A cheeky name, impeccable vintage style and great service - it is well worth putting CaraVan Morrison on your party list.
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Canberra entrepreneurial duo Liam Thompson and Digby Walcott share a love of the outdoors and throwing a great party.
Powered by a passion to bring mobile bar culture to the ACT, they have transformed a tired old caravan into a handsome beverage catering company which brings the party to you.
Helping his mum with her wedding floristry business Liam said he'd seen there was a strong appetite for something more than the lacklustre "Esky and trestle table" make-shift bar at events.
Just five months ago they began building their business idea from scratch, drawing on Liam's hospitality experience as manager of The George Harcourt Inn and Digby's carpentry skills.
"I thought why not go that extra step and provide RSA certified bar staff, cocktail staff and bring a sense of character and quirkiness to an event," Liam said.
"There was this massive gap in the market to lift bar standards at weddings and private functions so people aren't forced to compromise."
The duo, who are lifelong friends and grew up together on the south coast, spent countless hours remodelling a 1976 van they found online to make room for a tap beer system, retro fridge, and coffee maker.
Hanging out the beautiful by-fold serving window, Digby said the bespoke fit out used plenty of salvaged and recycled materials.
"Our bar top was an old wharf and a lot of our window frames are recycled pieces from an old bridge," he said.
Party packages are tailored and can cater to large functions, with the staff also offering tea and coffee service.
Digby said the beauty of the portable business was being able to meet demand whether that interest came from Canberra, the south coast or down in the Snowy Mountains.
"We sort of just wanted to get invited to parties," he joked. "But seriously, the road trip is part of the fun and every time we do a gig it is something different."
Digby said the popularity of mobile and pop-up events was proven, and this new venture would allow Canberrans to think more laterally about their parties and celebrating in the outdoors.
While their first venture has been in operation only a few weeks, wheels are in motion to expand by hitching up a new food truck, Pablo Vanzibar.
"At nearly every event we get asked whether we can supply food catering too," Liam said.
"We still have a lot of work to do establishing this one, but we have a truck ready and waiting and the ideas is to drag the whole set-up to a gig, the truck with the food and the van with the booze."
