Hotel & HospitalityChris ThomsonMon 09 Nov 26
Birthplace of Australia’s First Craft Beer Hit Pitched for Revival
The brewery that put Australian boutique beer on the map could be revived at its original North Fremantle home under a $225-million redevelopment including an 18-storey apartment tower, hotel and brewpub.
A major adaptation of the former Matilda Bay brewery—where wheat beer Redback, the first boutique brew to succeed Australia-wide, was made—is out for comment until December 6.
At the centre of the proposal is restoration of the 2.93ha site’s state heritage-listed buildings. From 1930 to 1987, it was Western Australia’s main Ford factory.
The historic buildings at 130 Stirling Highway would accommodate a 51-room hotel, 784sq m supermarket and 772sq m microbrewery-cum-brewpub under the proposal.
Warehouses would be demolished and replaced with two apartment buildings, one of 18 storeys and the other of eight.
The taller would have five penthouses and four studio, 59 one-bedroom, 62 two-bedroom and 39 three-bedroom apartments.
The eight-storey building would have 56 two-bedroom and two three-bedroom apartments.
The application by proponent 3 Oceans said Matilda Bay Brewing Co. was contemplating returning its operations to the site, which overlooks the Indian Ocean at Leighton Beach, on higher ground than the site Edge Visionary Living has advertised a 10-storey apartment tower.
For the former brewery site, 3 Oceans is proposing 293sq m of office space and a 160sq m restaurant alongside a hotel bar and alfresco area.
The development would include 587 carparking bays, 182 bicycle spaces and 50 spots for motorcycles and scooters.
A rooftop swimming pool, sauna, steam room, gym, yoga and Pilates facilities, communal dining areas and resident lounges are also planned.
The heritage conservation strategy would retain the factory’s art deco red-brick facade, sawtooth roof, internal office features and brewing kettles.
The plans follow refusal of earlier development plans in March 2023, which had 124 fewer parking bays and three residential towers, by the Metro Inner-South Joint Development Assessment Panel.
In June of 2007, then-owner Foster’s closed the brewery and shunted its beer production to some of its other breweries in eastern Australia. Redback is still brewed at Carlton United Brewery sites in eastern Australia in partnerhsip with Matilda Bay founder Phil Sexton.
