A Shed, a Still, and a Very Bad Idea That Worked
In 2018, Dave and Jen had a shearing shed, some spare time, and what their friends diplomatically called "an interesting idea." The shed had been standing since the 1940s. The idea was to put a still in it and start making spirits.
They did. It worked. Eventually.
Barking Owl Distilling Co. is genuinely grain-to-glass — local raw ingredients, copper still, real craft. No flavouring. No shortcuts. The kind of bottle that takes longer to make than it takes you to finish it.
Jen handles the creative side of the property — Woolshed Ceramics operates from the same site, and her work finds its way into the bottles, the branding, and the feel of the place.
The distillery is open on weekends for tastings and tours. Family friendly. Dress code: whatever you wore in the car.
The Things That Matter
Grain to Glass
We start with local raw ingredients — grains, fruit, botanicals sourced from around the region. Nothing artificial. Nothing that'd embarrass us at the farmers market.
The Shed
Everything happens in a 1940s shearing shed in Wooragee. That's not a marketing line — it's the address. Come and see it.
The Name
Barking owls are native to the region and genuinely sound like they're barking. You'll hear one at dusk if you visit. It never gets less weird.
Family Friendly
Always has been. Always will be. Kids are welcome. The paddock is big and the gin is cold.
How We Got Here
The Shed Gets a New Job
The 1940s shearing shed at 149 Reids Way had been standing since before most of us were born. Dave decided it was time it did something other than collect dust and cobwebs. A still went in. The neighbours noticed.
First Pour
The Rye Vodka came first — clean, local grain, nothing added that shouldn't be there. Then the gin experiments started. Many failed. A few became legends.
Finding the Range
Distillers Cut Dry Gin. Tuscan Gin. The Coffee Liqueur that became an obsession. The range started to take shape — each bottle a product of the land around us.
The Shed Opens Its Doors
Tastings. Tours. Family-friendly afternoons with a glass of gin and the kind of quiet that only comes from standing in a paddock. Word spread.
Growing (Carefully)
Still family-run. Still grain-to-glass. Still in the same shed. A few more bottles in the range, a few more stories to tell. The barking owl still calls at dusk.
Get in Touch
We'd love to hear from you
Whether it's a question about our spirits, planning a visit, or a wholesale enquiry — drop us a line and we'll get back to you.
Come and Say G'day
The best way to understand what we do is to come and taste it. Weekends, by appointment Friday.