Distillery Door Program

The program opened on 27 November 2023 and will close at 5 pm on 30 June 2025, or when funds are fully subscribed (whichever occurs first). Eligible assessments and costs incurred from 1 April 2023 until the closing date can be claimed,

The Hazardous Areas and Dangerous Goods Rebate will assist distillers of alcoholic beverages to invest in equipment and infrastructure to improve safety in distilleries.

A Rebate of up to 70% or 80% of the total eligible expenditure (GST-exclusive) or up to the maximum of $50,000 (GST exclusive), whichever is the lesser amount, is available for equipment and infrastructure that will support improvements to safety in distilleries.

Applicants will be required to make a cash co-contribution of a minimum of 20% or 30% of the total eligible expenditure on infrastructure and equipment on the project.

The co-contribution will be:

• 20% cash if no more than 10,000 litres of alcohol produced in the 2022-23 financial year
• 30% cash if more than 10,000 litres of alcohol produced in the 2022-23 financial year

Co-contributions must be cash. In-kind contributions such as labour are not included. Any additional or ineligible costs associated with the overall project must be met by the applicant.

Additional grant information

• Distillery Support – Safety – Hazardous Areas and Dangerous Goods Rebate guidelines   (PDF - 4.5 MB)
• Distillery Support – Safety – Hazardous Areas and Dangerous Goods Rebate guidelines – accessible  (WORD - 5.8 MB)
• Statutory declaration  (WORD - 42.1 KB)
• Trustee declaration (WORD - 767.2 KB)

Apply now

Start or resume your application

What can the rebate be used for?

This program may provide a rebate up to the value of $50,000 (GST exclusive) of eligible costs associated with one or more of these activities:

• costs associated with having a Hazardous Area Assessment or Dangerous Goods Audit undertaken
• purchase and installation of equipment and infrastructure as recommended in either a hazardous area assessment, dangerous goods audit, OHS Essentials Program relating to hazardous areas and dangerous goods, or assessment by a WorkSafe Victoria dangerous goods inspector undertaken from 1 April 2023 until the closing date
• training specific to the technology for safe operation of equipment recommended (external costs only)

All funded activities must comply with Australian Standards (including installation) where required by regulation. Installations must comply with the manufacturer’s instructions and use licensed tradesmen when required by legislation, council regulation or the manufacturer’s instructions. This is the responsibility of the recipient; the department is not liable in any way in relation to or in connection with the project, other than as expressed in these guidelines.

As this is a rebate program, all costs must be incurred before applying. If you have any concerns about item eligibility, please contact the Distillery Door Program team at distilleryprogram@agriculture.vic.gov.au PRIOR TO making your purchase.

There is no guarantee that any application for a rebate will be supported.

After you apply

You will receive an automated email, stating your application has been received.

Applicants will be advised in writing via email of the outcome of their application within 3 weeks from lodgement, however this may take longer if large volumes of applications are received.

Ineligible activities

• New or replacement stills
• Items not recommended in either a hazardous area assessment, dangerous goods audit, OHS Essentials Program relating to hazardous areas and dangerous goods, or assessment by a Worksafe Victoria dangerous goods inspector
• General items related to brewing, winemaking, distilled spirits and other beverage production that do not relate to hazardous areas and dangerous goods improvements (e.g. valves, tanks, packaging equipment, boilers, chillers and cooling towers, compressors)
• Motorised transport vehicles (eg. forklifts, trucks, utes, etc) or vehicle associated costs
• Routine maintenance costs
• Internal costs, salaries or resources of the Recipient
• Fees associated with permits for planning or annual certification
• Costs associated with applying for government grants and funding programs
• Basic professional services such as ongoing, routine accounting, tax and legal business requirements, licensing, legal/intellectual property costs, financing fees
• Travel costs
• Any administrative fees or surcharges for administering the expenditures listed above; or
• Any other expenditure as determined by the Department that does not meet the Program guidelines or objectives

Required supporting documentation

Copies of:

• your current ATO Manufacturer’s Licence to produce distilled alcoholic beverages
• your current Victorian General or Producer’s Liquor Licence
• one of the following – hazardous area assessment, dangerous goods audit, OHS Essentials Program relating to hazardous areas and dangerous goods, or assessment by a WorkSafe Victoria dangerous goods inspector – undertaken from 1 April 2023 until the closing date
• invoices and receipts for eligible expenditure as recommended in the above assessment - undertaken from 1 April until closing date.

You must also complete a statutory declaration attesting to the total costs.

Legal entity definition

A legal entity is an association, corporation, trustee of a trust, or individual that has legal standing in the eyes of the law.

A legal entity has legal capacity to enter into agreements or contracts, assume obligations, incur and pay debts, sue and be sued in its own right, and to be held responsible for its actions.

Upskilling our distillers has been identified as one of the core focuses of the Distillery Door Program.

Funding of up to $2,000 per distillery is available for Victorian distillers to upskill to improve the knowledge and experience of the people that make this industry work. The training is broad and flexible to meet the differing needs of an industry that has large, medium, small and micro businesses, all of which have their place in a growing industry.

Find out more from the Spirits Victoria Association.