Kristy has been involved in the distilling industry for over 20 years, she learnt whisky making from her father, Bill Lark, the Godfather of the Australian distilling industry and the finesse of gin and liqueur production from her mother, Lyn.

In 2016 Kristy the opportunity to open her own distillery, Killara, which is the first Australian distillery to be fully owned and operated by a second generation Australian distiller, and a female!! Located in the heart of the Coal Valley near the historic town of Richmond, Killara offers a paddock to bottle experience for whisky and gin lovers alike.

The passion her father has for the industry definitely rubbed off on Kristy as she is a huge advocate for not only the industry but specifically the women in the industry which is why she started the Australian Women in Distilling Association. AWDA is all about promoting and encouraging women in the distilling industry.

Damian and Madeleine have been involved in the Tasmanian distilling industry since establishing Mackey’s Distillery in 2006. Damian’s childhood was dominated by the family hotel in Latrobe in the State’s North West. He gained a surveying degree and started his professional life as a land surveyor in the early 1990s. In that capacity, he found himself working for Bill and Lyn Lark, just after they had established the first (legal) Tasmanian distillery since the demise of the industry in the 1830s. In 2007, Damian laid down his first whisky cask and since then, distilling has been his mainstay.

In 2015, Mackey’s Distillery merged with Shene Estate to form Shene Distillery, which continues to produce Mackey Whisky today, along with Poltergeist Gin which Damian also created. Damian spent around four years as head distiller at Shene and then worked as Callington Mill’s first head distiller at its prototype distillery.

Damian and Madeleine established New Town Distillery in 2020 and are laying down the first barrels of Tasmanian Pot Still Whisky. Like Mackey Whisky, this is triple distilled, but instead of 100% malt the mash bill also contains unmalted barley and oats.

Damian’s smooth triple distilled whisky and earthy gin have earned international recognition. He derives genuine satisfaction from working in this special Tasmanian industry which is so full of promise and passion, and in the amazing collegiate atmosphere established by the Larks. In becoming a member of the TWSA executive committee, Damian hopes to give something back to the industry that has given him so much.

Andrew works with his wife Dina, at Spirited Beverages Distilling (which also includes Tasmania Tonic Company and Southern Ocean Soda). Andrew is a legal practitioner and experienced non-executive director who enjoyed a career in Sydney, Moscow and Amsterdam before returning to his home state.

Sarah, a seventh-generation Tasmanian, transitioned from a farm upbringing to London’s retail management scene before becoming a ghostwriter and academic thesis editor.

In 2017, her distilling journey began with local and international training. In 2018, she founded Summerleas Distillery Tasmania, focusing on crafting award-winning gin that has consistently garnered domestic and international recognition.

Beyond distilling, Sarah has experience running private companies as a director and has served as President and Secretary of Incorporated Associations. She’s been an active member of the TWSA and Australian Distillers since 2018, and is looking forward to her time on the executive to represent and advance the interests of the community of Tasmanian Distillers and Independent Bottlers.

Mark and Sandra founded Dunalley Bay Distillery in 2020, nestled along the stunning seaside of Dunalley, where they make gin, rum and whisky and offer great food through their seafood restaurant. Mark is a Fellow CPA, Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW, and a member of the AICD. He has held executive positions at Wesfarmers, James Hardie, and Steggles. More recently, he has served in several Non-Executive Director roles and is currently the Deputy Chair of Primesafe. Mark is also proud to be a TWSA committee member, and will passionately support its mission to protect and promote Tasmanian Whisky and its distillers.