Geelong’s nightlife is ’bout to get a whole lot more country. Moon Dog, the Melbourne craft brewery behind some of the city’s most theatrical venues, is transforming the former Geelong Hotel on Yarra Street into a two-level Wild West saloon complete with a mechanical bull imported from Texas, live music, line dancing and a menu of pub classics meets Tex-Mex.
The group has signed a long lease on the historic pub at 69 Yarra Street and is targeting an early December opening, just in time for summer.
A Wild West destination for regional Victoria
Moon Dog’s Geelong venture marks its first regional outpost, following five large-scale themed venues across Melbourne including the wildly popular Wild West site in Footscray.
Co-founder Karl van Buuren says the Yarra Street location immediately clicked as the right fit for a second Wild West concept. “Access to a historically significant pub like this in such an amazing location – it’s in such amazing nick and I guess our vision for doing a second Wild West just kind of translated into the layout of the site, and the existing look and feel of it is really natural,” he says.
The Footscray venue—housed in the old Franco Cozzo building—has become an attraction for its desert-style beer garden, retractable roof, saloon bar and, of course, the mechanical bull. Geelong will mirror that energy but with its own layout and local flavour.
Mechanical bull & a honky-tonk upstairs
Downstairs, the team will remove a ground-floor wall to make room for the star attraction, with a mechanical bull currently on its way from Texas. Upstairs, they’ll transform the space into a grungy honky-tonk bar and live music room, with a chicken-wire cage around the stage to complete the rowdy saloon atmosphere.
Moon Dog co-founder Josh Uljans says the team has designed the venue to accommodate around 900 people and operate as a destination in its own right. “What we try and create is destination venues, our offering can stand out enough that it gives people a reason to go to it rather than go to a precinct and hop around,” he says.
Live bands and DJs will soundtrack the venue, with line dancing nights and plenty of space for big celebrations, from birthdays to bucks and hens.
Behind the bar, you’ll find Moon Dog craft beers, Fizzer seltzers, boozy slushies, cocktails, wine, spirits and non-alcoholic options, while the kitchen serves up pub classics and Tex-Mex favourites.
The menu covers guacamole and queso, chilli cheese fries, sticky lamb ribs, Tex-Mex tacos, burgers, loaded hot dogs, chicken parmas and a 250g porterhouse. Finish with churro doughnuts or a warm chocolate brownie.
From Abbotsford backyard brews to a Geelong landmark
Moon Dog started in 2010 when brothers Josh and Jake Uljans and school friend Karl van Buuren brewed beer in a makeshift Abbotsford warehouse using ex-dairy equipment and sold it from the back of a 1997 Volvo station wagon.
More than a decade on, the brand has expanded into a Preston brewery, opened multiple brewpubs and built a reputation for mind-bending craft beers and seltzers. Geelong is the next step in that growth—and the first time the brand has taken over an existing pub over converting a warehouse.
Brook Hornung, Moon Dog’s director of sales and marketing, says the Yarra Street site is already “kind of there, ready to go”. “It’s a lot simpler than taking a building that is a warehouse. The internals are all ready and we’ll be Wild West-ifying it,” Hornung says.
The Geelong Hotel ended trading in May 2025 after a dispute with its landlord over unpaid rent and alleged property damage led to an eviction. Now, the building is set for a new life as one of regional Victoria’s most ambitious hospitality projects, with up to 50 staff expected during peak periods, many hired locally.
While the exact opening date is yet to be locked in, the team is clear on the timeline. “We will be open for summer before summer, so it’s not too far away,” Hornung says.
Venue details:
- What: Moon Dog Wild West Geelong
- Where: 69 Yarra Street, Geelong VIC 3220 (former Geelong Hotel)
- Opening: Targeting early December 2026, before summer
- Capacity: Around 900 people
