14 George Street, Pinjarra
Tel: (08) 9563 7000
www.exchangehotel.com.au
Day Trippers-Destination
The next venture for proprietors Karl and Janine Bullers, who also run successful Fremantle-based hostelries, the National Hotel and the Old Courthouse, is Pinjarra’s recently rejuvenated and re-opened Exchange Hotel.
Karl and Janine, who have won Heritage Awards for their two Fremantle establishments, have bestowed their magic upon this grand dame of Pinjarra, originally built in 1871. Their latest venture is breathing new life into the oldest remaining hotel in the Peel Region.
The couple’s overriding objective for the project was to preserve the heritage of the building, while injecting the benefits of state-of-the-art facilities across its sprawling spaces, one of which is a large, terraced beer garden overlooking the river.
“We’ve never felt so welcomed into a community,” said Karl. “We count ourselves lucky to have had so much support and goodwill.”
The extensive $10m refurbishment has seen the establishment transformed into a modern hospitality venue. Since its doors were last closed in 2008, a number of commercial proposals were entertained after being purchased by the Shire of Murray in 2012, but none stuck, until the Shire’s plans began to fall into place in 2020 when a redevelopment plan finally took root with the impetus of Federal assistance from the Building Better Regions Fund.
The Exchange Hotel has now been lovingly restored, capitalising on its rural charm, while developing innovative and interesting spaces to cater for its 650-person licence, from intimate booths in converted accommodation spaces, to a riverside amphitheatre to host live music with a capacity of 1500. Kicking off their first summer programme is the Ultimate 80s live music event under the stars in the amphitheatre on Saturday 30 November, featuring four bands that will celebrate the era in style on the picturesque banks of the Murray River in the centre of town. Check their website to keep apprised of their programme of events both inside and out.
Another event to look out for is the Peel Producers’ 3-course long table dinner, which will showcase the region’s finest on 22 March 2025 in the adjacent Town Square. There will be live music and dancing at this Ovis Community Services event raising funds for family and domestic violence support in the Peel Region.
The stunning new venue boasts three bars featuring beers from Little Creatures, locally produced wines and other beverages. There is also a gin and vodka distillery where they are having lots of fun experimenting with local botanicals.
On to the all-important food. Key elements of the menu are sourced regionally to honour local produce with a modern Australian twist on pub classics and comfort food executed with panache.
My dining companion and I had the pleasure of being treated to five delectable samples from the establishment’s brand spanking new menu, which will be continually updated and available online. The serving sizes were hearty and the flavours well thought through.
We started with vegan bao buns which perplexed us a little when trying to work out what the very tasty meat component was. We were not expecting to have the vegan version tested out on us, so were surprised to discover it was barbecued pulled jack fruit that was wrapped up in the wonderfully cushiony generous three-bun serve. The piquancy of these little babies made you sit up and listen, with a dousing in zesty fresh lime juice tempering the heat of the fresh chillies, while enhancing the delicious layers of spiciness. Teamed with a local craft beer, these went down extremely well.
The Exchange steak sandwich was one of the best I have ever eaten. From its supremely light and crunchy sourdough casing to the deliciously smoky tender sirloin, this steak sarnie was a winner. It looked good and tasted even better. The distinctive chargrilled flavour was further complemented by maple candied bacon, Swiss cheese and a slathering of tomato chutney and Béarnaise sauce with some wonderfully peppery rocket to provide a crisp contrast. This was accompanied by perfectly golden chips with a little pot of their delicious house-made Béarnaise sauce. I am salivating just from conjuring up the memory.
The 2021 Leeuwin Estate Siblings Margaret River Shiraz we washed the sarnie down with is described as ‘plush and luscious, with buoyant acidity’. For my palate, I prefer less tannins and a bigger and more robust shiraz, however, I have to admit that it did work extremely well with the sandwich.
My favourite dish of the day was the Spring Valley Lamb Rendang – robust, tender and just bursting with flavour as a good rendang should be, with a wonderfully zingy side of pickled veggies acting as the perfect foil to the richness of the meat, again with lashings of fresh lime.
Two locally sourced flavoursome garlic and herb beef bangers atop a bed of creamy mashed potato in their Bangers n Mash was up next. Served with the classic accompaniments of peas and a rich onion gravy, with the added dimensions of flash fried crispy fresh parsley and some spicy chutney, crowned by three piping hot onion rings cooked to perfection. The clean finish of the 2021 Fraser Gallop Cabernet Sauvignon that it was paired with, provided a welcome contrast to the richness of this substantial dish.
The crème brûlée with which we completed our indulgence was brilliantly executed, with the requisite topping of a thin layer of hardened caramelised sugar belying the smooth creaminess of the French vanilla custard below. The inspired bespoke touches to this timeless dessert were molasses and cardamom, a sprinkling of oaty clusters adding some additional crunch, the tartness of fresh raspberries and, a rhubarb compote.
Conveniently just over an hour south of Perth, the Exchange Hotel caters for not only the lucky local populace, but day-trippers as well. We advise you to check it out before the hordes get wind of it. Why? Because the pre-opening tastings we were privy to demonstrate a gourmet take on pub classics that are also reasonably priced. The Exchange Hotel’s broad-spectrum appeal, from young families to corporate entertainment facilities, has ideally positioned it to be a destination in itself. It is the jewel in the crown of a regional gem.
By Leanne Casellas
