One of Western Australia’s oldest pubs, Bunbury’s heritage-listed Rose Hotel, is set to celebrate its 160th birthday with a new lease on life.
The pub has served generations of locals and visitors, including Prime Ministers and a Governor General, as well as surviving an earthquake.
Owners LocalsCo, a family-owned hospitality group dedicated to preserving the heritage and legacy of historic pubs, purchased the Rose in 2015.
In 2017 the group completed the interior renovation, to focus on creating its award-winning status as a food and beverage destination.
2023 saw the beginning of the second stage of the project, which included structural repairs and external works such as restoration of the veranda and first-floor balcony, with its decorative ironwork and architraves, as well as tuck-pointing brickwork.
The group also restored the Hotel’s ‘Sample Room’, now a bottleshop.
The recent works, coming in at almost $3 million, were supported by a $100K grant from the Government of Western Australia, recognising the importance of the restoration as a culturally significant heritage building.
Now complete, venue manager Mat Jeffries says there are big plans for the hotel’s birthday this year.
The pub currently offers something for everyone, from quiet spaces to children’s play areas; craft beers to local wines; games nights, competitions, and accommodation.
“As the current custodians of the Rose, we are honoured to have led this extensive renovation, safeguarding its character while ensuring it remains a local pub for our community for years to come,” says LocalsCo director Dave Allan.
The group also owns Australind’s Treendale Farm Hotel and Eaton Tavern, Perth’s Subiaco Hotel and Bayswater Hotel, and the Exchange Hotel in Kalgoorlie.
