Dr Thomas Forrester Bedingfeld, the Murray District’s appointed Magistrate and Medical Officer, purchased the future iconic site and constructed a residence, which today is a core part of the Hotel.

James Rummer Greenacre, arriving in Western Australia in 1863 as a warder on the Tartar convict ship took up residence in South Dandalup. Retiring from policy duty in 1870, Greenacre was granted a licence for the Queen’s Hotel near South Dandalup after boasting of twenty years of experience running hotels in London.

In 1871, James Rummer Greenacre purchased the iconic site from Dr Thomas Forrester Bedingfeld and transferred his licence from the Queen’s Hotel to open the Exchange Hotel in Pinjarra. At the same time, Dr Bedingfeld moved from Pinjarra into the Queen’s Hotel in South Dandalup and took up his new residence. The property swap gave rise to the name - Exchange Hotel.

In early 1880, the Perth to Bunbury mail service started passing through Pinjarra with coach loads of passengers giving need to a large hotel. Arrangements were soon made to use the Exchange Hotel which rapidly made in the most significant hotel in the area.

With James Rummer Greenacre getting older in age, the Exchange Hotel was auctioned in 1885 and Samuel Butterworth took over the licence for the place.

Over the years, the Exchange Hotel only grew in popularity, particularly following the establishment of the Perth-Pinjarra railway in 1893, and the hosting of the sporting events, family picnics, cricket and horse racing and a circus by J.B Hayes in 1889.

Standing the test of time, in 1893 the licence was again transferred to Edward Reynolds who promoted Pinjarra as a first-class health resort with excellent fishing potential.

In 1894, Edward McLarty, a local pioneering family and prominent figure in Pinjarra, built a new hotel in Pinjarra - the Premier Hotel, which was closer to the railway. Jumping ship, Edward Reynolds became the proprietor of the new venture, the Premier Hotel.

Taking over the reins, Thomas Howe took over the Exchange Hotel and advertised it as ‘the prettiest watering hole in WA’.

By 1896, Edmund Griffith was running the Exchange Hotel and carried out renovations and refurbishments.

In 1901, further additions were made to the Hotel adding two sitting rooms and six bedrooms.

In 1908, the Exchange Hotel was purchased by Henry Edward Laslett.

In 1919, G.H. Jackson took over management and by 1920, a further nine new bedrooms were added to the Hotel following the increasing popularity of motor vehicles at the time.

In February 1921, John ‘Jack’ Fell and his wife, May, took over the management of the Hotel and in 1925, extended the Hotel again to include a new kitchen and expansion of the dining room.

Over the years, several more renovations and refurbishments took place at the hotel.

In 1983, a drive-through bottle shop was added to the Hotel.

In 1993, a TAB agency in the southwest corner of the building, adjacent to the Hotel’s beer garden and terrace was added.

Operating still has a hotel, providing both accommodation and a public bar, the Exchange Hotel had seen better days and closed its doors in 2008

In 2012, the Shire of Murray purchased the Exchange Hotel, appreciating its heritage signficance to the town and with hope that the Hotel would once again be an iconic venue in Pinjarra.

Over the years, the Shire of Murray entertained several commercial proposals for the Exchange Hotel - however none stuck.

Taking matters into their own hands, in 2020 the Shire of Murray Council resolved to investigate redeveloping the site itself to re-establish the site as an iconic regional hospitality destination and a thriving hub of activity.

A preliminary development concept was developed and an associated business case produced to support the redevelopment proposal.

In early 2021, the Shire of Murray submitted a Building Better Regions Fund application to the Federal Government requesting funds to carry out its redevelopment proposal.

In October 2021, the Shire of Murray received the exciting announcement that its application was successful, enabling the redevelopment to go forward to restore the Exchange Hotel and open its doors once again to the community and visitors to Pinjarra.

In February 2022 the Shire of Murray initiated an EOI process for experienced food and beverage operators who would seek to benefit from the reactivation of the historic Exchange Hotel site.

In October 2022 the Shire of Murray announced they had selected a candidate to take on the Exchange Hotel project and bring it to life.

The winning submission was from Karl and Janine Bullers who have significant experience in redeveloping historically significant buildings into successful modern hospitality locations, thus providing these significant buildings a second lease on life.

The Bullers redeveloped the iconic National Hotel in Fremantle and more recently The Old Courthouse in Fremantle.  Both projects have won heritage awards and operate as successful hospitality businesses. 

Redevelopment works completed and the Exchange Hotel in Pinjarra is re-opened to the public as a stunning modern hospitality venue.