In a move as soothing as a salt breeze and twice as meaningful, Epochal Hotels has officially taken the reins of the iconic Bermagui Beach Hotel, nestled along New South Wales’ jewel-toned Sapphire Coast. The settlement is due later this month, but the buzz is already rippling through town like a perfect Nor’easter.
Epochal, the group fast becoming the trusted custodian of Australia’s cherished seaside institutions, has added another notch to its weathered yet gleaming belt. The acquisition is more than bricks and mortar—it’s a love letter to Bermagui itself, a town where fishermen greet you with a nod, and where schooners come with sea views, not PowerPoint presentations.
“This isn’t just another property deal,” declared Epochal Hotels CEO Glenn Piper, barely containing his affection for the town. “There’s a magnetic energy in Bermagui – it’s one of those rare places that captures your heart the moment you arrive.”
And he’s not waxing lyrical. Piper, the man behind epochal transformations of the Harbord Hotel in Freshwater and Merewether’s Beach Hotel, is building a legacy that celebrates place over polish, soul over slickness. With Bermagui now in the fold, Epochal is weaving another golden thread through the country’s coastal fabric.
Still Your Local, Only Lovelier
Despite the change of hands, Bermagui locals needn’t fear the whiff of gentrification overpowering the aroma of fish and chips. The plan is simple: honour what works, lightly enhance what doesn’t, and preserve the pub’s soul like a family heirloom.
The waterfront beer garden will see some tender loving expansion (because who doesn’t want more tables with a view of migrating whales?), while the 18 hotel and motel rooms upstairs—dripping with nostalgia and a whiff of sunscreen—will remain intact. This is not reinvention. It’s respectful refinement.
“Every project we take on is a chance to create something meaningful,” Piper added. “We’re growing with purpose. It’s not about scale—it’s about soul.”
A traditionalist’s approach with a progressive polish. Piper’s crew have form in this field, and their method raises a glass to the past while topping it off with something fresh from the tap.
Farewell, Yannis, Enter Epochal
Epochal’s acquisition follows the decision of outgoing owner Yannis Gantner to shift focus toward family and new ventures. Gantner, who spent eight years nurturing the pub into the community haven it is today, handed over the keys with evident pride and a sense of peace of mind.
“It’s been a joy and a privilege,” Gantner said. “I have full confidence that Epochal Hotels will continue the custodianship of this iconic venue.”
His faith is well placed. Piper and his team have earned a reputation for curating rather than colonising, and their respect for legacy is not performative—it’s at the core of their brand ethos.
A Coastline of Culture
With this latest addition, Epochal now boasts a string of coastal gems so picturesque they’d make a travel brochure blush. From Freshwater to Merewether, and now Bermagui, the group’s coastal constellation continues to expand.
Things are positively booming for the boutique group. Later this month, they’ll unveil Bombies—a live music venue perched upstairs at Harbord Hotel, followed by the much-anticipated takeover of The Scarborough Hotel, a seaside icon acquired back in April. The Commodore Hotel at McMahon’s Point is also polishing its boots ahead of a stylish reentry into Sydney’s social scene.
One might say the tides are rising for Epochal—and they’re lifting some pretty fine venues with them.
Selling the Dream, One Seabreeze at a Time
Kate MacDonald of JLL Hotels & Hospitality, who steered the transaction, underscored just how rare and poetic a find this pub was.
“Finding quality assets like this—single-pub towns, beachside, watching whales while noshing on fresh local catch—it’s almost mythical,” said MacDonald. “Yannis and his family created something unique, and it fits Epochal’s brand to a tea.”
Indeed, the pairing is as harmonious as lemon with lager.
By Christine Nguyen
