be taking a well-earned break visiting family down south along with her husband Cam. They will maintain a connection with Bamaga through their security company, which supplies security services to the Tavern together with night patrols.

“The team will be sorely missed and, during their time, these staff members ensured BEL operated in a profitable, commercially viable manner to provide the goods, services and support needed by the community.

We wish them all well in their plans, both personally and professionally,” Mr Foord said.

Paul Wynn will fill Dee’s position of Operations Manager, having previously worked as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), auditor and Operations Manager in Papua New Guinea. Most recently, Paul managed programs for the Canberra Innovation Network.