The heritage-listed Joe’s Waterhole, in Eumundi, was bought out in 2021 by Perth-based Good Drinks, which also owns the popular Matso’s alcoholic drinks brand in the WA town of Broome.

Joe’s shares the main street of the small town near Noosa with the Imperial Hotel, which also brews its own beers. The town itself is known more for its popular markets.

The gaming licences were part of the $5.3 million acquisition of Joe’s and the funds would be used to help renovate the pub that would include a facelift and a fully functioning brewery.

The traditional front bar will be retained.

It has previously predicted that the Joe’s acquisition would add 2 million litres of the Matso’s brand consumption into the broader Queensland market.

Good Drinks also owns the Atomic Beer Project in Sydney’s Redfern.

The sale follows the decision by the new owners of the 114-year-old Mapleton Public House, also on the Sunshine Coast, to sell its poker machine licences earlier this year to turn the premises into a more family and dining-friendly experience.

Good Drinks said the project to transform Joe’s into Matso’s was progressing well with the development approved and constructed started.

“Matso’s Sunshine Coast will provide a home and an authentic experience for the Matso’s brand in Queensland,” the company said.

The construction costs were expected to be about $5.5 million and an opening was scheduled for October this year.

Good Drinks is moving away from craft beers into “lifestyle brands”