Catherine McCarthy

Koukla’s
285 Gravelly Beach Rd
Gravelly Beach
Tasmania 7276
AUSTRALIA
Catherine McCarthy established this business March 2004 continuing a tradition of Greek business in the hospitality industry.
Her great grandfather’s family, commencing with Peter Phacheas (Fatseas), arrived in the colony of NSW 1889 and worked at oyster saloons in Sydney until he established his own business in 1894 at Orange. Peter was associated with businesses in Newtown (1897) and Inverell (1899). He returned to Greece 1901 and returned to Australia with his elder brother George Phacheas and was associated with businesses at West Maitland (1902) and assisted George to establish an oyster saloon at nearby Kurri Kurri (1904).
Peter Phacheas in the ensuing years moved on to establishments in Goulburn, Gatton (Qld), and Dubbo.
Catherine’s Papou – Theo Psaros – arrived from Kythera 1912 and worked in the same scene in Sydney, Cessnock, and Queanbeyan. Like many other Greeks of that generation he had a stint on the cane fields of Queensland which enabled him to stake himself in to business at S. Peter & Co Inverell NSW 1919. Theo Psaros together with his brother Peter who arrived at Inverell1922 conducted themselves in a life long partnership at Inverell with the S. Peter & Co, IXL Café (1922) and the Monterey Café (1936) until they retired 1969.
Catherine attended Ryde Catering College (1982) and afterwards worked in a number of catering companies in Sydney until moving to Inverell and establishing Oslo’s on Otho 1993.
Moving to Tasmania in 1996 saw a return to the origin of the tradition with the acquisition of the sea food establishment Gatenby’s at Rosevears.
Koukla’s, situated on the western shores of the Tamar River north of Launceston is a Mediterranean restaurant and coffee shop with an emphasis on traditional Greek fare.
In all, over a century and four generations of Kytherians in the hospitality industry is a significant achievement.