The Cape York Peninsula Lodge restaurant and Bamaga Tavern’s front bar re-opened for business in July with COVID-19 restrictions easing.

Bamaga Enterprises Ltd (BEL) has benefited from a $100,000 Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) grant and loan as part of IBA’s COVID Relief Package.

The funding has assisted in covering fixed costs, such as electricity, to enable the re-opening of the Tavern and the restaurant at Cape York Peninsula Lodge, as well as re-engaging some staff previously stood down.

Restaurant reinvigorated

The Lodge’s restaurant now accommodates up to 47 diners across its three spaces for sit-down dining, and 10 outside in a new, relaxed, barstool seating area overlooking the pool and gardens.

Tapas dining has returned to the Lodge and has proved extremely popular in addition to the à la carte menu. Highlights of the new tapas offering include spicy cajun-style squid tentacles topped with avocado and crispy noodles, Jamaican prawn skewers with coconut rice and pineapple salsa, prawn gyoza, and herb-crumbed zucchini and cauliflower.

“We really believe variety is essential,” says Chef Craig Drew. “We wanted to give people a taste of fantastic dishes from around the world and be able to mix and match them whichever way they like. That’s what’s so good about tapas!”

The restaurant offers one seating per night beginning at 6pm. Bookings are encouraged to avoid disappointment. Other special requirements apply in line with COVID-19 regulations.

Bar back in action

After an absence of three months, the Tavern’s front bar area re-opened on 15 July, while the drive-through bottle shop continued operations as normal.

Bamaga Tavern has a COVID Safe Industry Plan in place, which requires that patron numbers cannot exceed 1 per 4 square metres. In accordance with this and security

regulations, Bamaga Tavern will accommodate up to 50 customers at a time indefinitely.

The Bistro area will re-open in September once minor renovations are completed and demand is sufficient.

BEL Chairperson, Robert Poipoi, said, “We would like to thank our staff and community for their patience during this challenging time. We’d also like to thank industry and government bodies such as the IBA for their support.”