25/10/2026
Fifty Years of 154 Hampton Street
Today we celebrate 50 years of the Bridgetown-Greenbushes Tourism Association at 154 Hampton Street. It is a story of vision, community spirit and a willingness to see possibilities where others might simply see an old building.
To start the day off, I would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Country, to Elders past and present, and their continuing connection to this land, its stories and its community. As we celebrate 50 years of caring for this place, we recognise that the history of this Country stretches back far beyond our time here.
We are very fond of stories here! And this particular one started about 100 years ago with the Zinnecker family.
In around 1922, Alfred Maximillian Zinnecker and his wife Jane built a timber house on the property. In 1929, their son Charles built a house on the adjoining lot, now home to SupaChook Carvery. Around 1934, Alfred established a garage on his own adjoining lot, undertaking extensive renovations in 1938–39.
By 1961, a showroom had been added to the front of the garage, with a service station and office in front of the original house. Alfred's grandson, Alfred James — known as Alf Jnr — had joined the family business as a mechanic at just 15 years of age in 1951. When his father Charles died in 1962, Alf took over the business.
Three generations of Zinneckers had lived and worked on this site. But by 1976, with business declining and wanting greater opportunities for his children, Alf made the difficult decision to put the premises on the market.
Enter the Bridgetown-Greenbushes Tourist Bureau.
The story of the Tourism Association at 154 Hampton Street began in 1976, when the Bridgetown-Greenbushes Tourist Bureau purchased the garage from the Zinnecker family. The Bureau had been formed in 1962 by a group of local businesspeople (butcher, a haberdasher and a builder!) who recognised the importance of tourism in diversifying our local economy.
They had a vision for an independent Tourist Bureau. This building offered the perfect opportunity. The existing service station was an important consideration. In those days, local businesses generally closed at noon on Saturday for the weekend, so the ability to provide fuel to visitors after these hours was a valuable service — and a potential source of income.
The purchase was completed on 25 October 1976, funded by a State Government grant of $20,000 and a $10,000 loan raised by the Shire. The Tourist Bureau subsequently repaid that loan over ten years. It was a significant commitment for a volunteer organisation, and a wonderful example of what can be achieved when a community gets behind an idea.
The showroom and office became the Tourist Bureau, while the workshops at the rear provided space for a museum and the Brierley Jigsaw Gallery.
In 1978, Jessie Brierley generously donated her treasured collection of framed jigsaw puzzles to the community, along with funds to establish a suitable gallery. The Brierley Jigsaw Gallery officially opened on 16 November 1979, and BGTA volunteers continued to care for and develop the collection for decades.
BGTA's work, of course, extended well beyond this building.
Over the years, the association helped establish Bridgetown Jarrah Park, the Bridgetown Heritage Trail, the Small Schools Trail in partnership with the CWA, and the network of Scenic Drives. It established and managed the Bridgetown Historical Collection before it was transferred to the Bridgetown Historical Society, (a few doors down … who have done remarkable things with it!). BGTA also represented our region through tourism marketing bodies.
BGTA also played an important role in creating and supporting events that have become part of our town's story, including Blues at Bridgetown, the Bridgetown Winter Festival (now Fridgetown Fest), Banquet on a Bridge, the Winter Wonderland events, the Bridgetown Art Trail, Sunrise at Schwenkes, Sunset at Sid's and this year the Mid-Winter Umami. There is one familiar name that comes to mind in all these events – Pip Mills! She has been involved for not quite 50 years, and is a font of all knowledge, both in her memories and in the keeper of documents. Thank you Pip and Bevan for all you have done for tourism in this area.
BGTA has also supported the Oh Deer Christmas Reindeer Project and continues to administer the Community Cash Voucher scheme, encouraging people to shop locally, with great support from BTN CRC.
Some projects have continued, others have evolved or come to an end, but all have contributed to the visitor experience and the life of our community. And behind them all have been people prepared to give their time, skills and energy to make things happen.
In the early 2000s, BGTA relinquished its lease on this building and visitor servicing became the responsibility of the Shire. The association continued its tourism work, however, and never lost sight of the potential of this site.
In 2018, following an approach from Jessie Brierley's, BGTA revisited a proposal first put forward some 30 years earlier by Graeham Donovan, then proprietor of Nelson's of Bridgetown. The vision was to transform the remarkable puzzle collection into an interactive, year-round attraction.
When the Visitor Centre moved to the Old Railway Station in 2024, a new opportunity opened up. BGTA successfully negotiated with the Shire to resume the lease and take on responsibility for the building once again.
With generous support from the Donovan family and Jessie Brierley's descendants, the Puzzletown6255 Charitable Foundation was established. A State Government Forestry Transition Grant, together with substantial volunteer effort and community support, enabled an extensive redevelopment of the premises.
And that brings us to the building we see today.
The former showroom and office area has been transformed into Puzzletown6255, an interactive attraction built around the Brierley collection. The redevelopment has also enabled the establishment of a wooden puzzle manufacturing business, selling bespoke puzzles featuring the work of local artists and photographers, creating another dimension to the attraction.
At the rear, the original workshop space that once housed the Brierley Gallery have been incorporated into the renewed attraction.
The former service station office area now accommodates two community organisations, Blues at Bridgetown and Blackwood Landcare.
And then there is the forecourt. Where vehicles once pulled in for petrol, motorists can now recharge at the Ultra-Fast Charging Station, opened in March this year. Made possible through BGTA's efforts, with funding from the State Government and Talison Lithium, it is another example of this site continuing to serve travellers and the wider community, in a very different era.
Looking back over these 50 years, we owe a great deal to the original members of the Tourist Bureau who had the foresight to purchase this building, to the Jessie Brierley and Donovan families, to the Zinnecker family, and to the many volunteers, supporters, partners and the many local trades people, who have contributed to the story along the way.
One other story that has recently come to light, is that of Mr Zinnecker’s piano. The piano was gifted to Lorna Zinnecker on her 10th birthday and remained a treasured family possession, moving between homes as the family’s circumstances changed. In 1976, it left Bridgetown with the family when they moved to Perth, and later travelled with them to Dunsborough. Nearly 50 years later, Alf Zinnecker returned to Bridgetown for the opening of the Puzzletown6255 Ultra-Fast Charging Station, built on the site of his family’s former garage. Delighted by the site’s transformation, he suggested the piano should return home. Sadly, Alf passed away just three weeks later. We are honoured to have this special piece of Zinnecker family history back in Bridgetown, on display in the Jessie Brierley Gallery at Puzzletown6255.
Bridgetown Historical Society
QPuzzles
Mr Bob Puzzles
Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes
