Two music venues get new owners

Darwin’s Monsoons has undergone an ownership change. It has been bought by Melbourne-based Australian Venue Co.

In September the company acquired the city’s Shenannigans and is heavily rumoured to be eying The Old Vic as a third Darwin buy.

Monsoon’s owner David Williams said: “We have owned Monsoons since 2002 and it has been a fantastic venue for Darwin residents and visitors alike.

“We would only sell with our management team in place and to such a professional hospitality group as Australian Venue Co.”

Australian Venue Co. changed its name from Dixon Hospitality last month, and bought Friday’s Riverside in Brisbane as the first move under the rebrand.

It has over 40 venues in Victoria, NSW Queensland, WA and Northern Territory.

In the meantime, Forty Five 51 Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast lives on after it closed abruptly on December 8 ”due to urgent family concerns.”

Local couple Andrew and Rhonda Satterthwaite who always wanted to get into the hospitality business, stepped in, recalled the old staff, and hired some new ones.

They relaunched the venue (which is also a restaurant by day) to a packed house last Friday.