Introduction
Barking Owl Distilling Co. (ABN 11 617 085 382, "we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles. This policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect your personal information when you interact with our website at barkingowl.com.au or purchase our products.
1. Information We Collect
Order information: Your name, email address, delivery address, and phone number when you place an order through our online shop.
Payment information: Payment transactions are processed by Stripe, Inc. We receive only order confirmation and amount. We do not store your card number, CVV, or full payment details.
Account information: Email address and name if you create a Nook membership account.
Email marketing: Your email address if you subscribe to our newsletter or join The Nook. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any email.
Contact enquiries: Name, email, and message content when you contact us via our website.
Usage data: IP address, browser type, pages visited, and referral source. Used via Google Analytics to improve our website. This data is anonymised and aggregated.
Cellar door / event bookings: Name, contact details, and dietary requirements when you book a distillery tour or event.
2. How We Use Your Information
- To fulfil and deliver your orders
- To send order confirmations, shipping updates, and receipts
- To process returns and customer service requests
- To send our newsletter and product updates (with your consent)
- To manage Nook membership benefits, discounts, and gift cards
- To send event and booking confirmations
- To improve our website and understand how visitors use it
- To comply with legal obligations including excise and tax requirements
- To detect and prevent fraud
3. Data Sharing
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We share data only with the following trusted service providers, who process it solely on our behalf:
- Stripe, Inc. — Payment processing (PCI-DSS Level 1 compliant)
- Australia Post / carrier services — Delivery of your orders
- Resend / email infrastructure — Transactional and marketing email delivery
- Supabase — Database and file storage, hosted in AWS Sydney (Australia)
- Vercel — Website hosting infrastructure
- Google Analytics — Anonymised website analytics
We may also disclose information where required by law, regulation, or court order.
4. Data Storage & Security
Your personal data is stored securely on Australian-based infrastructure (AWS Sydney region). We implement the following measures:
- All data in transit is encrypted using TLS 1.2+
- All data at rest is encrypted using AES-256
- Access to customer data is restricted to authorised personnel only
- Passwords are stored as secure hashes — never in plain text
- Regular security reviews and software updates
If you believe your data may have been compromised, contact us at hello@barkingowl.com.au immediately.
5. Data Retention & Deletion
Order records: Retained for 7 years to comply with Australian tax and financial record-keeping obligations.
Email marketing subscriptions: Retained until you unsubscribe. You can unsubscribe at any time via the link in any email, or by emailing us.
Nook membership: Account data retained while your membership is active. If you cancel, your data is deleted within 30 days unless retention is required by law.
Booking data: Retained for 12 months after the event date.
Right to deletion: You may request deletion of your personal information by emailing hello@barkingowl.com.au with "Delete my data" in the subject line. We will action your request within 30 days and confirm by email, subject to retention requirements above.
6. Cookies
Essential cookies: Required for checkout, cart, and session management. The website cannot function properly without these.
Analytics cookies: We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our website. This data is aggregated and anonymised. You can opt out at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling essential cookies may prevent checkout from working correctly.
7. Your Rights
Under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and Australian Privacy Principles, you have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you
- Request correction of inaccurate information
- Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal requirements)
- Complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) if you believe we have not handled your information appropriately
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at hello@barkingowl.com.au.
8. Children's Privacy
We sell alcohol and our website is intended for adults aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. In accordance with Australian Responsible Service of Alcohol requirements, we confirm age at checkout.
9. Third-Party Links
Our website may link to external sites (e.g. stockists, tourism partners). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies.
10. Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The "Effective date" on this page indicates when the policy was last revised. Material changes will be notified by email to subscribers.
11. Contact Us
For privacy queries, data requests, or complaints:
Email: hello@barkingowl.com.au
Address: Barking Owl Distilling Co., 149 Reids Way, Wooragee VIC 3747
ABN: 11 617 085 382