6 minute read
Pixies at the Billabong
By Emily Friedel
The Billabong is an icon of Eildon’s Main Street. For locals of a certain vintage, the building evokes fond memories of take away after a trip out to the lake or dancing to 80s and 90s hits at a Blue Light Disco. In a strange twist of fate, a music industry figure who worked with some of the bands behind those hits now has his name alongside the Billabong. And instead of fish ‘n’ chips or hamburgers and Blue Light Discos, it’s now a vibrant live music venue, restaurant, and function centre.
Pixie and his partner Janine De Biasi are the proud owners of Pixies at the Billabong. The pair moved to Eildon almost a decade ago and had their eyes on the Billabong for a long time – they could see its potential given the spacious hall at the back.
“We started coming up here, looking around in country areas where we could buy a house, and we wanted to buy [The Billabong]. It was cheap to buy, but it was going to cost 750 grand to get rid of the asbestos, which is painted on the ceiling in the theatre – that’s what they used for soundproofing. We couldn’t afford that,” Janine says.
So they watched as someone else took over their dream business. Janine wasn’t too worried, though. She had a feeling it would all work out in the end.
“Janine would always say to me, ‘it’ll be ours one day, Pixie’. She kept a very positive light on it.”
And she was right. With fate finally smiling on them, Pixie and Janine have been able to combine their talents and knowledge to create something special. Pixie has had a long and esteemed career in music, managing band tours and specialising in audio engineering. He started out in the music scene in the late 70s, climbing the ranks and eventually working with bands like The Divinyls, Texas, The Angels, Richard Clapton, and KC and the Sunshine Band, just to name a few. His early days in the industry got him nicknamed after a mouse from the 1950s cartoon Pixie, Dixie, and Mr Jinks.
“When I started in the scene in ‘76, it was really the very early stages of the Australian music industry and all the road crews had nicknames. I started with a friend of mine, and we started working with other bands. There was a band named Taste, and their road crew was Mac and Meyer. There was another band called Texas, and their road crew was Heckle and Jeckle. And then it was like, ‘You’re Pixie and Dixie’,” Pixie recalls with a chuckle.
For her part, Janine brings a wealth of hospitality experience, making her very comfortable managing the bar and restaurant. She prides their menu on its “good clean food”, much of which is based on Pixie’s Greek Cypriot family recipes. They also serve a parma with a Cypriot twist, made with a traditional tomato sauce and the option of Haloumi cheese instead of Parmesan.
“It’s a real hit. When people taste it, the reaction’s just incredible,” Pixie says.
Of course, a major drawcard for Pixies at the Billabong is the live music. There are regular performances by tribute bands, and Pixie’s experience means the production is top level. There are no compromises when it comes to sound and lighting quality, and audiences are treated to a spectacular night out.
“They walk out of here and go, ‘Oh, my God. It’s such a high bar that you’ve set. This is what we’d expect if we go to a major venue in Melbourne, a theatre or a concert hall,” Pixie says.
“They don’t expect it, they’re blown away,” Janine adds.
Even Janine’s 90-year-old mum is a regular attendee, sitting up the back in front of the mixing desk and getting lost in the nostalgia of familiar tunes.
“Mum throws a tantrum if she can’t come,” Janine says with a laugh. “She loves it. It’s really all ages.”
While live music is a hallmark of Pixie’s, the theatre is a multi-purpose space. It’s even equipped with a movie screen and projector for customers to enjoy sporting events in style. Being licensed for up to 500 people means there is great scope for functions. Christmas parties, awards nights for the local schools, CFA gatherings, and meet-ups for cycling races in the area have all taken place at Pixie’s. The venue also has untapped potential.
“Something we would like is for the schools to do their music classes and their performances here, where they can do it under a full production. That way these kids get an opportunity to work on a real stage with a real sound system, and a real sound-light operator, in an environment that if they do choose to follow that career, that will be the level they run at,” Pixie says.
Pixie and Janine emphasise that they’re flexible and open to working with locals to make Pixies at the Billabong a community hub. Whether that’s accommodating a simple request for a group meal outside of their usual opening hours or providing all the bells and whistles for a music-loving crowd to have the night of their lives.
And for that music-loving crowd, there’s a great line up this August and September, including The Beatles Show, INXSIVE, and Message and the Bottles – The Police, who are performing as part of a Narbeview Wildlife shelter fundraiser. Those who are keen can also book now for their New Year’s Eve show, S.O.S. Abba.
So even though a show at Pixies is produced with a different level of professionalism than the Blue Light Discos before the turn of the century, and the cuisine is a bit more refined than take away fish ‘n’ chips, the Billabong’s essence remains the same. It’s a place for people to enjoy each other’s company, grab a bite to eat, let their hair down on the dance floor, and let the good times flow.
Pixies at the Billabong is located at 19 Main St, Eildon and is open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 3pm until late, and weekends 12pm until late. For more information, including their upcoming live shows, call 0436 969 285, email pixiesatthebillabong@gmail. com or go to their Facebook Page @pixiesatthebillabong.
