Breaking bread at bakery site

By Dion Teasdale
MORE than a decade after it was first proposed, construction of the $3 million Beechworth Bakery in Healesville got underway last week.
Bakery mastermind Tom O’Toole, who was inspired to bring his baking empire to Healesville 12 years ago, was on the Maroondah Highway site as heavy earth-moving equipment went into action.
Mr O’Toole, who is renowned for his flamboyant public speaking and no-nonsense approach to business, said he was delighted to see the Healesville branch of the business finally going ahead.
“It is great to come to Healesville and see something happening, to see bulldozers moving about, after all this time,” he said.
“There have been setbacks over the past eight years, but we’ve got all that sorted out and the future looks very bright,” he said.
Mr O’Toole said the Healesville store, the sixth in the bakery franchise, would be the biggest and most expensive bakery project he had been involved with.
“This will be the first time we’ve had to build one of our bakeries from the ground up and it is the biggest financial investment we’ve made,” he said.
Mr O’Toole said when he first inspected Healesville as a possible bakery site 12 years ago, he wasn’t sure if the town was ready, but that he felt the timing was now right.
“We want the Healesville store to be a real icon for our business.
“The Yarra Valley is one of the biggest tourist destinations in Victoria and it makes good business sense to be here.”
Mr O’Toole said that, despite delays over the past eight years, he expected the Healesville community to support the bakery.
“I believe the people of Healesville will embrace us as long as we show we are committed to being here and making a contribution to the place and the people,” he said.
“We’ll be providing local jobs and we’re looking forward to being part of the local tourism association, the town’s chamber of commerce and the local community.”
Bakery site developer, Ian Braham from National Development Solutions, said he was pleased to see the components of the project, which includes the Innocent Bystander winery, coming together. “The bakery and the winery are the bookends to this site and it is great to see both of becoming a reality,” he said.
Mr Braham said the vacant middle section of the site would be landscaped and used as an area for picnics and entertainment until a suitable tenant was found for the construction of the third and final building. He also said he hoped the bakery, which is expected to open for business as early as August, would be linked to Queen’s Park via a footbridge over the Grace Burn.
Shire of Yarra Ranges chief executive officer Rob Hauser said the idea had merit.
“I think the idea is an excellent one and I’ve suggested to the developer that we have some further discussion about how this might come about,” he said.
Mr Hauser said the shire would consider a joint funding venture with the developers but that any investment from the shire would have to be included in future capital works budgets.