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The Exchange Hotel Pinjarra was a joint winner of the 2024 Western Australian Heritage Awards’ Conservation or Adaptive Reuse of a Local Heritage Place category. The Shire of Murray acquired the historic site in 2012, redeveloped it as a hospitality venue overlooking the Murray River and reopened it in September 2024. The other joint winner was Tomich House.
What award did the Exchange Hotel Pinjarra win?
The project shared the 2024 WA Heritage Awards category for Conservation or Adaptive Reuse of a Local Heritage Place. The Shire’s announcement shortened the category name to “Adaptive Reuse of a Local Heritage Place,” but the Western Australian Government’s award announcement gives the full title and names Tomich House as the other joint winner. Government of Western Australia, 29 November 2024.
The 2024 award program lists the Shire of Murray as owner and developer, Karl and Janine Bullers as operators, and Hunt Architects as lead design and architect. The Shire also acknowledged Devlin Australia and Creative Spaces in its account of the project. Shire of Murray, 3 December 2024.
What is the hotel’s heritage status?
The Heritage Council of Western Australia’s inHerit record gives the address as 12 George Street, Pinjarra, and records construction from 1866. It lists the place on the Shire’s adopted Heritage List. The same record gives its State Register assessment as “Below Threshold,” so the cited record does not establish that the hotel is State Registered. The entry was last updated in 2016, before the recent redevelopment, and should be read as a record of historical construction and listed status rather than the building’s present condition. Heritage Council of Western Australia / DPLH, inHerit place record.
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How did the Shire adapt the historic buildings?
The Shire describes the redevelopment as bringing the heritage buildings back into use as a regional hospitality destination overlooking the Murray River. Its account identifies foundations from four periods—1866, 1871, 1890 and 1925—and describes ways the project presents the site’s history alongside its new use.
- Interactive displays and historical artefacts, including a bottle display found beneath the original doctor’s cottage.
- Interpretive panels and vinyl lettering featuring historical quotations, dates and images.
- The Fell Bar, named for a publican from 1921.
These are details reported by the Shire; the award announcement does not provide an independent fabric survey or a detailed conservation specification. Shire of Murray, 3 December 2024.
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Why does adaptive reuse matter in this project?
Adaptive reuse gives an existing place a continuing function rather than treating conservation as the preservation of a building without a viable use. In this case, the Shire’s stated approach combines retained historic material and interpretation with hospitality and event spaces. The WA Heritage Awards’ local-place category considers conservation and adaptation, heritage outcomes, conservation practice, social and community benefits, project challenges, partnerships, interpretation and lasting community benefit. Those criteria explain the kinds of outcomes the award recognises; they do not document the judges’ private deliberations about this particular project. Government of Western Australia, Western Australian Heritage Awards.
Shire President David Bolt said the project had restored the hotel’s physical fabric and revitalised its role as a community focal point while creating a contemporary hospitality destination. That is the Shire’s project advocate’s assessment, not an independent evaluation. Shire of Murray, 3 December 2024.
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What facilities were announced when it reopened?
When the venue opened in September 2024, the Shire described three bars, bookable spaces, a large function area and a gin distillery with a private tasting room. These are opening-era descriptions, not confirmation of current facilities, opening hours or booking availability. Shire of Murray, 11 September 2024.
How was the redevelopment funded?
The Shire said the project was co-funded by the Shire and the hotel operators, with a $2.34 million contribution from the Australian Government’s Building Better Regions Fund. That figure is the fund contribution reported in the Shire’s December 2024 account, not the total redevelopment cost. In June 2025, the Shire reported a total project cost of $8.8 million. Neither figure is identified in those accounts as an independently audited measurement. Shire of Murray, 3 December 2024; Shire of Murray, 26 June 2025.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What recognition followed the WA Heritage Award?
In June 2025, the Shire said the Exchange Hotel project won the Regional Growth category at the National Awards for Local Government, beating 23 other entrants in that category. The Shire also reported that in the venue’s first month it served 15,000 pints and 13,600 meals, welcomed 20,000 visitors, and employed 69 staff—equivalent to 40 full-time positions. These are figures reported retrospectively by the Shire in 2025, not current performance data or independently audited counts. Shire of Murray, 26 June 2025.
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