Hemingway's Brewery has four locations. Port Douglas, Cairns Wharf, Trinity Beach (Brewpub/Tap Houses) and Sails Bar & Restaurant on the Cairns Esplanade. If the job(s) listed below are not in your field of experience but you feel you have some valuable skills to offer please send your resume and a cover letter here

29/09/26 - HEAD BREWER

02/10/26 - CASUAL RESTAURANT TEAM LEADER

Own the brew deck. Keep 1,400 seats pouring. The winterless north.

Most Head Brewer ads ask you to babysit someone else’s flagship range in a warehouse on the urban fringe. This is not that job.

Hemingway’s is an independent, locally owned craft brewery and hospitality group in Far North Queensland. We brew award-winning beer on the Cairns waterfront and pour it through four of our own venues: Port Douglas marina, Cairns Wharf, Trinity Beach Tap House and Sails on the Esplanade, more than 1,400 seats and growing. We also keg and pack for regional wholesale. The beers that built this brand have taken gold at the Australian International Beer Awards, and The Prospector has twice taken the Best Pilsner trophy.

We need a Head Brewer who wants the whole thing: the science, the grit, the recipes, the team, and the supply line that gets beer, wine and spirits from our cellar to every tap and every account that depends on us.

If you are tired of Melbourne drizzle and Sydney rent but love brewing great quality beer, then this is the role for you.

You will take complete ownership of brewing operations at our Cairns Wharf production brewery. That means the core range that keeps our venues honest: 7th Heaven, Pitchfork Betty’s, Tunnel 10, The Prospector, Wharf St, Mr Wong, Canecutter and the Inner Sanctum program where nano-batches and limited releases actually get to push the glass.

You will also own the piece most Head Brewers never get near, that is the logistics and distribution function that moves our beer, and the group’s centralised wine and spirit purchases, into our four venues and out to other accounts across the region. This is not a desk job bolted onto a brew deck. It is a production leader who understands that empty taps at a 600-seat waterfront brewpub is a quality failure as much as an operations failure.

You will lead a small, capable brewing team. You will be on the tools. You will also be the person who sets the standard yeast health, water chemistry, documentation, CIP discipline, and packaging integrity so the beer that leaves Shed 2 tastes like the beer that won the medals.

• Plan and execute production from grain to glass on a 35 HL four-vessel brewhouse into 70 HL fermenters plus keg and pack.
• Protect and tighten the core range so every pour in Port Douglas, Cairns, Trinity Beach and Sails is consistent, fresh and commercially tight.
• Build and run an Inner Sanctum seasonal and limited program that gives the brew team a reason to stay curious and gives our venues something to talk about.
• Lead raw material selection and supplier relationships.
• Run QA/QC like it matters, because it does. Sensory, fermentation tracking, packaging specs, traceability.
• Mentor the brewing team. Small crew, high output with safety and cleanliness a priority.
• Own inventory, production planning and the logistics/distribution workflow that keeps beer and the group liquor program moving to venues and regional accounts.
• Work with venue and events teams on Brand Your Own Beer, collaborations and the occasional VIP brewery tour, our guests can see the tanks from the bar. 

• System: 35 HL four-vessel DME brewhouse
• Cellar: 70 HL FVs
• Packaging: Keg and pack
• Site: Heritage-listed Shed 2, Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal, brewing in view of Trinity Inlet
• Output: Production brewery supplying four group venues (1,400+ seats and expanding) plus regional wholesale
• Range: Award-winning core + Inner Sanctum limited + Brand Your Own
• Model: Independent, FNQ-owned. 

If you have been running a 10 HL brewpub and want a bigger deck without disappearing into a 100,000 HL factory, this is the scale that still lets you taste every tank.

• Proven time as Head Brewer or Senior/Lead Brewer in a commercial facility. You have run a brew deck, not just worked on one.
• IBD qualifications: minimum General Certificate in Brewing (GCB). Diploma or higher is a genuine advantage.
• Deep, practical command of yeast health, water chemistry, fermentation control and sensory analysis. You can explain a fault and fix it.
• Experience across brewing, cellaring and packaging keg and pack. You know what happens after the FV.
• The operational head for inventory, planning and a logistics/distribution function. Comfortable owning the path from cellar to venue.
• Leadership that holds a small team to a high standard without killing the culture. Safety, documentation and a clean cellar are non-negotiable.
• The grit. Grain bags, hot CIP, tropical humidity, early starts. 
• A palate and a point of view. We want your recipes in the Inner Sanctum. We also need you to protect the beers we have already.
• Australian working rights are required.

This is the part most southern brewers skip and the part that changes the life attached to the work.

You will brew on the waterfront in a heritage shed overlooking Trinity Inlet. After shift you can be in the water, on the reef, or up the range toward Kuranda. The Wet is a season, not a personality. Winter in Cairns lasts for a couple of days.

The cost of living in regional Queensland is not a slogan. Housing, in particular, leaves more of a Head Brewer’s package on the table than Sydney or Melbourne ever will. You can actually live near the job.

You will not be a cog in a collapsing craft scene. The national market has tightened, and a lot of breweries have closed. We are still here because we are not only a brewery, we are a hospitality group that drinks its own beer at volume, in rooms we own, in a region that still wants a local pint that tastes like the place.

What we offer:

• A competitive package for the right experience and IBD standing
• Relocation assistance for the candidate who is ready to make the move north
• Genuine ownership of production, quality, recipe direction and the distribution function
• A small team, a serious kit, and venues that put your beer in front of locals and visitors every day
• Staff beer, industry representation, and a working environment that is expected to be clean, safe and organised
• The chance to put FNQ beer on a bigger stage without leaving the tropics to do it

Send your CV and a short note covering two things:

1. The beer you are most proud of having brewed, and why.
2. Why the move to Cairns makes sense for you now.

Email: info@hemingwaysbrewery.com

Subject: Head Brewer – [Your Name]

Applications will be reviewed as they land. If you have the tickets, the scars and the palate, we want to hear from you.

Hemingway’s Brewery is an independent, locally owned craft brewery and hospitality group. We brew in Cairns. We pour across Far North Queensland. We dare to be different, and we need a Head Brewer who does too.

$36.81/hr casual base rate + applicable penalty rates

Great with people? Strong on the floor? Ready to take the next step into leadership?

Hemingway’s Brewery Port Douglas is looking for an experienced hospitality professional to join our FOH team as a Casual Restaurant Team Leader.

You might already be a Team Leader or Shift Leader. Or you might be an experienced bartender, waiter or F&B attendant who has become one of the people others naturally rely on during a busy service — and you’re ready for more responsibility.

Either way, we’re not expecting you to walk through the door on Day One and immediately run the venue.

We’ll teach you our operation, systems and standards. As you build confidence and earn trust, we’ll give you more responsibility — including leading routine services and, once fully trained and signed off, opening or closing the venue independently.

For the right person, this role also offers a genuine pathway towards becoming a Restaurant Supervisor.

First learn the operation. Then earn the autonomy.

A LITTLE ABOUT US

Hemingway’s Brewery is a locally owned, independent FNQ craft brewery operating waterfront hospitality venues across Far North Queensland.

Our Port Douglas brewpub sits directly on Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina, serving Hemingway’s beers, quality pub food and plenty of locals and visitors in one of the best hospitality locations in FNQ.

We take hospitality seriously, but we don’t want our venues to feel overly corporate.

We believe in good people, strong teams, quality products, genuine service and giving capable people the trust and responsibility to do their jobs well.

And outside work? You’re in Port Douglas — beach, marina, rainforest and Great Barrier Reef territory. It’s not a bad place to finish a shift.

WHAT THE ROLE LOOKS LIKE

You’ll work closely with our Venue Manager and Restaurant Managers in a hands-on FOH leadership role.

Initially, your focus will be learning the venue, our team, our systems and how we operate.

As you become confident in the role, you’ll take on more responsibility for coordinating routine services, supporting the team and making sure the restaurant and bar operate smoothly.

Once fully trained and signed off, you’ll also be trusted to complete routine opening and/or closing shifts and lead the service without needing a senior manager standing beside you.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading by example on the floor and behind the bar
• Helping organise the FOH team and allocate day-to-day service tasks
• Keeping the restaurant and bar running smoothly during service
• Providing friendly, efficient and professional guest service
• Supporting and giving direction to team members when required
• Handling routine guest enquiries, feedback and service issues
• Completing opening and closing procedures and checklists
• Cash handling, till reconciliation and POS procedures
• Maintaining RSA, food safety, WHS and general venue standards
• Monitoring cleanliness, presentation and readiness for service
• Communicating closely with the kitchen and FOH team
• Recognising when an issue needs to be escalated to management
• Getting involved wherever the team needs you during a busy service
• Once trained and signed off, independently opening and/or closing the venue when rostered to do so

This is primarily an on-the-floor hospitality leadership role.

It is not heavily focused on administration, rostering, recruitment, formal performance management or major stock-control responsibilities.

Your job is to help the team deliver a great service and make sure the venue opens, trades and closes properly.

WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR

We’re looking for someone with strong hospitality fundamentals who is either already leading shifts or is ready to take that next step.

You might currently be working as a:

Senior F&B Attendant | Bartender | Waiter | Team Leader | Shift Leader | Junior Supervisor | Duty Manager

Job titles matter less to us than your experience, attitude and ability.

You’ll need:

• Strong previous food and beverage experience
• Confidence working in a busy hospitality environment
• The ability — or clear potential — to lead a small team during service
• Good judgement and the maturity to take responsibility
• The confidence to make routine decisions and know when something needs escalating
• A current Queensland RSA
• Confidence handling cash and POS systems
• Good communication and organisational skills
• Availability across a hospitality roster including evenings, weekends and public holidays
• Australian working rights
• Reliability, particularly as you progress into opening and closing responsibilities

Experience with Square POS, First Aid or relevant hospitality qualifications is advantageous but not essential.

Previous formal supervisory experience is also an advantage, but we’re equally interested in strong hospitality people who are ready to grow into leadership.

THE PERSON WE WANT

Experience matters. So does the kind of person you are when the venue gets busy.

We’re looking for someone who is:

Reliable

If you’re rostered to open the venue, lead a shift or support the team, people need to know they can rely on you.

Calm under pressure

Busy services happen. We want someone who communicates, prioritises and finds solutions rather than adding to the chaos.

Confident without ego

Leadership doesn’t mean standing back and giving orders. You should be comfortable giving direction when needed while still being part of the team.

Hands-on

If the bar is busy, pour beers. If food needs running, run it. If a table needs clearing, help clear it.

Professional without being stiff

We want personality. We also expect you to communicate professionally with guests, colleagues and management.

Fair and respectful

Good leadership isn't shouting instructions. It's setting the standard, communicating clearly and helping the team deliver it.

Accountable

Mistakes happen. Own them, fix them where possible and learn from them.

Ready to grow

You don’t need to know everything on Day One. You do need to want to learn, accept feedback and become someone the team and management can trust with greater responsibility.

PAY & CONDITIONS

This is a casual position paid under the Restaurant Industry Award 2020.

Level 4 – $36.81 per hour casual base rate

Applicable late-night, Saturday, Sunday, public holiday and overtime rates are paid in accordance with the Award.

Final classification will be confirmed based on the successful candidate’s qualifications, experience and actual duties performed.

WHEN DO WE NEED YOU?

Ideally: Mid-November 2026
Latest commencement: Early December 2026

We’d ideally like the successful candidate on board by mid-November.

That gives us time to provide a proper induction, work alongside you, teach you our systems and procedures and make sure both you and we are comfortable before you take on independent opening or closing responsibilities.

We’re interested in building capability, not throwing someone in the deep end.

WHERE CAN IT GO?

This is where the opportunity gets interesting.

We’re recruiting at Team Leader level because we want someone to learn our operation and demonstrate what they can do before stepping into a more senior position.

For the right candidate, strong performance over the first 3–6 months could lead to progression into a Restaurant Supervisor position, with increased responsibility and a corresponding review of classification and pay.

We’ll be looking for someone who consistently demonstrates they can:

• Lead successful shifts
• Support and develop the people around them
• Take ownership and responsibility
• Make sound operational decisions
• Build trust with the team and management
• Handle increasing levels of responsibility
• Maintain Hemingway’s service and operating standards
• Stay calm and make good decisions when things don’t go perfectly

There may also be further management opportunities for someone who continues to perform and wants to build a career with Hemingway’s.

We won’t promise promotion simply for being here for a certain amount of time.

But if you’ve got the ability, attitude and drive, we want to give you somewhere to go.

SOUND LIKE YOU?

Send your CV and a short introduction directly to our Port Douglas Venue Manager, Heloise:

manager_fnq@hemingwaysbrewery.com

Or, if you’re already in Port Douglas, come into the venue and introduce yourself.

Tell us a little about where you’ve worked, the responsibilities you’ve held and why you’re ready for the next step.

Hemingway’s Brewery Port Douglas
Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina
44 Wharf Street, Port Douglas QLD

Good people. Great beer. Serious hospitality. Pretty hard location to beat.