Travel Guide York

A 1-hour drive from Perth, the historic town of York is reached by winding through hills, eucalyptus forests and the famous grass trees, notably in Wandoo National Park. York, which dates back to 1831, was WA's first inland settlement, initially established to develop agricultural land to feed the Perth colony. Farming was not a great success, so convicts had to be sent to help in the 1850s. It was in the 1880s that the town became wealthy, and, as in many places in Australia, this was thanks to a gold rush. The gold in question was over 400 km away, but York was lucky enough to be located at the end of the railroad line from Perth. Gold miners would then walk 400 km, often pushing a wheelbarrow, to Kalgoorlie/Coolgardie, after buying the necessities in York! This wealth led to the construction of some magnificent old buildings in a variety of styles, of great interest to architecture enthusiasts. Don't miss the superb Town Hall, also a tourist office, often staffed by volunteers who can tell you all about the town's history. The Residency Museum tells the story of the region.