A new bar for Nobby Beach

Nobby Beach's latest bar was born from a Facebook discussion between a group of friends. "It was after a really good weekend in Sydney," says one of the owners of The Cambus Wallace, Dave Ferry. "We came home and started complaining to each other on Facebook about how there were no good bars here and we started talking about how we should open our own." A mere eight weeks later, the group of ten friends threw open the doors of The Cambus Wallace, even managing in that short time to have a house beer commissioned and brewed for them by from local master brewer Ross Kenrick, from Bacchus Brewing.

The bar's name comes from a shipwreck; The Cambus Wallace, which foundered off the Gold Coast near Stradbroke Island in 1894, Ferry says. "We were looking for something that had some local history, and as the Cambus Wallace was carrying whisky, and beer as well as explosives, we were really excited when we came across it." Naturally, their drinks list features whisky, although Ferry says there's a strong rum focus too. "We've all known each other forever and when we go out, rum was our drink of choice, so we decided to offer around 20 different rums." Of the 10 friends, Ferry is the only full-timer at the bar and one of the few of the 10 with any hospitality experience. In the kitchen, meanwhile, is chef Jonas Kleistch, producing a drink-friendly bar food menu, including what must surely be the best value charcuterie/cheeseboard in the country ($32 for enough for 6 to share).

The bar opened on Boxing Day and by all reports is being enthusiastically embraced by locals.

The Cambus Wallace Shop 4, 2237 Gold Coast Highway, Nobby Beach 0414 787 011