The team from the Healesville Hotel would like to introduce our new Sanctuary Harvest cafe and Brolga Room for function and events at the Healesville Sanctuary. We are at the heart of this fantastic region producing sensational wines and high quality produce - from local farms, orchards and artisan producers.

Our unique partnership with the Healesville Sanctuary shows a new way to look at the visitor experience, one that embraces our local region. Sanctuary Harvest cafe is a great new space, nestled amongst the native gardens overlooking a soon to be occupied koala enclosure.

We are excited to introduce our new head chef Greg Hampton. Greg is bringing an Australian, indigenous inspired menu, combined with our emphasis on seasonal and local produce to the cafe. Greg has worked extensively with endemic food experts and has most recently been head chef at Tjanabi at Federation Square.

"We were looking for a direction that made sense for Sanctuary Harvest and for function and events" said Michael Kennedy, owner of Healesville Hotel. "Combining Greg‟s passion for Australian bush foods with a contemporary food approach gives us a dynamic edge at the Sanctuary. Greg is working with our hotel chefs, the K & B Butchers and our gardener at Harvest Farm to create menus that reflect our region and offer people the opportunity to try the incredible flavours of local bush foods as well as some from further afield".

Sanctuary Harvest cafe offers a display of ready to go foods, seasonal salads & fresh sandwiches, local pies, Greg‟s fabulous nepalese curry with yarra mint or his handmade bread scrolls loaded with harvest farm herbs.... but the best option is to take a little more time and order from our menu. Our butcher has made Greg pork sausages flavoured with aniseed & myrtle, the beef burger comes with bunya nut hommus, the minute steak is flavoured with mountain pepper and the fish and chips are barramundi with finger lime aioli and finished with crispy fried „old man salt bush‟.

"Healesville Sanctuary is a pretty amazing environment to work in and you can‟t help but be inspired" Greg said. "As well as plantings at Harvest Farm I have my own little patch of garden at the backdoor of the cafe and I aim to have all my favourites growing there for customers to be able to experience". Greg‟s native influences will be reflected in our function menus to give the client a uniquely Australian experience.

The Brolga Room at Healesville Sanctuary is fantastic, featuring the beautiful stonewall and sixties features that look out over a private native garden. There are great new menus offering casual lunches through to sit down dinners, with a definite Yarra valley focus and full access to our amazing hotel wine list. The Brolga Room is available for conferences, morning teas, product launches, garden parties and weddings. For more information please call 5957 2813 or email sales@healesvillehotel.com.au