Winner of the Gerry Gauntlett Award
Rose Hotel & Sample Room, Bunbury
The restoration of the Rose Hotel & Sample Room has breathed new life into one of Bunbury’s most iconic heritage buildings, earning the Gerry Gauntlett Award for excellence. As a cornerstone of Bunbury’s social and commercial life since the mid-1800s, the Rose Hotel holds deep cultural significance for the community.
Extensive conservation works have stabilised and revitalised the building’s historic façade, verandah and masonry while carefully preserving original materials and architectural features. The project revealed long-hidden details such as ghost signage and cast-iron columns, reconnecting the public with the building’s rich past. Sensitive upgrades, including waterproofing, structural reinforcement and accessible design, ensure the hotel remains safe, functional and compliant with modern standards.
The project’s lasting benefit lies in its ability to preserve heritage while supporting community vitality. The restored hotel continues to serve as a vibrant gathering place, fostering local pride and economic activity in Bunbury’s city centre. It demonstrates how heritage buildings, when thoughtfully conserved, can remain active contributors to contemporary life.
The Rose Hotel’s renewal ensures its stories of hospitality, trade and connection will endure for generations to come.
Key Project Team
Owner: LocalsCo
Architect: Hocking Heritage + Architecture
Structural Engineer: Quoin Consulting
Builder: Colgan Industries
Commendation
Success Hill Lodge, Bassendean
The verandah conservation project at Success Hill Lodge has restored a key architectural feature of one of Bassendean’s most significant heritage buildings, delivering lasting value to the community. Listed on the State Register of Heritage Places, the Lodge is a landmark example of Federation Queen Anne architecture and a symbol of the area’s cultural identity.
Years of deterioration had left the double-storey timber verandah structurally unsound. Through careful, evidence-based reconstruction, the project reinstated original design elements – including the timber shingle valance, staircases and post layout – while integrating modern safety standards. Innovative solutions, such as the use of painted merbau glulam for verandah posts, ensured heritage accuracy despite material shortages.
The restoration enhances the streetscape, preserves the building’s historic character and reinforces its role as a cultural marker within the Bassendean community. By retaining and celebrating its architectural features, the Lodge continues to tell its layered story and remains a source of local pride.
This project exemplifies how heritage conservation can strengthen community identity, safeguard architectural legacy and ensure historic places remain part of contemporary life. Success Hill Lodge now stands as a revitalised reminder of Bassendean’s rich history and inspiration for future generations.
Key Project Team
Heritage Architects: Stephen Carrick Architects (SCA)
Structural Engineer: Lalli Consulting Engineers
Builder: Colgan Industries
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