King Island Distillery Journey - Celebrating 10 years

 Tasmanian Hospitality Association Industry Feature Heidi Weitjens King Island Distillery's Spirited Journey Story by Adam Smith
   Ten years ago, Heidi Weitjens and her King Island Distillery P/L, Tasmania, began distilling her dream anchored in the spirit of her island home. 

Heidi Weitjens, a woman with a vision as clear as her award-winning gin, founded King Island Distillery – Tasmania's tenth, and King Island's first. Join us as we celebrate a decade of handcrafted spirits, resilience, and the remarkable journey of a woman who dared to distill her dreams into reality. Discover the story behind the spirits, the challenges overcome, and the unwavering passion that defines King Island Distillery.

A decade ago, on the windswept shores of King Island, a revolution in the craft spirits world began to stir. Heidi Weitjens, with a vision as clear as the gin she would soon distil, established King Island Distillery - at the time just the 10th distillery in Tasmania and the first on King Island - and a pioneering beacon in Tasmania's flourishing spirits industry was born.
When Heidi Weitjens launched King Island Distillery in October 2014, she was stepping into largely uncharted territory. At the time, it was not just the island's first distillery but also only the tenth in the entire state of Tasmania, signalling a new era for local craft spirits.

Weitjens, a native of the island, was driven by a passion to harness the pure, untainted essence of her home, translating it into spirits that resonated with the character of the place and its people.
Although distilling was a completely new venture for Weitjens, the world of hospitality and starting a small business was not. So where do you turn to find out about the world of craft spirits? None other than the Godfather of Australian whisky - Bill Lark and the Queen of Gin Lyn Lark.
"I spent months creating a recipe to incorporate King Island native ingredients to make it work and all I really wanted to do was make a gin that, if nothing else, I could at least drink it myself," Weitjens says. "Turning on the stills for the first time, they kept distilling King Island Gin until two o'clock in the morning... I was nervous and fluffing around because you're procrastinating with excitement and the new GINventures. Anyway, I pressed the go button, and I just thought well, let's hope this works!
"I sent my first King Island Gin to Bill Lark because I was no expert, and he said, 'you need to put this gin in the Australian Gin awards'. Then when we got a silver I rang Bill, I was all excited, and I'll never forget this, he said, 'you've just got a bloody good gin. There's been many amazing moments, but that was huge."
While the beauty of the King Island background provides the 'Ginspiration' - and helped create Weitjens' motto 'Happy Heidi distilling with love - the remoteness of island life also brings distinct challenges. She can look back at the journey with fondness now, but Weitjens will never forget the feeling of the process of starting up and the distillery

.
"I just love this place. I can't get enough of the fresh air, the freedom, the bare beaches and everything's salt kissed over here, despite that costing me a fortune.I think if I stood still long enough, I'd rust. It's one of those things, the Beauty and the Beast of the island that comes together," she says. "For a small business to survive 10 years, and it hasn't been smooth sailing, not by a long shot, but it's pretty amazing.

"We are amazingly isolated, so that means you have to plan, you have to be prepared and planning ahead is critical. I had to jump through a lot of loopholes because the industry was still quite young, and getting through the red tape, especially at a local level, they had not dealt with anything like this before.
"I had to dot all the l's, cross all the T's, answer all their questions, because they had nothing really to go on before. In many ways it was extra challenging because of the education process that we had to give people.
And being on a shoestring budget, I really had to think outside the square how I could make it work, because the costs of going through all the red tape and setting up and all of that stuff is huge, really huge.
"Freight, I don't know if you know much about freight on King Island, but Bass Strait is some of the dearest ocean to freight across in the world I believe. Bass Strait is rough and it's expensive."
From the outset, Weitjens' approach was grounded in sustainability and a deep respect for local resources.
King Island, with its pristine waters, untainted air, and rich native botanicals, provided the perfect backdrop for the venture and the initial lineup included the small-batch gin and vodka, with each drop capturing the island's unique terroir.

The distillery's processes a testament to the craft. Using raditional methods, the team distil their spirits in a copper still, where the choice of local ingredients, from the island's peat to native botanicals, ensures each bottle of King Island Distillery's spirit is a narrative of its origins. Weitjens' commitment also extends beyond the distillery. The business has become a vital part of the community, offering employment opportunities and fostering a sense of pride in King Island's natural assets. The distillery regularly takes part in local events and supports various community projects, enhancing its role as a central figure in the island's economic and social life.
As Weitjens says, diversification is key.
"You get a lot of grit when you work on an isolated island, and we're lucky to have the opportunity to diversify. Everybody needs a hand on King Island, so l've been a chippy on an abalone boat. I work on a crayfishing boat out at sea. I grew up on a dairy farm. I've run the bakery for four years and restaurant and accommodation for 10 years, and as soon as I got my drivers licence, l used to sell the cheese at the King Island dairy.
"Island life is so different to anywhere else, and you know you have to be part of the community."

After 10 years of production, the quality of Weitjens craft has not gone unnoticed. Over the journey, King Island Distillery has garnered numerous accolades, both for the spirits produced and for the business itself. But a pivotal moment arrived in August when the distillery won the Manufacturer category at the 2024 Australian Women's Small Business Champion Awards
- a recognition not just of the business's success but of Weitjens' role as a trailblazer for women in the hospitality and distilling industries.
"You get a lot of grit when you work on an isolated island, and we're lucky to have the opportunity to diversify."said Heidi Weitjens
"My feet haven't touched the ground really, I'm still really thrilled, really excited and the fact that there were 1000 people just at the presentation gala dinner in Sydney, that alone is just massive. The only female in the industry when I started was Lyn Lark. I mean for Lyn to be a pioneer as a female in Tasmania, starting up the distillery with Bill=, with no investors or anything, I did the same and had to go way outside my comfort zone all the time to conquer the challenges of starting up on a remote island between Tasmania and Victoria.

"Going forward about what the future of this 100% local distillery brings, I know it's going to continue to be positive for King Island, and it will hopefully always be a drawcard to bring more people to the island, or at least support the island in some way, shape or form. It doesn't necessarily have to be just visiting my small business.
"Im a big picture, wider community type person, but for my own business, yeah, l'd like to see it help people have more confidence in what I do, because I still get questioned about it. It's not just asking the question, I'm being questioned. People perhaps don't think or believe or understand that someone like me is capable of what I do.
"My mentors have always said it's the Happy Heidi personality and passion for what I do that's going to lead the way and help others in the industry."
Heidi Weitjens King Island Distillery, Tasmania began as a dream anchored in the spirit of its island home. A decade later, it stands as a testament to the power of passion and persistence— a pioneer not just in craft distilling, but in carving a path for women in the industry. As each bottle leaves the distillery, it carries with it the essence of King Island, the spirit of its people, and the mark of a woman who dared to distil dreams into reality.

Thank you for reading my story ♡ hh♡

-Totally Tasmanian effortless