The Residency, Bunbury

The Residency is a Victorian Gothic structure with limestone walls and a shingled roof located in central Bunbury. The building combines administrative spaces with residential quarters under a single roof, reflecting its dual function during the colonial era.

Constructed in the 1850s with convict labor, the building served as the main administrative center during Bunbury's emergence as a regional government seat. It remained a key institution throughout the colonial administration of Western Australia's South West region.

The building hosted government officials and community gatherings that shaped regional development during colonial times. Visitors can today walk through rooms where early administrators and local leaders met to conduct the region's affairs.

The building sits in central Bunbury within walking distance of other heritage sites, making it easy to visit as part of a larger exploration of the area. Guided tours are available to learn about the interior spaces and the people who once worked and lived there.

The limestone walls and construction details bear the visible marks of convict labor that many visitors overlook when touring the building. These traces of early Australian convict work are embedded throughout the structure and tell a quieter story of how it was built.