The Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary is seeking a passionate café operator to run an on-site summer café during peak season.
The Fat Possum Café is located at the entrance to the sanctuary and provides café service to in house guests, day visitors and the general public.
With the peak summer season commencing, the Koala Sanctuary is seeking an experienced and passionate café operator to run an on-site café providing quality, simple café style coffee and food during the facility's busiest trading times.
If the arrangement proves successful, there is an opportunity to extend into a permanent operating agreement.
About the facility
The Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary has a total of 40 accommodation rooms on site along with the Sanctuary Skywalk.
The onsite accommodation attracts a mix of couples, small groups and during the school holiday period, family groups.
The Skywalk attracts a broad range of visitors including international visitors and small group tours.
On-site amenities include toilet facilities, a gift shop and outdoor space with children's games, tables and chairs.
What the Koala Sanctuary are looking for
The sanctuary is inviting proposals from café operators who can:
- Deliver fresh, simple, seasonal food and beverage offerings priced appropriately to cater to day visitor market and in-house guests
- Provide outstanding customer service aligned with the visitor experience.
- Offer a menu that caters to diverse dietary needs (vegetarian, gluten-free, children's options).
- Operate efficiently and professionally, maintaining the highest standards of hygiene and presentation.
- Provide catering options for group bookings.
- Collaborate with our team to align promotions and special offers with events and seasonal campaigns.
- Integrate eco-friendly, sustainable food practice into the business model.
The café
- Modern, new space with high quality fit out including café tables and chairs, stainless steel benches, under bench fridges, Moffatt Turbo Fan Oven, dishwasher, Skipio fridge, Roban Sandwich Press, cake showcase. There are between 20-40 seats internally with u externally along with large areas of picnic / grassed seating space.
- From November to April it is expected that café to be open 7 days with minimum operating hours of 8am to 3pm with options to extend hours to early morning and evenings.
- PSKS will invest in marketing support to build awareness of the café to both in house guests, local residents, guests at nearby accommodation facilities and tour groups.
Proposal requirements
