AV Case Study: Esplanade Hotel Inverloch
A beloved regional pub with a 129-year history upgrades its AV with Electro-Voice and Blaze Audio.
30 June 2025
Text:/ Graeme Hague
You’d be excused for believing that every town in Australia is required to have a hotel called ‘The Esplanade’ – assuming, of course, the town actually does have some form of esplanade which, by the way, is defined as “a long, open, level area, typically beside the sea, along which people may walk for pleasure.” An interesting concept; walking for pleasure. Seems odd when there’s a pub close by. The Esplanade at Inverloch, which is about 140km south-east of Melbourne, ticks all those boxes including being located on the corner of a street named, not surprisingly, ‘The Esplanade’.
So it makes perfect sense for everybody to call the pub “the Espy”.
It’s been around since 1896 and has seen more than a few décor changes in those 129 years. It resulted in the Espy not really having any recognisable character anymore but a kind of mish-mash of past renovations and utilitarian spaces that lacked appeal. Along with bringing back some of the attraction of yesteryear, the latest make-over is also about meeting the modern demands of the 21st century in order to survive a competitive market, which in the world of country hotels means cold beer, good grub, and immediate access to a lot of sports telecasts for the clientele to have a punt. Oh, and chuck in a bit of live music every now and then. In other words, some serious AV improvements.
AESTHETICALLY MINDFUL
On the one hand, the hotel management was keen to completely refurbish the Dining Room and the Sports Bar, and to gut the rooms back to bare bones to do it. There was very little in the structures that was worth keeping. However, the idea had two almost opposite aims in mind. First, to restore the spaces into something that reflected the Espy’s long history – period furniture and fittings (think circa 1940s), and lots of warm timbers, distinctive tiling and natural lighting. An outdoor area also needed its audio upgraded, as did other corners of the venue that weren’t getting a décor refit, and overall improved control would be put in place.
At the same time, the space would need appeal for a younger, hip clientele who’d want thumping, DJ music and more of a nightclub vibe.
Studio Heck is an architectural team that excels in bringing these disparate aesthetics to life, and with painstaking detail when it came to the vintage look. Likewise, Ry Wilton of Wilton AV is no slouch at integrating AV equipment into bespoke venues – it’s his speciality – and he was up for the challenge of designing and installing a system that met the requirements of both providing excellent acoustic coverage while not impacting the historic vibe of the rooms that Studio Heck was creating. Jands offered plenty of advice and further experience through Business Development Manager Ilias Sintrikos.
Ry admits the project needed several rounds of consultation because everyone was excited by the possibilities. “It was very important that speaker choice and placements blended in well. At the same time, they had to be located somewhere functional regardless of the visuals. Often, I’ll opt for a speaker that’s maybe not so discreet however the coverage is extensive and high quality. In other words, you perhaps lose a little in aesthetics in favour of having far less loudspeakers. You don’t have lots of small speakers mounted everywhere in order to keep things low-profile. Less is more.”
The venue also wanted five new screens installed and the answer was to use projectors tucked into ceiling bulkheads and drop-down screens that retracted when not in use, avoiding having blank television monitors spoiling the décor.
BLAZING AHEAD
For the venue audio, a great result was achieved with Electro-Voice EVID-C6.2 ceiling speakers combined with EVID-C10.1 in-ceiling subwoofers throughout all the open seating areas and over several waist-high booths that Studio Heck implemented, and EV EVID-S5.2T surface mount speakers – the white variants – cleverly slipped into a narrow wall space above the bar fascias where they practically disappear against the paint scheme. Outside, EVID-S5.2X (IP65 Rated Outdoor Surface Mount Units) speakers were installed on the walls and along an internal fence line. In all, only four zones were created, and everything could be powered and configured by a single Blaze Audio Powerzone 1004 amplifier.
Ry says, “We installed some touch panel controls and programmed presets to make it very easy for the staff. It’s all very simple and straightforward, while the Electro-Voice speakers make it sound excellent whether it’s low, ambient music for the diners or the punters are getting a bit rowdy in the Sports Bar.”
An interesting point – Ry deliberately left behind a laptop computer networked into the AV system. Generous above and beyond, you might think? “Inverloch is two hours away from Melbourne,” he reminds us. “If we need to add a new preset, or a different configuration for a specific event, invariably I can log in remotely through the laptop and apply a fix within minutes. That’s an investment which is way better than driving two hours each way when it’s needed.”
NEWFOUND ATMOSPHERE
Ilias from Jands is very happy how it all came together. “The Esplanade Hotel Inverloch project was not only rewarding but an absolute pleasure to be part of. The collaboration between everyone including our team at Jands was a perfect example of everyone focused on achieving the best possible outcome. Supported by our trusted brands, we delivered a solution that brings high-quality sound, practical functionality, and a vibrant atmosphere to the venue, just as the client envisioned. A special thanks to our partners at AHA Victoria for the introduction and the opportunity to collaborate with Dylan and the team at The Espy.”
The Esplanade Hotel Inverloch has a newfound atmosphere and identity that’s brought back the warmth and appeal of almost 100 years ago. Hidden among elegance is the latest in AV technology thanks to Ry of Wilton AV and Jands.
Who needs to walk up and down the esplanade when you’ve the Espy for a cold beer, a nice meal and relaxing time?
Esplanade Hotel Inverloch: invyespy.com.au
Jands: jands.com.au
RESPONSES