Fresh
At “The Backbeach” you will be assured that all our menus are created with a Fresh set of eyes, and Fresh food in mind. How could we not… we are after all looking at the Indian Ocean all day every day.
Eat Fresh, Local & Simple
Backbeach Café & Restaurant Closing Forever
Last Full Trading Day: 26 July 2026
Sale of Furniture, Plant & Equipment
A sale of furniture, plant and equipment will be held sometime between 27 and 31 July 2026.
The rumours have been circulating for a while now, and it is true that we are closing.
Thank you for being here. I want to share what happened to my business because it isn’t just affecting me; it is affecting our community.
Backbeach Café & Restaurant became more than a venue. It was a place where people gathered, where visitors came to experience Bunbury, and where we welcomed locals and tourists alike. It became a community hub for so many regular customers who were like family, as well as local groups and tourism operators, all enjoying and appreciating what we did.
We have enjoyed nearly every minute of our time at Backbeach Café & Restaurant. We took an amazing venue that barely had customers and transformed it into a wonderful, vibrant place that, even now, welcomes more than 1,250 people a week in winter and more than 2,000 a week in summer.
On a personal level, we offer a sincere and heartfelt thank you for all the support so many of you have provided over the past decade, particularly when we were both facing extreme personal challenges.
Due to a series of administrative failures and unreasonable decisions by the City of Bunbury, we are being forced to close.
What Happened?
What is truly disappointing is that we supported the operational activities of the City of Bunbury over the past 12 months when it was unable to complete the necessary administrative and operational processes.
During that 12-month period, we were unable to make changes or accept long-term bookings because of the uncertainty surrounding the lease.
We also fought to stay open on 3 July so that the City of Bunbury could enjoy the benefits of 81 passengers arriving on the new Australind train.
We were notified in June last year that our lease was due to expire on 4 January 2026 and that, as per City of Bunbury requirements, the new lease would need to be put out to tender. Unfortunately, the City was unable to begin the process, so at its request we extended the lease for another six months, until 4 July 2026.
In March, I sent an email requesting an update on the tender process. I did not receive a response until 25 May, when we were advised that the tender process had not begun and that the lease would operate on a month-to-month basis.
You can imagine our surprise when, without warning, the City prepared a Notice to Vacate on 4 June but did not issue it until 16 June. The notice was based on hearsay, without consultation and without any legal explanation. This meant we had just 17 days to shut down and move out.
While we can accept the City of Bunbury’s decision to ask us to vacate, as it is ultimately the City’s building, what we cannot accept is the unconscionable manner in which it was done.
We gave them 12 months. They gave us 17 days.
We were then forced to agree to conditions under duress simply to keep trading for a short time. No business should ever be put in that position.
What Happens Next?
According to the City of Bunbury, the process of advertising the new lease will take approximately five months. This means the building could sit empty for months.
We know what can happen when a building remains empty: vandalism, antisocial behaviour and the loss of community activity. This doesn’t help Bunbury. It hurts it.
The Dolphin Discovery Centre Café has been closed for so long. Another local favourite has been lost, and Bunnings is leaving the CBD. How many “For Lease” signs are now displayed along the main street?
Bunbury Deserves Better
I’m speaking out because this isn’t just my story. It is a story about decisions made behind closed doors by the City of Bunbury and how those decisions can affect real people, real businesses and real communities.
If you don’t agree with this process, you can contact the Mayor or the City of Bunbury and voice your opinion.
Bunbury deserves fairness.
Bunbury deserves transparency.
Bunbury deserves better.
Dining Experiences for Any Meal of the Day
Local
When you bite into your meal or sip your coffee at the Backbeach Cafe & Restaurant you will be tasting Locally sourced ingredients from around the South West and within Western Australia. This Local focus extends to our wine and beer lists with a focus on Western Australian beverages as well.
Simple
When working with Fresh, Local produce, you allow them to speak for themselves, that is why we choose to keep the dishes simple in design so they over deliver in taste! Quite simply you will be able to taste the produce while enjoying the simplicity and intricacies of the Indian Ocean.
