Our Story
Curators & Collaborators
A little like a great movie, the Mill’s restoration was a combined effort from all manner of folk over quite a number of years. From the concept design through to the chaps who kept the site clean on a daily basis during construction - so many people played a hand in bringing about this amazing transformation. Passion, determination and commitment were common to all who were involved.
Since the turn of the very first sod, there was a clear understanding of the end vision of the project for all involved. Not only a building project, the journey, has also been an emotional one for the local community in what has become a symbol of commercial rejuvenation of the town and the district. Town Hall meetings and regular updates on social media have been a key focus for the journey as has a strong emphasis on historical research to ensure the restoration had the utmost integrity and authenticity.
For many years the Dome Group has been bringing alive stories of local heritage through our community cafes. Even with the adaptive re-use of over 18 listed heritage places under our belt nothing could prepare us for the challenge posed by the Premier Roller Flour Mill. Close to dereliction, this was a building which would challenge very ounce of our wit and capability. The result is a triumph for the industrial heritage of Western Australia. We now look forward to the Premier Mill Hotel being a much loved base camp for visitors to explore all that this exciting region has to offer.
The Big Picture
The Design
The Premier Mill Hotel is a celebration of the rich fabric of the existing building. Formerly a flourmill it was an ingenious industrial invention of its time. It had become obsolete and the building slipped into disrepair; a similar fate suffered by many handsome heritage buildings of the wheat belt towns dating back to the prosperous gold rush era. In response to our client’s bold vision for tourism in the region we embraced the challenge of re-imagining the mill as a 22-room hotel including lobby, common areas, a café and basement bar retaining, exposing and expressing the industrial texture throughout. The result is a magical story of the building's past, present and future made of layers of times past and times to come, it offers a new vision of the region for locals and visitors alike.
On the Ground
To watch the transformation from a dilapidated, run-down building to what we have now is amazing. It's the hardest and the most rewarding project I've ever worked on.