The rustic cafe that helped put smoked meats and afternoon wine tours on the Canberran map is entering a new era.
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The much loved Poachers Pantry at Murrumbateman has had a bright new makeover and owner Susan Bruce says there are plenty of changes afoot.
"We've been going since 2002 so it was certainly time to refresh and refurb and give it a smart new look," Ms Bruce says.
"We have put in a lot more fresh glass and windows, so it's much lighter, we've got a lovely deck to one side which catches the afternoon sun which in autumn and spring is really needed. So, more outdoor dining. And we've installed a lovely fireplace which is homegrown, it's made out of a stone that's from the property, so it looks stunning."
On the weekend, carloads of Canberrans make the 30-minute drive to Murrumbateman for brunch in the countryside, tasting wines from the Wily Trout vineyard and picking up smoked meats and charcuterie from the adjoining Poachers Pantry smokehouse.
Ms Bruce and her family started up the cafe 14 years ago, growing it into a dining destination in its own right and helping boost visitor numbers in the Murrumbateman area. She then partnered with other businesses to create the Poacher's Way, a local tourism trail offering food, wine and activities. The cafe has also become a popular wedding venue.
Ms Bruce says there will be a new bar and cellar door area for tastings of the Poachers Pantry smoked meats and glasses of Wily Trout wine.
And older diners will welcome one of the new additions to the cafe. "The big bonus too is we have re-roofed it so that there's a lovely acoustic ceiling so for those people who found it a little bit noisy, it's certainly a lot more under control," she says.
But there's one thing that will remain the same - the smokehouse. There will still be huge shared lunch platters of charcuterie on the menu, and visitors can still walk in to the cool room filled with smoked treats and stock up.
"We're still smoking away out the back, we've got the same cool room area, so it's got a lot more glass, and it's a lot more visible. So when you come in there is absolutely no doubt that it is the new Poachers," she says.
