Meet the General Manager of the Vine Inn Barossa Community Hotel!
Dave arrived at the Vine Inn in July 2022, bringing with him a wealth of management experience in both the hospitality and tourism industry. His passion and vision for our hotel is focused around supporting our community and providing exemplary service in the many offerings of the Vine Inn.
He has graciously agreed to be interrogated for our interest’s sake, so have a read and find out what makes Dave tick!
Where are you from?
Born in Perth, grew up in Tassie, moved to SA aged 10 and been in the Barossa for the past 19 years – very much a South Ozzie/Barossa boy at heart.
What’s the best thing about living in the Barossa?
The food, wine and tourism scene. The people. The fact that, just when you think you’ve discovered all the cool places, you discover another, and then another – The Barossa is a region that really does keep on giving.
What do you get up to when you’re not working?
Heck, depends what mood you catch me in! I have lots of hobbies that I kind of hone in on, then move on, then come back to. I re-build/restore/modify vintage motorcycles – massively therapeutic and satisfying. To be fair though, these bikes are rarely running, so I make sure I have a modern bike in the stable to ensure I have something to ride too – currently that’s a Triumph Street Triple RS. I try and play golf (enough to be better than my son and son-in-law, but not sure how long that will last), I love to run (enough to be faster than my son-in-law), the beach is always a go to, love to drive, church, time with friends and family, family, family! Three kids, one grandson, and a whole lot of joy!
Favourite meal on the menu?
Duck breast! I’ve had the privilege of eating in some incredible restaurants, courtesy of a good friend who shares a passion for food and has the money to support it. The Duck at the Vine Inn is hands down best I’ve had.
What is your vision for the Vine Inn Barossa?
You can call it cliché, cheesy, idealistic…. I’m not phased – my vision is to have a vision that is shared and known by everyone – from our maintenance team to the chair of the board, to the members, those we sponsor, community groups, tourism bodies – I want everyone to know WHY we exist and ensure the ‘WHY’ drives our WHAT and our HOW. Personally I believe our opportunity to differentiate ourselves from the crowd is in the standard of our service we provide. There are plenty of venues with cold beer, good food, nice atmosphere – if the main thing that sets the Vine Inn apart is a standard of service that exceeds expectations, then I think we are fulfilling ‘WHY’, and fulfilling our role as a community hotel. Ultimately we are here to serve the community.
Would you prefer to have an elephant-sized-puppy, or a puppy-sized-elephant?
Puppy-sized-elephant. Like mini M&M’s I think the small version would bring just as much joy as it’s full-sized equivalent!
Top 3 favourite sports:
To watch:
- MotoGP
- F1
- Curling (not really)
To play:
- Running
- Golf
- Curling (not really)
How much coffee in a day is too much coffee?
I’m not sure I understand, what do you mean by ‘too much coffee’? This is not a concept I’m familiar with sorry.
Favourite quote (in this moment):
Can I have two?
Don’t be afraid to start over again. You won’t be starting from scratch, you’ll be starting from experience – Unknown and….
I would rather have questions that can’t be answered than answers that can’t be questioned – Richard Feynman
Favourite Podcast (in this moment):
The Tim Ferris Show
Favourite Band (in this moment):
Radiohead. But it changes frequently
If you see Dave around the Vine Inn make sure to say “hey!” He’s always up for a chat!
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