The Fairhaven Lake Cafe was originally built in 1895 as the Club House for Fairhaven Golf Club. It is the oldest building on the site, pre-dating all the boathouses, tennis and bowling pavilions.

In October 1896 the tide broke through the outer Stanner Bank at the St. Paul’s Avenue end and flooded the golf course. Unbelievably the water level reached the eaves of the Clubhouse! In May 1900, the club withdrew from the lake area to a new Clubhouse in St. Paul’s Avenue. 

The building then became a Temperance Cafe and social club for the Preston & Flyde Bank of Hope Union. The site was later developed and named ‘Ashton Marine Park’.

Annual regattas and water skiing were popular events on the lake and the area became a popular recreational facility during World War 11. By the 1950s the cafe was run by the Jones family and became known as ‘Bunty’s Lakeside Cafe’ after their daughter Bunty.