GALLERY: Fisherman’s dream found in Thirroul cafe

The Lawrence Hargrave Drive eatery had been closed for a while when Mr Berg decided to restore it in a way that maintained the character locals and visitors have loved since 1947.

Everyone was happy to see it reopen as Bergies, including Julian Viselli and his Mount Warrigal family when he was named winner of a $15,000 fishing adventure of a lifetime this week.

Mr Berg also runs a portrait and wedding photographic business called Berg Photography and produces a television show called Fishing Addiction on the Lifestyle Channel.

Mr Viselli has been an avid viewer of the show for four years and he, his wife Ines and children Ellena and Alexia were excited when he won.

"I have never won anything this big before. I love fishing. I have done it all my life. But this is something I have always wanted to do and save up for," he said.

Mr Berg is filming the fifth season of Fishing Addiction.

"This will air in December," he said.

"It will be a double episode because the trip we are taking Julian on is to the Coral Sea. It is literally some of the best fishing on the planet. He will also have the opportunity ... to win $10,000 worth of fishing gear. We are going to set a challenge for him and if he can meet that challenge he will win the gear. We fly to Mackay and then we go on a mother ship 500 nautical miles out to sea to Bugatti Reef ... where we will fish each day."

Mr Berg said Bergies was an iconic building that people had been coming to for decades so he wanted to retain its character.

"I guess the difference now is all the fish we sell is only fresh local fish," he said.

"Because we do the fishing show it worked in well to have a bit of a fishing vibe in the cafe. It also works in well with the local environment being like an old fish shed."

Mr Berg said he wanted to run a competition for his show at the cafe as a way of saying thank you to the Wollongong community for its support.

"Bergies helps fund the show," he said.