South Regional

Premier Mill Hotel

“There’s a boutique hotel in Katanning?” was the standard reaction for at least the first few years after this landmark hotel opened in 2018.

A building that has had many lives and uses, from a 19th century roller mill to one of the state’s first power stations to a wine cellar, the restoration of The Premier Roller Flour Mill is impressive in pure design terms but also in the boldness of Nigel Oakey’s vision. The CEO of Dome Café Group, who bought this derelict building for one dollar, he created the Premier Mill Hotel as more than just a hotel, bringing the groups ethos of social connection to bear.

The original Jarrah lined grain silos and the worn mill chimney have been worked through the property as features by famed West Australian architect Michael Patroni, of Fremantle’s space-agency. Cogs and pulleys are still visible oberhead and the guest experience is key. As you enter the lobby you’re greeted by an ambient soundtrack and in cooler months the feature fireplace roars like a furnace. Don’t just come for the heritage restoration, but the luxury of good design, spacious rooms, and quality linens.

Need to Knows

  • 22 rooms, over 4 room types –  Boiler Room, Silo Room, Purifying Room, Packing Room.
  • Check-in: 2pm; Check-out: 10am.
  • Hotel bar and café onsite.
  • Boardroom and function room onsite.

What’s There

As with many regional towns mural art has become a real draw. Many pass through Katanning following the PUBLIC Silo Trail, an art project that garnered international attention when launched in 2015 for its large format murals adorning grain silos. Adjacent to that project you’ll find everything from environmental murals to Arabic scripture dotted around town on walls and electric transformer boxes, painted by West Australian artists like Brenton See, Chris Nixon, Darren Hutchens and Mel McVee.

What’s Around

Strike out from Katanning to discover the stories of the Wheatbelt from Dumbleyung where the world’s attention was focused in 1964 as Donald Campbell broke the water speed record in his boat Bluebird, or to Kojonup  and the Kodja Place Visitor and Interpretive Centre, which tells the story of the world’s oldest surviving culture.

What’s Super Special

As with sibling property Farmers’ Home Hotel in Northam, there’s a real sense of a curated experience that seeks to engage the guest in the stories of the property but also the surroundings. Researched guides to the region are a passion here and you’ll find suggestions of mini road trips and excursions.

Children

Suitable for families, there are two Silo Rooms on each level that can be requested as part of a combination pair, allowing guests to create their own two bedroom, two bathroom apartment. The free to air new release movies are also a nice touch for a family night in.

Breakfast

A hub for the town, the Dome café serves all-day breakfast from 6am that includes everything from a traditional cooked breakfast to avocado stacks and lighter bites like muesli and fruit salad.

Eating and Drinking

Here, Dome is open until 9pm with a special ‘After Five’ menu, with dishes such as beef cheeks, roast chicken and lamb shanks. There’s also The Cordial Bar from 3pm. Named for F&C Piesse’s cordial and aerated water enterprise – another part of the life of this building – there’s a focus here on wines from the Great Southern region, locally brewed craft beers and a menu of shared plates and bar friendly fare.

Things to Book

With just 22 rooms it pays to plan your trip to Premier Mill Hotel well in advance, whether it’s around the Harmony Festival in March or wildflower season from September to December.

Notes

While many may use the hotel as a stopping point on road trips to and from the Great Southern, there’s an argument that this is a destination in itself.