Fun Stuff

It takes a village to bring Eagle Bay Brewing Co. to life, and with every village, its people are its backbone. As part of our It Takes A Village journal, we catch up with some of the humans who keep our little corner of Eagle Bay humming.

Meet Caitlin – our Functions Manager, lifelong hospo gal, wedding-day wrangler and proud beachside crocheter.

If you’ve attended a wedding or function at Eagle Bay in the past couple of years, chances are Caitlin has been behind the scenes (and often front and centre), calmly steering the chaos and making magic happen.

Ask her what she loves most about her job?

“Just getting to work with an epic team and getting to drink great beer every day, basically.”

Hospitality has always been part of Caitlin’s story. She started working in hospo at 14, beginning as a dishy, moving through fish and chip shop, burger joints and management roles, and picking up snow seasons and travel adventures along the way.

“I’m a hospo gal. I’ve always worked hospo,” she says. “I’ve done a few snow seasons, worked overseas, travelled heaps, and then made the move down south and I’ve been here ever since.”

Born in Scotland and living there until she was 10, Caitlin’s family made the big move to Australia in search of a better lifestyle.

“There is just more opportunity and it’s a better life.”

After growing up around Perth and spending time at uni (twice – primary teaching and criminology, neither of which stuck), Caitlin realised the traditional path wasn’t for her.

“I just don’t thrive in that structure,” she says. “I quit everything, flipped my life upside down, moved overseas and did snow seasons. That kind of brought back my love for hospitality.”

Eventually, the pull of the South West proved too strong to ignore.

“I always loved coming down here camping, the slower pace, the lifestyle. There’s still enough going on, but everything I need in life is here. And I hate the city.”

Caitlin joined Eagle Bay Brewing Co. two and a half years ago, starting casually on the floor before stepping into a supervisor role almost immediately. From there, it was a natural progression into functions and events, working closely with the team and gradually taking on more responsibility.

“I’d always been interested in events,” she says. “I’d helped run work functions, snow events, things like that, but weddings were a whole new level.”

Now, as Functions Manager, Caitlin gets to build one-on-one relationships with couples from the very first site visit through to the biggest day of their lives.

“It’s pretty crazy, actually. You’re part of someone’s story for so long, and then you see everything come together.”

What does she love most about a wedding day?

“The chaos,” she grins. “You have to be a little bit crazy to work in hospitality, especially weddings. Going from a normal day to a full venue reset in an hour, seeing the transformation, that’s my favourite part.”

There’s also a moment, just after the ceremony, when the sun starts to dip and guests arrive for drinks.

“You look out and think, ‘Whoa. How did this place go from everyday brewery to one of the most stunning wedding venues?’ That never gets old.”

So why Eagle Bay?

“For me, it’s the family feeling,” Caitlin says. “Everyone works together, everyone supports each other. It really does feel like one big team.”

Outside of work, Caitlin describes herself as having “a bit of a grandma vibe”.

“I crochet, read my book at the beach, go for walks, hang out in nature,” she says. “That’s my happy place.”

She’s also about to start a florist course, inspired by the incredible florals she’s seen while working weddings.

“I don’t know where it’ll lead – hobby, career addition, something else – but I’m excited to see where it takes me.”

A few quick-fire favourites

Favourite Eagle Bay beer?
The Winter Blaze Red IPA last year was a favourite (especially because the staff helped brew it), but now it’s Pale Ale or APA on tap.

Favourite dish on the menu?
Pumpkin salad with tofu. “It’s just nice and tasty.”

Go-to locals?
Grass Tree in Cowaramup for tapas and cocktails. Spicy margarita, always.

What are you drinking right now?
Spicy Tommy’s Margarita, extra salty rim.

Coffee or tea? Coffee
Sunrise or sunset? Sunset
Beach swim or surf? Beach swim
Beer on tap or in a can? Tap
Summer or winter? Summer

And finally, anything else we should know?

She can do the splits, loves karaoke, can bust out an Irish jig (despite not being Irish), and thrives in controlled chaos.

Sounds like a perfect fit.