The Dock: more than meets the eye
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If you live around the Inner South or are a keen fan of live sports, you’ve probably been unknowingly supporting a family business for years.
You’d know their signature meals, their friendly service and their reputation as a key supporter of the Canberra sports scene. But did you know that Kingston Foreshore institution The Dock is family owned and operated—and always has been?
Opening in December 2014, The Dock was the brainchild of Collins siblings, Glen and Jane, with brother Patrick coming on board last year.
You’ll still see them running out food and pulling beers behind the bar, as owner operating is what they are most passionate about.
“It is exciting to have a vision and be responsible for every detail from the initial fit out to each and every beer selection, promotion and so on,” says Glen. “It is also important to surround yourself with good people and to learn from your team and from you patrons and continually evolve.”
(L-R) Rena, Jackson, Jane, Glen and Grace.
Working closely with their staff and mum Glenda, who does the books, the Collins family’s vision for The Dock was quietly ambitious.
The Dock’s sporting authenticity has been in no short supply thanks to Ben Alexander and Scott Fardy, who played for both the Brumbies and Wallabies, coming on board as co-owners.
“Scott and Ben have been with us from the start. It has been a great partnership and the combination of our industry experience and their sporting and business backgrounds have shaped The Dock” says Jane
With multiple HD screens creating an immersive experience for sports enthusiasts and extras like a free bus to the Brumbies, The Dock aims to go the extra mile for sports fans.
“It is our job to give people a good time,” says Glen. “Atmosphere is everything and that is what we are always focussed on.”
“We also wanted an authentic sports bar where women would feel welcome, and where you could get food that was a cut above,” adds Jane, who says they wanted to strike the right balance between an accessible atmosphere for locals and a Game Day destination for sports fans.
“We felt there was a gap in the hospitality market for a venue that delivered both sporting and community experiences. And one that catered very much for females.”
For Jane, it was of paramount importance that women felt comfortable in what has been a traditionally male environment. But if the giant portraits of sportswomen Layne Beachley and Caroline Buchanan that dominate the wall next to the bar are anything to go by, the message is loud and clear.
“Ben’s wife, Jen, put us in touch with her uncle, Phil Barnes of Stone Water Studio,” says Jane. “Phil was a finalist for the Archibald Prize in 2008 and 2014, his works are incredible. Phil sadly passed in 2015 [but] The Dock Gallery has rotated his sportsperson portraits since we opened.”
The Dock’s female influence can be felt in the kitchen too. Jane says she immediately hit it off with Head Chef Jodie Johnson who previously owned Red Hill’s iconic OnRed.
Jodie’s fine dining background can be seen in The Dock’s new menu of elevated pub classics, with dishes such as the deceptively simple Tomatoes on Toast with smoked feta, harissa and rocket and Kangaroo with pickled red cabbage, beetroot and smoked mayo.
“Jodie has been such a huge part of the business,” says Jane, who adds that Jodie can often be found experimenting in the kitchen with ways to further finesse the menu, such as hand-smoking and pickling ingredients.
“It does feel like success when the pub is absolutely packed with a World Cup crowd, half are female, all glued to the TV’s and you are delivering restaurant quality meals at an incredible pace.”
To frame this kitchen—and add a splash of welcoming colour to the inside dining area in time for winter—Jane turned to Blue Mountains-based mosaic artist Caitlin Hepworth to create a shimmering seascape around the pass.
Drawing on The Dock’s waterside location, Caitlin’s mosaic was a mammoth undertaking, with somewhere between 90,00 and 100,00 tiles in 100 different colours used in its creation.
Caitlin explains that the mosaic she conceptualised with Jane was aimed at bringing at “softness and richness” to the space.
“One special element was the inclusion of gold smalti in bronze and brass colours which echoes the brass table rims as well as reflects light from the mosaic back into the interior space.”
“The design and ordering materials took about three months and the manufacture of the mosaic took approximately four months with a team of mosaic artists from my school Hughes Studio working together,” says Caitlin. “The installation took six days with a hardworking team.”
It’s been some time in the making, but Jane and her family couldn’t be happier with how the space looks framed by the sunset.
“The wall draws people together, it will be a talking point between customers and staff for years to come,” says Jane.
For co-owner Patrick Collins, it’s all about making sure everyone feels at home at The Dock.
“We will always maintain a grounded ‘pub feel’ so we can have people in business suits sitting next to families and sporting fans. It’s a place where everyone can come and feel like they’re welcome.”
the essentials
What: The Dock
When: Open seven days a week from 11 am until late
Where: 7/81 Giles Street, Kingston
Website: thedockkingston.com.au
Photography: Ashley St George
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