Pics from the Past | Chateaubriand restaurant: Shepparton’s 1960s icon

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Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs at Chateaubriand restaurant in Shepparton in 1965. Photo by Marg Geraghty

Chateaubriand restaurant

The Chateaubriand opened in 1962 and was located at 8 Fryers St opposite the west end of the Victoria Hotel.

It was an intimate setting and in 1965 Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs were honoured with a cake just baked for them (see photo).

Chateaubriand restaurant circa 1963. Photo by GSCC

Lost Shepparton Facebook comments:

Pamela Cari

The girls on the car were contestants in the Miss Goulburn Valley Contest, which I’m pretty sure was 1963. Both Beverley Bourke (née Anderson), my sister-in-law, and Lynnette Thompson, a friend at the time, were entrants.

Marc Bondini

How often do you see that? A Simca with two good-looking sheilas on the bonnet?

Jules JR Julia

Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs were still doing gigs at the Civic Centre in Shepparton in ’69-’70. I remember their posters being spread around town. I really wish I’d seen them perform back then, but I had no hope of convincing my parents it would be okay for a 12-year-old to go to the gigs.

Anne Maree Hunt

I was at the Shepp Civic Centre concert they gave on that visit. At 14, I was fortunate to be allowed out.

Darilyn Les Goldsmith

My sister, Sharon Howell, her partner, John Kooyman, and my mother owned that in the late 60s. I worked there in school holidays and when home from Teachers College. I think they went broke. I know I never got paid and mum worked her fingers to the bone.

Rob Trezise

Many a night spent there with a girl drinking hot chocolate and eating a toastie after meeting them at the Civic Centre dance.

Joan Wilson

It was Bill Devon and his wife that were licensees of the Victoria Hotel. My mum worked there. I always thought it was Bill’s brother that ran the restaurant, but not 100 per cent sure.

Yvonne Carlos

The Chateaubriand restaurant was operated by the chef from the Victoria Hotel opposite (I think his name was Bill Devon) who later worked as the executive chef at the Goulburn Valley Hotel. The most popular dish on the menu at the Chateaubriand was a filet mignon of the same name. Amazing tender fillet steak with bacon wrapped around and served on a piece of fried bread. Delicious, but only for special occasions.

Raie Ashforth

I think our first date was there ... loved it, used to go often. When the chef/owner left and went to Wangaratta, we even drove there for dinner!

Suzanne Grinter Vandenbosch

The Chateaubriand was upmarket for Shepparton. We had some lovely times there. Also, Breakfast At Tiffany’s was a hit with the beautiful Audrey Hepburn. Great memories of the ’60s.

Geoff Allemand is an amateur photographer and Lost Shepparton Facebook page admin. Please share your Pics from the Past at pastpics@mmg.com.au