High Street Art
The view down High Street from the Round House in Fremantle. Certainly an unexpected sight as you walk out of the oldest building still standing in Western Australia.

From our house sit in the community of Bassendean we have been ideally located to do some sightseeing. One of the pleasant surprises was finding the convenience of the transit system and the helpful, friendly Transit Officers working the train lines. Whether taking the train into Perth and Fremantle or driving around Guildford and the Swan Valley, exploring this area has been a breeze.

Guildford's Stirling Square
Just down the road from us is the town of Guildford. They have made a decision to embrace their heritage and preserve the buildings from their past. The centre of town is Stirling Square with their War Memorial and one of the original churches.
St. Matthews Church
St Matthews Church is located in the exact centre of Guildford in Stirling Square. The restoration and maintenance of these buildings is outstanding.
Rose and Crown Hotel
We enjoyed an excellent lunch at the Rose and Crown Hotel. It is the oldest hotel in Western Australia and one of the oldest licensed establishments in the entire country.

Stopping in the Tourist Information office in Guildford was a gold mine. The staff were very excited to update us that they had been named the #1 Tourist Information in the country. Indeed they were fantastic and had reams of info on Guildford and it’s history.

Curfew Bell
As with many areas in Australia the use of convicts was critical to the building and development of new communities. This bell was used to remind convicts when it was time to head back to their accommodation each day.
Chapel of St. Mary & St. George
This chapel is part of the grounds of the Guildford Grammar School. The deportment and dress of the students and the beauty and history of their school was most impressive to observe.
All Saints Church
As we were exploring the many cellar doors and fantastic wine of the Swan Valley we came upon the oldest surviving church in Western Australia. The All Saints Church is tucked away near the north end of the Swan Valley and is well worth a visit.
Oakover Grounds
One of the joys of travelling Australia is visiting the many wineries and their cellar doors. However, it is not just wine that can be enjoyed. The food and coffee is of the highest quality and served by great people.

Our time in the Perth area of Western Australia has been three months very well spent. We have met wonderful people and had an opportunity to appreciate some of the oldest history Australia has to offer. If you get the chance to come “down under” do not short yourself, come west and enjoy WA.

Welcome to our travel blog. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to say, "I'm out of here?" Well we did, and in 2013 we made it a reality. We sold or gave away all of our possessions other than what fit in our luggage and we set off on an endless adventure. Part of our goal is to share our experiences with others and hopefully provide some information, motivation, or just a moments escape. The general idea was to look for a place that would be ideal to settle down in. However in the meantime it is about experiencing life in different countries amongst different cultures and learning how to understand and appreciate each other. A large part of our time is spent housesitting which provides an excellent opportunity to experience more of the "normal" neighbourhoods as opposed to the tourist locales. Though we make sure to enjoy those as well. So through plenty of photographs and a running commentary come and share with us our life on the road.

1 comment on “Appreciating Local Heritage

  1. Debbie 🤠 📚

    What? No pic of the Pecksens’ having a wee taste at the wineries? 🍷 It looks like a wonderful place to visit

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