The Fifth Province is opening another door into its historic home this September, with The Carriage Bar and Beer Garden arriving on 15th September.
Set inside St Kilda’s historic railway station, the new 120-person event space will give the Fitzroy Street pub a dedicated home for celebrations, private gatherings and big sporting occasions.
The station itself dates back to 1857 and is Victoria’s oldest surviving railway station building. Now, Ganley Group has extended The Fifth Province into the heritage site with three distinct spaces, with The Carriage Bar, The Verandah and The Beer Garden.
The project marks the first dedicated event space from Ganley Group, whose portfolio also includes Freddie Wimpoles, Angus & Bon, The Bay Hotel, Windsor Castle Hotel and Carlton Club.
Inside The Carriage Bar
Designed by Melbourne studio Studio Y, the new spaces build onto the building’s railway heritage while still embracing the warmth and familiarity of a traditional Irish pub.
The Carriage Bar is the heart of the new offering, with space for 50 seated guests or up to 120 standing. American oak panelling and brass fixtures give the room a warm, timeless feel, while textured walls created by local artists Scanlan & Makers add another layer of character.
Hand-painted gilded mirrors by Sydney artist Bodie Jarman of El Oso Negro will reflect light across the room, complementing aged timber furniture and the rich tones of the oak.
Irish memorabilia, including vintage Guinness and whiskey pieces, will add to the storytelling, while traditional tessellated tiles connect the indoor space with the outdoor areas.
The design has also been considered for Melbourne’s famously changeable seasons. The space can switch to become a cosy winter retreat before opening onto the old railway station verandah in summer.
A new home for sport in St Kilda
Outside, The Beer Garden brings a livelier extension to the venue. The space will feature a 150-inch screen, creating a new gathering point for live sport and major sporting events. It will seat up to 60 guests, with room for 100 standing.
Alongside it sits The Verandah, a light-filled private terrace with capacity for up to 50 standing guests. Together, the three spaces are designed to move between intimate dining, long summer afternoons and long nights centred around the sporting calendar.
Ganley Group Executive Chef Jeremy Sutphin has reworked The Fifth Province’s pub classics for the new event space, moving from canapés and cocktails to generous sit-down feasts.
Mini beef and Guinness pies lead, while the wider offering brings dishes such as Guinness-braised beef stew, chicken and leek pie, Victorian grass-fed beef sirloin and hot sticky date pudding with honeycomb.
And, naturally, whiskey gets its own moment. The Carriage Bar will offer an Irish whiskey flight featuring Redbreast 12 Year Old, Bushmills 16 Year Old and Green Spot, with bespoke flights available on request.
A new reason to gather at The Fifth Province
For Liam Ganley, Chief Publican and Founder of Ganley Group, the extension represents a particularly personal milestone. “The Fifth Province holds a special place in my heart as the first Ganley Group venue we opened, and I’m so excited for this new chapter,” Ganley says.
“Coming from Ireland, pubs have always acted as the cornerstones of our community, and remain so for communities who move overseas.”
Ganley says he designed the extension with The Fifth Province’s community at its heart, while creating a space for people to come together for all kinds of events. “The extension has been thoughtfully designed to cater for all types of events, providing the perfect setting for those who have made The Fifth their home while living in Australia.”
At The Fifth Province, that spirit has long been central to the pub’s identity. The venue takes its name from the idea of a “fifth province”—an imagined place where people can gather regardless of politics, religion, geography or background.
With its heritage architecture, Irish details, whiskey offering, new beer garden and spaces for everything from sit-down dinners to major sporting occasions, The Carriage Bar carries The Fifth Province’s spirit of bringing people together into a new setting.
The Carriage Bar and Beer Garden opens at The Fifth Province in St Kilda on Tuesday, 15th September, with the venue open Monday to Friday from 12pm until late, and Saturday and Sunday from 12pm until late.
