Mates in river adventure to launch new cane spirit

Five mates. One river. Zero regrets.

In a uniquely Sunshine Coast-style celebration, a group of adventurous locals paddled the entire length of the Maroochy River on Saturday (April 26) to launch Adventure Spirit — a brand-new spiced sugarcane spirit from Canefields Distillery.

The 35-kilometre kayak journey began at ankle-deep Brown’s Creek in North Arm and ended at the riverside doorstep of the Sneaky Baron in Maroochydore, where the crew delivered a barrel of the spirit direct from the water. It was an unconventional launch for a distinctly local product.

“We tried this trip once before and after about nine hours on the water it turned into a survival mission,” said Luke Farrelly, Sunshine Coast local and Canefields co-founder. “I don’t know why we did it again. I think we were drinking rum when we said we would give it another crack.”

This time, the crew made it to their destination, delivering the first-ever barrel of Adventure Spirit as the sun dipped behind the coast. The small-batch, pre-release spirit is crafted entirely on-site from sugarcane grown at Canefields’ Bli Bli property. The brand is Queensland’s first single-estate paddock-to-glass distillery.

“Adventure Spirit is something you take with you — warm, wild, and full of character,” Mr Farrelly said. 

“We tried this trip once before and after about nine hours on the water it turned into a survival mission,” said Luke Farrelly.