I've maligned Perth and Western Australia a bit too. Tucked away between all those brash, nouveau riche brick piles, or away from those contiguous subdivisions, there are some nice places as well. Having been recently reunited with some of these photos, I'll just jot down a few things here. For some reason it's very hard to get cohesive tourist information in Perth and usually you have wander around and discover most of these things yourself.
These inland towns which date from the 1830's all have a certain charm, especially for those who love old cars, motorbikes, aeroplanes or just a bit of nostalgia.
York
That early pattern of motoring tourism later fused with the influence of passionate collectors such as Peter Briggs, whose involvement in WA motorsport helped establish the York Motor Museum in 1979, turning it into a national drawcard for enthusiasts. Regular club runs, “around‑the‑houses” events, and the museum’s prominence reinforced the theme over decades, so what began as a pleasant weekend drive evolved into York becoming Western Australia’s unofficial home of motoring history.
People sip coffee outside on its crooked streets and Twenties music drifts from one of several antique shops. The old fashioned lolly shop is a treat, as is the Mill by the railway line which houses a restaurant and a three storey gallery with prices you wouldn't believe.
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| Main Street, York |
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Not that you have to go inside the Motor Museum to see fine old cars. There were several in residence on both occasions that I was here |
What I like most about this town however, is that it is not a museum. It is alive with people going about their business or enjoying themselves. It has not only served the pastoral industry and travellers for a long time, but continues to reinvent itself without losing its charm. It also has a very popular jazz festival.
For those who find York just a bit too busy and a bit too trendy - I almost felt I should be wearing a cravat or at least a fine hat and scarf -there is always Toodyay, a bit further down the track.
Toodyay
Toodyay is a bit more country, a bit more laid - back and seems to be more favoured by motor cyclists. The buildings are more modest, though it also has a big old mill on the main street too and several large old pubs. It tells you why these little towns became prosperous and survived. The park by the river has nice picnic areas and a little train which no doubt makes the place attractive to families.
Beverley
The Rail Trail
In a similar vein, following the old railway lines yields some charming old buildings especially lots of enormous pubs with big verandahs and lovely old shade trees - a big plus in this climate. The one at Parkerville is said to be haunted and usually has a lot of motorbikes parked outside. At Swanview there is a long tunnel which was a major engineering feat in its day. The distances between stations were short and in the absence of trains there is now a very lovely walking trail which also lends itself to cycling and has frequent stops for refreshments. Unfortunately, I seem to have lost most of these photos.
The Inn at Mahogany Creek dates from 1842 and began life as a colonial barracks intended to keep the travelling public safe on the Great Eastern Highway. It was one of several places from which bushranger Moondyne Joe escaped. [Moondyne Joe didn't rob stage coaches or travellers. It seemed that his greatest offence was stealing a judge's horse followed by his legendary tendency to escape from any place in which he was confined]. I loved the atmosphere in this place (and its iced coffee) with its low ceilings, worn slate floors and narrow staircases. It seems to me that these older places are all the more precious in a place where so little of the past - and it's a short past at that - remains.
The Perth Hills and Kalamunda
The Perth Hills and Kalamunda are on this route too and offer lovely wildflowers in the season, beautiful old trees and great views at any time of year. It was an area much favoured by artists, although few could afford to live there now. Now it seems to be mostly orthodonists and dog salons, but the bonus is a collection of nice cafes, craft and gift shops and a French bakery where dogs are welcome.
Both Kalamunda and Darlington still have well patronised arts festivals every year. Round about are vineyards and orchards which have wonderful fresh figs and peaches in the season which runs from about October to March. At Bickley, in pleasantly landscaped surroundings, there is the Perth Observatory begun in 1896 and Australia's oldest continuously operating one. Perth is also a great place to view the stars.
Between the Great Eastern Highway and Kalamunda is the Mundaring Weir which supplies the water to the Eastern Goldfields 500 km away and all the places in between - voted by the Institute of Engineers as one of the great engineering achievements. Ah yes, they knew how to build public utilities in the 1900's.
Guildford
Closer to Perth and at the junction of the main arteries to the North and East is Guildford. Though it doesn't look all that promising at first because you have to wade through its rather hardscrabble exterior, it has a lovely main street with lots of second hand shops, colonial history and railway workshops which now house galleries and part of the Arts School. As well being one of the first places to be settled, it was already a major transport hub before there were roads, being on the Avon River which serviced places like York before the roads came through. Guildford was also the first place that grapes were planted in Western Australia.
The Swan Valley
Lovers of wine, beer, food and coffee will also appreciate the strip along the Great Northern Highway from Guildford to the Swan Valley. This has a branch of the Margaret River Chocolate Factory, The Mondo Nougat Factory, several boutique Breweries including Elmar's, Moo Brew and The Feral which has a few ales with interesting names. In between are vineyards with wine and cheese tastings, coffee shops, restaurants and a gallery or two.
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| A glimpse inside |
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