Beechworth Bakery

The Challenge

Beechworth Bakery in Healesville has long been known as a local favourite and a tourist destination, celebrated for its freshly baked goods, welcoming staff and bustling community vibe. However, the same energy and popularity that brought customers in was also creating a hidden challenge: noise.

Like many hospitality venues, the bakery’s interior design relied on robust, easy-to-clean materials such as tiles, glass, timber and polished surfaces. While ideal for hygiene and aesthetics, these materials reflect sound instead of absorbing it. With a high ceiling and large open floor plan, this meant every conversation, clatter of dishes and burst of laughter bounced around the room, building into a wall of sound. Acoustic testing confirmed what staff and customers already knew — the space was too loud. The average reverberation time before acoustic treatment was measured at 1.34 seconds. For comparison, the recommended level for cafes and bakeries under AS/NZS 2107:2016 is closer to 0.7 seconds. The owners knew that to maintain their reputation as a warm and inviting destination, they needed a professional cafe noise reduction solution.

The Solution

Beechworth Bakery turned to SoundFix Acoustics, experts in hospitality acoustics, echo reduction and noise control. Our team conducted a full acoustic assessment of the bakery, analysing how different surfaces contributed to reverberation and identifying the most effective points for treatment.

Our findings showed that ceiling reflections were the dominant source of echo. Treating the walls alone would not achieve the necessary results. Instead, we proposed installing high-performance ceiling acoustic panels across the ceiling area.

This approach offered a tailored acoustic solution that would:

• Cut down excessive echo and background noise.
• Improve order accuracy and staff communication.
• Create a more pleasant dining atmosphere, encouraging customers to stay longer.
• Deliver measurable results in line with industry standards for hospitality acoustics.

The Installation

One of the bakery’s concerns was the potential disruption to daily operations. As one of Healesville’s busiest hospitality venues, closing for an extended period was not an option.

SoundFix Acoustics scheduled the installation to minimise impact. In just one day, our installation team fitted the ceiling acoustic panels securely into the existing ceiling grid. The process was quick, dust-free and non-invasive, requiring no structural alterations.

By the end of the day, the bakery’s space was transformed. Customers returned the next morning to the same warm and inviting interior, but with a completely different sound profile — calmer, clearer and more comfortable.

The Outcome:

Beechworth Bakery’s experience reflects a common challenge across the hospitality sector. Many cafes, bakeries, and restaurants are designed for aesthetics and durability, but overlook acoustics. The result is often a loud cafe where customers leave early, staff feel stressed, and the overall atmosphere falls short of expectations. The results were immediate and significant. Acoustic testing after installation showed that the average reverberation time had dropped from 1.34 seconds to 0.70 seconds.

Hospitality acoustics play a critical role in shaping customer experience. A cafe or bakery may serve exceptional food and coffee, but if the environment is too noisy, customers won’t fully enjoy it. By investing in professional acoustic solutions like ceiling acoustic panels, venues can:

• Enhance comfort and satisfaction.
• Improve efficiency and staff morale.
• Differentiate themselves from competitors.

As Beechworth Bakery shows, the right investment in noise solutions delivers lasting benefits.

Before-and-After Acoustic Results

Before installation:

• Average Reverberation Time (RT60) = 1.34 seconds
• Excessive echo made conversations difficult and created a loud cafe environment.

After installation:

• Average Reverberation Time (RT60) = 0.70 meaning sound now decays almost twice as fast.
• Voices can be heard clearly without shouting, and background noise is under control.

If your venue struggles with echo, noise, or poor speech clarity, it’s time to consider a professional acoustic solution. At SoundFix Acoustics, we specialise in transforming loud cafes, bakeries and hospitality venues into comfortable, welcoming environments where sound works for you, not against you.

📞 Contact us today for a free consultation. Our tailored acoustic panels in bakeries and ceiling acoustic panel solutions deliver proven echo reduction, cafe noise control, and healthier acoustics for staff and customers alike.

Don’t let poor acoustics undermine your business. Let SoundFix Acoustics help you create the perfect atmosphere for your cafe, bakery or restaurant.