The Shire of Murray in Western Australia is not your average council – it owns a heritage-listed pub, the Exchange Hotel.
The Exchange Hotel is located in Pinjarra on the Murray River foreshore, around 80km south of Perth. It is one of the oldest pubs in the state, but has been closed since 2008.
The local Shire has purchased the pub to run to bring it back into use, and has big plans for the venue.
The Federal Government and the Shire of Murray are between them investing $5.2m into the site’s redevelopment with work due to begin soon.
The plan is for the Exchange Hotel to become an iconic hospitality destination and a popular dining, meeting and entertainment space. The vision includes dining, market gardens, a providore exchange and a community market exchange.
The site is expected to be operational by late 2023, and an EOI has been released for prospective operators to lease and fit-out the hotel.
“The Shire of Murray is seeking expressions of interest from experienced and innovative operators seeking to benefit from reactivating the historic Exchange Hotel in Pinjarra, Western Australia,” the EOI says.
“The redevelopment and preliminary Design Concept for the Exchange Hotel positions the site to trade across diverse income streams including food, beverage, entertainment, functions and other events and retail.
“The Exchange Hotel represents a unique opportunity for an operator to capitalise on the transformational investment being spent on the site at a time when Pinjarra and the Murray Region’s narrative is evolving into a recognised visitor destination with a huge amount of both private and public investment in significant local and regional developments.”