Local Heroes

From their Gippsland farmhouse brewery in Marlo, Gabrielle and Chris Moore create beers that transport drinkers to Victoria's wild east coast with every sip. Sailors Grave has become renowned for expressive, sometimes wild beers channeling the surrounding coastline and community, showcasing foraged and locally farmed ingredients in ways usually associated with fine winemaking.

Their collaborations with Indigenous elder Bruce Pascoe show fearless, respectful curiosity. Together, they've created Dark Emu lager using native grasses, with proceeds supporting local Aboriginal students. This exemplifies their commitment to respectful cultural engagement extending far beyond typical brewery operations.

"Gabrielle and Chris’s unique approach to brewing highlights East Gippsland’s terroir in a way that is usually associated with winemaking. In showcasing foraged and locally farmed ingredients, they share stories of place and support small businesses around them” says food writer and MasterChef Australia judge Sofia Levin. Food writer Richard Cornish adds, "their brews are as much about conversation and connection as flavour, making Sailors Grave one of Australia’s most distinctive and thoughtful breweries". With the opening of Dunetown, their hospitality hub, they've made Marlo a destination, transforming their corner of Gippsland into a stage for culture and story.

Hamed Allahyari's story is one of resilience and generosity. Arriving in Melbourne seeking asylum 13 years ago, he has transformed his story into community connection through SalamaTea and the newer Kababi, two eateries in Sunshine that are hubs for their community. His journey from asylum seeker to local hero demonstrates the power of genuine hospitality to create meaningful change.

At Kababi, Allahyari not only shares flavours of his Iranian heritage but provides training and opportunities for others facing barriers to employment. His approach treats food as more than sustenance, using it to unite communities, cultures and individual stories that might not otherwise connect.

“It takes bravery and a big heart to harness the experience of rejection, channel it into a social enterprise, and provide others with the chance you never got,” says Legends judge Sofia Levin. In creating places where sharing a meal means sharing opportunity, Hamed Allahyari has made hospitality a path to connection, empowerment and belonging.