York is the oldest inland town in

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to t ...

, situated on the Avon River, east of

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

in the Wheatbelt, on

Ballardong Ballardong are an indigenous Noongar people of the south western area of Western Australia. Country The Ballardong's land encompasses an estimated . Northwards they occupy the Avon River. From York, To the east they extend to Tammin, Kununop ...

Nyoongar The Noongar (, also spelt Noongah, Nyungar , Nyoongar, Nyoongah, Nyungah, Nyugah, and Yunga ) are Aboriginal Australian peoples who live in the south-west corner of Western Australia, from Geraldton on the west coast to Esperance on the ...

land,King, A and Parker, E: York, Western Australia's first inland town, Parker Print, 2003 p.3. and is the seat of the Shire of York. The name of the region was suggested by JS Clarkson during an expedition in October 1830 because of its similarity to his own county in England,

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

.John E Deacon: A Survey of the Historical Development of the Avon Valley with Particular Reference to York, Western Australia During the Years 1830-1850, UWA, 1948. After thousands of years of occupation by

Nyoongar people, the area was first settled by Europeans in 1831, two years after Perth was settled in 1829. A town was established in 1835 with the release of town allotments and the first buildings were erected in 1836. The region was important throughout the 19th century for sheep and grain farming, sandalwood, cattle, goats, pigs and horse breeding. York boomed during the gold rush as it was one of the last rail stops before the walk to the goldfields.York WA Heritage Walk Trails, York Visitor Centre, Shire of York (undated) p.29. Today, the town attracts tourists for its beauty, history, buildings, festivals and art.

Ballardong Nyoongar

The

people, a sub-group of the

, occupied the land before European settlement.

Post-settlement history

With the increasing population of the

Swan River Settlement The Swan River Colony, also known as the Swan River Settlement, or just Swan River, was a British colony established in 1829 on the Swan River, in Western Australia. This initial settlement place on the Swan River was soon named Perth, and it b ...

in 1830, it became evident that suitable land would have to be discovered for the growing of crops needed to provide necessary food. Ensign Robert Dale, a 20-year-old officer of the 63rd Regiment, led a small party in the first exploratory journey over the

Darling Range The Darling Scarp, also referred to as the Darling Range or Darling Ranges, is a low escarpment running north–south to the east of the Swan Coastal Plain and Perth, Western Australia. The escarpment extends generally north of Bindoon, to th ...

, during the winter months of 1830 into what was later to be known as the Avon Valley. He returned with a report of "park-like lands with scattered trees", and after a second expedition, Lieutenant-Governor Stirling concluded that there appeared to be 1,000 square miles of "the finest imaginable sheep-land". As a result, Stirling decided that the new district should be thrown open for selection and this was done by Government Notice on 11 November 1830. By December 1830, 250,000 acres had been allotted, and in January 1831, 80,000 acres. Before the end of 1831 a further 6,030 acres in small lots had been taken up. In September 1831 Dale escorted the first party of settlers to the district, reaching the Avon valley on 16 September. They immediately set about the construction of huts, the preparation required for their stock and the cultivation of new land. Dale proposed an area two miles south of the summit of Mt Bakewell as the site for a future town to serve the district. In September 1833 a garrison of eight troops of the 21st North British Fusiliers was stationed at York. Rules and regulations for the assignment of town allotments at York were gazetted in September 1834 and allotments were advertised for sale from July 1835. A township did not begin to appear until 1836. In July 1836 York comprised two houses, a barn, an army barracks and some out-houses, with about 50 acres of cleared land. The town grew slowly at first due to difficulties with the local aboriginals, as well as problems associated with using English farming techniques in an unfamiliar climate. In 1831, Revett Henry Bland settled in York, and with his business partner, Arthur Trimmer, leased a 10-acre site north of the town (on which they had built the first house, by the end of September 1831) and took a grant over a 4,000 acre block to the south which they established as a farm, later called Balladong Farm, after the

Noongar, the Aboriginal occupiers of the area. Later, part of the land to the south came to be called Bland's Town or Bland Town. Bland was resident magistrate from 1834 to 1842. In 1836, John Henry Monger Snr arrived and bought the 10 acres of land immediately north of the town site from Bland and Trimmer for £100 on which the first house in York had been constructedPamela Statham Drew and AM (Tony) Clack: York, Western Australia, A Documentary History, p.14. of

wattle and daub Wattle and daub is a composite building method used for making walls and buildings, in which a woven lattice of wooden strips called wattle is daubed with a sticky material usually made of some combination of wet soil, clay, sand, animal dung a ...

. Monger opened a hotel by early 1837, constructing in 1842 a "long, low building" opposite the hotel for a store, and "every three months his wagons would journey to Guildford or Perth for supplies". In July 1836 Lieutenant Henry William St Pierre Bunbury of the 21st Regiment was sent to York to respond to rising levels of violence between colonial settlers and Ballardong Noongar people. His mission was "to make war upon the native". After many individual skirmishes and killings of Ballardong people, rumours of an attack on the natives, in which "several ... were wounded, and one woman was killed", were reported. In response to this, Ballardong people speared a shepherd called Knott. Bunbury initially tried to cover up Knott's death to avoid further conflict. In July 1837 Bunbury was again sent to the York district after the spearing deaths of two young settlers called Chidlow and Jones. In the ensuing violence soldiers and settlers killed at least 18 Ballardong Noongar people. In 1840, the York Agricultural Society was established, which became very influential in the following years, holding annual shows to the present day. The York Racing Club was established in 1843. Both societies continue today. A shortage of labour was a problem for the farming community, particularly at harvest time. A sandalwood boom in the late 1840s lifted the town. At the request of the influential York Agricultural Society, from 1851, convicts were transported to the Colony and relieved the labour shortages. As " ticket-of-leave" men, they constructed many of the early buildings. Solomon Cook constructed a flourmill in 1851 and then steam engine in 1852 to power his mill. York was connected by rail in 1885. Following the discovery of gold in the Yilgarn in 1887, the town was teeming with miners, all alighting from the train and preparing to make the long journey across the plains to the goldfields. In the 1880s the question as to whether or not the railway line to the Goldfields should be run through York or Northam was the subject of bitter debate. "Tradition is that State Parliamentarians became so tired of hearing the rival Notham/York arguments that they suggested that representatives of the two towns decide the issue by a game of cards."King, A and Parker, E: York, Western Australia's first inland town, Parker Print, 2003 p.3. In December 1891, the State Government decided that the line should run through Northam because the distance to Yilgarn was 15 miles shorter and £500 cheaper. The

1968 Meckering earthquake The Western Australian town of Meckering was struck by an earthquake on 14 October 1968. The earthquake occurred at , with a moment magnitude of 6.5 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (''Violent''). Total damage amounted to $2.2 million wi ...

damaged a number of buildings and resulted in removal of the Royal Hotel. Between 1968 and 1971, due to the general downturn in rural activities, and a progressive reduction in railway operations in favour of Northam, many York businesses closed and the population reduced to some extent. York from Mount Brown lookout - panoramio

York from Mount Brown lookout - panoramio

Attractions

York is located in the valley between Mt Bakewell and Mt Brown, known to the

Noongar as Walwalling and Wongborel. On the road to York in Spring are canola fields which draw many tourists. In addition to its heritage and Arts and Crafts buildings and other architecture (refer below), the town features the York Motor Museum, the

Courthouse A courthouse or court house is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English-spe ...

complex, galleries, bric-à-brac and book shops, skydiving and paragliding, and walks along the picturesque Avon River and up Mt Brown. The main attractions in the town include: * Avon Terrace, the main street, lined with heritage buildings *The York Motor Museum, holding 60 vintage cars and 16 motor cycles and other vehicles as well as motor memorabilia *The York Town Hall *The Courthouse complex, which is now a commercial gallery, and the 1852 cells *The giant straw (

wara art Wara art is the Japanese art of making large sculptures from rice straw. Wara art in Japan Traditionally, rice straw was used for making tatami mats and other objects. At the beginning of the 21st century, these objects were increasingly replace ...

) sculptures of endangered animals *The Residency Museum *The Suspension Bridge (also called the Swing Bridge) * Faversham House *Blandstown, a very rare hamlet with many mid to late 19th century homes, unspoilt by development *Historic churches, particularly St Patrick's Church, Holy Trinity Church, and the Uniting Church, and their adjoining church halls. Shops of interest to visitors include: *Gallery 152, a curated gallery *Botanicalia, gallery shop and café, in the former Dinsdale's Shoe Emporium *Barclay Books *The York Flour Mill café and shops *The Sock Factory *Penny Farthing Sweets *Jules cafe The main attractions outside the town include: *York Olive Oil *White Gum Farm *Australia's oldest racecourse In addition to the historic Faversham House, the York Post Office apartment, Hope Farm, and the Old York School and Farm House, there are many other charming places to stay. The town has four historic hotels: Settlers House, the York Palace Hotel, the Imperial Hotel and the Castle Hotel. Lavendale Farm offers farm stays. The town is popular with walkers, cyclists, and photographers. Faversham House, Laurelville, the Imperial Hotel, the York Racecourse, and the Olive Branch provide a venue for weddings and small conferences or other corporate events, as does Lavendale Farm. York offers a splendid wildflower garden behind Faversham House, as well as Avon Park, next to the town on the river, and Peace Park. The York Agricultural Show and The York Festival are normally held in September and October each year.

Heritage buildings

With its hamlet Bland's Town, York has buildings from each decade from the early settlers (1830s and 1840s), the convict period (1850s and 1860s), the coming of rail (1885), the Gold Rush (1887 to 1900), and the Federation boom, culminating in the York Town Hall (1911). Faversham House, overlooking the north end of Avon Terrace, is one of the grandest surviving Colonial homes in the State. More than 200 buildings or sites in York are heritage listed, most within the town itself. Many of York's older homes and buildings have now been restored and, while some have retained their original use (e.g. the York Post Office), others have been adaptively re-used with success, such as the former York Primary School (1886). File:Co-Op, Post Office, Courthouse.jpg, Co-op, York Post Office,

File:Faversham.jpg, Faversham House File:Old York Fire Station.JPG, Fire Station File:Sargent's Pharmacy.jpg, Sargent's Pharmacy File:Davies Building.jpg, Davies Buildings File:York Palace Hotel.jpg, York Palace Hotel File:Masonic Hall, York.jpg, Masonic Hall File:Eliza's cottage.jpg,

Eliza's Cottage Eliza's Cottage is a historic building in the York area of Western Australia. It is a rare example of a rammed earth structure totally contained within later extensions, representative of the type of dwelling built in the York area, and els ...

File:Marwick's_Shed.jpg, Marwick's Shed File:York_Motor_Museum.jpg, York Motor Museum

Arts and Crafts buildings and other fine architecture

The Principal Architect,

George Temple-Poole George Thomas Temple-Poole (born George Thomas Temple, 29 May 1856 – 27 February 1934) was a British architect and public servant, primarily known for his work in Western Australia from 1885. As Superintendent of Public Works, and then Pri ...

, was a follower of Arts and Crafts Style which came out of the Arts and Crafts Movement inspired by

William Morris William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896) was a British textile designer, poet, artist, novelist, architectural conservationist, printer, translator and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts Movement. He w ...

and

John Ruskin John Ruskin (8 February 1819 20 January 1900) was an English writer, philosopher, art critic and polymath of the Victorian era. He wrote on subjects as varied as geology, architecture, myth, ornithology, literature, education, botany and pol ...

. The railway station building (built in 1885), is one of the earliest Federation Arts and Crafts buildings in Australia and could be a

Cotswold The Cotswolds (, ) is a region in central-southwest England, along a range of rolling hills that rise from the meadows of the upper Thames to an escarpment above the Severn Valley and Evesham Vale. The area is defined by the bedrock of Jur ...

cottage from Bibury in Gloucestershire, that William Morris considered the ideal in house design. The Old York Hospital has similarity to William Morris's own home, Red House and is one of the most admired Arts and Crafts buildings in the State. The former York Primary School (1886) also repeats a motif from Red House (the flèche). Federation Free Style buildings (the commercial equivalent of Arts and Crafts style) include the York Post Office (1893), the

and police station (c. 1896). All are designed by Temple-Poole and are on the State Heritage Register. The centre of the town has fine examples of a dozen other Victorian and Federation architectural styles, virtually uninterrupted by modern buildings. The Victorian Georgian style buildings include the old sections of Settlers House and the Castle Hotel. The Convent School House (1872) is a Victorian Tudor building, the same style as many of Perth's early buildings and also probably designed by

Richard Roach Jewell Richard Roach Jewell (1810 in Barnstaple, Devon, England – 1891 in Perth, Western Australia) was an architect who designed many of the important public buildings in Perth during the latter half of the nineteenth century. He was employed to su ...

. York churches include the Victorian Romanesque style Anglican Holy Trinity Church (completed in 1854), designed by

; St Patrick's original church (1859–60); St Patrick's Church (designed in the

Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...

style by the former convict architect Joseph Nunan and completed in 1886); and the Uniting Church Chapel constructed in Victorian Georgian style (1854) and the Uniting Church in Victorian Academic Gothic style (1888). The Catholic Presbytery is in Victorian Rustic Gothic style. The coming of rail in 1885 brought the Victorian Filigree style Imperial Hotel (1886).

Gold rush A gold rush or gold fever is a discovery of gold—sometimes accompanied by other precious metals and rare-earth minerals—that brings an onrush of miners seeking their fortune. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, New ...

buildings include the Federation Warehouse style York Flour Mill (1892), now a café and gallery, at the entrance to York and many of the buildings in Avon Terrace. The Western Australian Bank building, designed by JJ Talbot Hobbs and the Masonic Hall (designed by

James William Wright James William Wright (9 October 1854 – 3 October 1917) was an Australian architect, civil engineer, and politician. He established the first private architectural practice in Western Australia in 1884, which now operates as Cameron Chisholm Ni ...

), are in Victorian Academic Classical style. Most of the main street, Avon Terrace, has Victorian or Federation Free Classical buildings, including the Co-op (IGA) (1888 façade), the York Motor Museum, and Dinsdale's Shoe Emporium (1887) designed by Wright, with a cluster of Federation Romanesque buildings at the north end, including the former Fire Station (1897). Early 20th century buildings include the stunning Federation Mannerist (or Edwardian Opulence) style Town Hall (also designed by Wright, and built in 1911), and an exemplar of Federation Filigree style, the Castle Hotel (1905), designed by William G Wolf, who designed His Majesty's Theatre. File:Imperial Inn and Town Hall.jpg, Town Hall and Imperial Hotel File:York Post Office.jpg, York Post Office File:CastleHotelYork.jpg, Castle Hotel File:York Hospital.jpg, Old York Hospital File:Holy Trinity Church at York, Western Australia (cropped).jpg, Holy Trinity Church File:York Flour Mill.jpg, York Flour Mill File:Westralia Bank.jpg, Western Australian Bank File:Dinsdales.JPG, Dinsdale's Shoe Emporium

List of notable buildings

* Castle Hotel *Central Buildings *

*Convent and convent school *Davies Buildings * Dinsdale's Shoe Emporium *Edwards' Store (former) *

* Faversham House * Fire Station (former) * Flour Mill * Holy Trinity Church *Hope Farm * Hospital (Former) * Imperial Hotel *Kairey Cottage *Kings Head Hotel (former) * Marwick's Shed * Masonic Hall (former) *Mongers Store *

Motor Museum An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy. Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power gene ...

*Nineteen Mile Inn (former) *

Post office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letters and parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post offices may offer additional se ...

* School (Former) * Railway station building * Residency Museum *Sargent's pharmacy * St Patrick's Church * Settlers House * Suspension Bridge * Town Hall * Uniting Church * Western Australian Bank (former) * York Palace Hotel

List of notable people

* Peter Barrow (1813–1899), magistrate and Guardian of Aborigines, priest and school teacher in York in 1840 and 1841. *

Chance Bateman Chance Bateman (born 21 June 1981) is an Australian rules football coach and former player who played for the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League. Bateman was Hawthorn's first indigenous player to reach 100 games, first Ab ...

(1981–), former

AFL AFL may refer to: Sports * American Football League (AFL), a name shared by several separate and unrelated professional American football leagues: ** American Football League (1926) (a.k.a. "AFL I"), first rival of the National Football Leagu ...

player for the Hawthorn Football Club. * Enid Bennett (1893–1969),

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

actress, born in York. * Marjorie Bennett (1896-1982) was an

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...

n-born

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

and film

actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

born in York, who worked mainly in

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It ...

and the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

, who began her acting career during the

era, sister of Enid. * Revett Henry Bland (1811–1994), early settler and first resident magistrate in York. * William Locke Brockman (1802–1872), an early settler who became a leading pastoralist and stock breeder, and a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council. *

Eliza Brown Eliza Brown (1903 – 1983) was an American classic female blues singer and recording artist, who also went by the alias Ozie McPherson and after marriage as Ozie Ware. She was active in the late 1920s, when she recorded several tracks for Columb ...

(1811–1896), wife of Thomas Brown. She and Thomas wrote letters to her father, William Bussey, many of which were published in the book "A Faithful Picture" by Peter Cowan. * Thomas Brown (1803–1862), early York settler farming at Grass Dale, which he purchased from Revett Henry Bland, became a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council. * Henry William St Pierre Bunbury (1812–1875), Lieutenant of 21st Regiment, stationed in York in 1836, led attack in Avon Valley against Aboriginal peoples, established military post in Bunbury which was named after him, his letters were published in 1930. * Lockier Burges (1814–1886), emigrated to Western Australia with his two brothers William Burges and Samuel Evans Burges. They took up 5,600 acres (2,300 ha) of land at York in 1837, which they named Tipperary after their birthplace. *

Thomas Burges Thomas Burges (July 1830 – 7 August 1893) was an Australian pastoralist and politician who was a member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia on three occasions – from 1874 to 1878, from 1885 to 1887, and from 1890 until his death ...

(1830–1893) was a pastoralist and politician who was a member of the Legislative Council of

. *

William Burges William Burges (; 2 December 1827 – 20 April 1881) was an English architect and designer. Among the greatest of the Victorian art-architects, he sought in his work to escape from both nineteenth-century industrialisation and the Neoc ...

(1806 or 1808–1876), brother of Lockier. As secretary of the York Agricultural Society in 1847, he was closely involved in that body's ultimately successful petition for Western Australia to become a penal colony. He strongly opposed female convicts. * Solomon Cook (1812–1871) was an American engineer who constructed a substantial mill and one of Western Australia's first steam engines at York. *James Cowan (1848–1937), York Clerk of Courts and Postmaster (1864–1870) who became registrar and Master of the Supreme Court; husband of Edith Cowan.Pamela Statham Drew and AM (Tony) Clack: York, Western Australia, A Documentary History, p285; Rica Erikson: Dictionary of Western Australians re Cowan. *

Walkinshaw Cowan Walkinshaw Cowan (25 December 180822 January 1888) was private secretary to Western Australian Governors John Hutt, Andrew Clarke and Frederick Irwin, then in 1848 he became Guardian of Aborigines and a justice of the peace, and then resident ...

(1808–1888) was the Protector of Natives at York (from 1848), also a Police Magistrate and then Resident Magistrate of York and Beverley (1863–1887). *William Cowan (1854–1940), York Clerk of Courts (1870–1875), resident magistrate (1897–1919). During the whole term of occupancy on the bench, none of his decisions was upset on appeal, including an appeal to the High Court. * Cowits (c.1832–1868), first Aboriginal Assistant at the York Police Station, who at 10 years of age accompanied Henry Landor and

Henry Maxwell Lefroy Henry Maxwell Lefroy (August 1818 – 18 July 1879) was a prominent explorer of the Mid West and Goldfields-Esperance regions of Western Australia. He was the son of Rev. John Henry George Lefroy, the rector of Compton and Ashe, who died when ...

on their 1842 expedition south east of Beverley, and later accompanied Lefroy's 1863 expedition to what is now called Lake Lefroy. * Les Craig CMG (1892–1966) was a politician who was a member of the Legislative Council of

. * Samuel Smale Craig (1802–1869), constructed the Castle Hotel in 1853 and then ran it until his death. * Robert Dale (1810–1853), the first European to cross the

, where he discovered the fertile Avon Valley and explored the future locations of Northam, Toodyay and York. *William Dinsdale Snr (1816–1878), arrived 1858 as a convict, brought family out in 1863, York shoe and boot maker, also a small farmer. *William Dinsdale Jnr (1851–1921) Mayor of York from 3 December 1896 to November 1898, and again from 20 November 1901 to 1907; built Dinsdale's Shoe Emporium; in 1897 became Manager and then co-owner of the York Flour Mill. *Robert Doncon (1814–1881) with his wife Sophia in 1849 built and then ran the Kings Head Inn. * Aimable Duperouzel (1831–1901), French born convict who became a successful farmer and land owner. * John Drummond (1816–1906) was an early

settler A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established a permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. A settler who migrates to an area previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited may be described as a pioneer. Settle ...

and the first Inspector of Native Police. *William Edwards (1792–1865), former soldier who had fought at Waterloo, moved to York in the 1840s,Pamela Statham Drew and AM (Tony) Clack: York, Western Australia, A Documentary History, p56. his grandsons Charles and Kenneth established in 1882 the store which is now the York and Districts Co-op. *William Edwards Jnr (1821–1889), opened a store in 1867 (where Central Buildings now are), then into a new building on the same site at the end of 1871; built Heartleap Hill. * Zac Fisher (1998–), AFL player for the Carlton Football Club. *Patrick Joseph Gibney (1843–1915), Catholic priest in York from 1868 to 1900, responsible for constructing St Patrick's Catholic Church, York. * Eric William Gillett (1899—1987) was mayor of the Municipality of Claremont from 1940 until 1953, and Chancellor of the University of Western Australia from 1948 until 1956. * Louis Giustiniani was an Italian missionary who came to Western Australia in 1836 with his wife Maria to establish a Moravian style mission employing Aboriginal peoples at Guildford. He also visited York. He formed the view that the settlers were always at fault in conflicts with Aboriginal peoples, reporting his findings to Lord Glenelg. He was attacked for his views and was recalled to London. * David Gault (born 1975) is a former

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...

er who played for the South Fremantle Football Club in the

West Australian Football League The West Australian Football League (WAFL) is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The league currently consists of ten teams, which play each other in a 20-round season usually lasting from March to September ...

. * Ron Gaunt (1934-2012) was an Australian

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by st ...

er who played in 3

Tests Test(s), testing, or TEST may refer to: * Test (assessment), an educational assessment intended to measure the respondents' knowledge or other abilities Arts and entertainment * ''Test'' (2013 film), an American film * ''Test'' (2014 film), ...

from 1958 to 1964. *Patrick Hackett (c.1857–1884), Police Constable, murdered in Beverley by Thomas Carbury and Andrew Miller. * Edward Hamersley (senior) (1810–1874), early settler and landholder. *

Edward Hamersley (junior) Edward Hamersley (1 September 1835 or 1836 – 14 January 1921) was a Western Australian pastoralist, and a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council for nearly ten years. Biography Early life Edward Hamersley was born in Paris o ...

(1835–1927), son of Edward Hamersley (senior), inherited Wilberforce. Elected in 1880 to the Legislative Council seat of York. *John Hardey (1802-1885) was an early settler and farmed near York, brother of Joseph. *Joseph Hardey (1804-1875) was a Wesleyan preacher from Lincolnshire and early settler, farmed at Tranby House Maylands and then at York with his brother John. *

Nicholas Hasluck Nicholas Paul Hasluck AM (born 17 October 1942) is an Australian novelist, poet, short story writer, and former judge. Early life Nicholas Hasluck was born in Canberra. His father, Sir Paul Hasluck was a minister in the Federal Government u ...

(1942–), retired judge and poet, has a home in York. * Sir Paul Hasluck (1905–1993), , politician and

Governor-General of Australia The governor-general of Australia is the representative of the monarch, currently King Charles III, in Australia.Edmund Henderson (1821–1896), Comptroller-General of Convicts in Western Australia from 1850 to 1863 and in about mid 1854 drew a picture of York from Mt Brown, which was turned into an engraving which was published in '' The Illustrated London News'' of 28 February 1857. * Sir William Heseltine (1930–), Private Secretary to Sir Robert Menzies,

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is ...

, 1955–1959, and later Private Secretary to the Sovereign, and Keeper of the Queen's Archives, lived at York for a while during retirement. *James William Hope (1851-1918) appointed as Resident Medical Officer for the York District in 1874, married Helena Aurora Monger in 1878, in 1882 became Medical Officer at Fremantle Prison and then superintendent of the Fremantle Lunatic Asylum, later became Commissioner of Health. *William Hoops (1819–1893), farmed with Samuel Burges before becoming a storekeeper and postmaster in York. *Henry Horton (1818–1887), licensee of the "Lakes Inn" from 1859, and ran a passenger service from Guildford to York. *

(1810–1891), architect of a number of York buildings. *

Moondyne Joe Joseph Johns ( February 1826 – 13 August 1900), better known as Moondyne Joe, was an English convict and Western Australia's best-known bushranger. Born into poor and relatively difficult circumstances, he became something of a petty criminal ...

(c 1826–1900), a convict and

's best-known bushranger, spent a night in the York lockup in December 1865 during his escape from custody. Republished in 1998 by Carlisle, Western Australia: Hesperian Press, p.40. . *

Robert Juniper Robert Litchfield Juniper, AM (7 January 192920 December 2012) was an Australian artist, art teacher, illustrator, painter, printmaker and sculptor. Early life Juniper was born in the wheat-belt town of Merredin, Western Australia. He studied ...

, artist and designer of the stained glass windows of Holy Trinity Church, York. *King Dick, an Aboriginal man who showed Edward Parker and William McKnoe an all weather route from St Ronan's Well to Mahogany Inn in 1849 (called King Dick's line of road). *Billy Kickett (also called Noongale) (1853–1905), aboriginal who (with Tommy Windich) accompanied

John Forrest Sir John Forrest (22 August 1847 – 2 SeptemberSome sources give the date as 3 September 1918 1918) was an Australian explorer and politician. He was the first premier of Western Australia (1890–1901) and a long-serving cabinet minister ...

and Alexander Forrest on their expedition across the Great Australian Bight to Adelaide in mid 1870. * Edward Wilson Landor (1816–1878), lawyer, scholar, writer and pioneer, who wrote about Western Australia including visits to Balladong Farm and going to the York Fair in the 1840s, brother of Henry Landor. * Henry Landor (1816–1877), settler, farmer, physician, scientist and explorer who farmed with Nathan Knight on Bland's 4,000 acre farm Balladong from 1841 to 1844, and was active in the community. He emigrated to Ontario and became the first medical superintendent of the Asylum for the Insane,

London, Ontario London (pronounced ) is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, along the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor. The city had a population of 422,324 according to the 2021 Canadian census. London is at the confluence of the Thames River, approximat ...

and an advocate of moral treatment of mental patients. *

(1818–1879) was an early settler in York and a prominent explorer of the Mid West and Goldfields–Esperance regions. *

Dominic McCarthy Lawrence Dominic McCarthy, VC (21 January 1892 – 25 May 1975) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Early life ...

(1892–1975), was an Australian recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previousl ...

, born in York. *Esmae Marwick (1911–1990), founder of The York Society. *

Thomas Marwick Thomas William Marwick (29 April 1895 – 3 April 1960) was an Australian farmer and politician. He was a member of the Country Party and served both as a Senator for Western Australia (1936–1937) and as a member of the House of ...

(1895–1960) was a politician and the first West Australian to have served in both houses of federal parliament. * William Marwick (1833-1925) was a settler who came from England in 1852 as an 18-year-old boy to York, gradually built up a large carting and fodder business, and amassed large land holdings. He was closely involved in the opening up of the goldfields in the 1880s and 1890s. * Reg Mattiske (1912–1992), born and raised in York, was a politician and member of the Western Australian Legislative Council from 1956 to 1965, representing Metropolitan Province. * Richard Goldsmith Meares (1780–1862), second resident magistrate of York and Beverley. * Janet Millett (1821–1904), née Webster, wife of York Anglican priest Rev Edward Millett (1863–1869) and author of '' An Australian Parsonage'' (published 1872). *

Jimmy Melbourne James Edward Melbourne (''c.'' 1876 – 13 December 1937) was the first Indigenous Australian to play senior Australian rules football in the Western Australian Football Association. Melbourne was orphaned at the age of four and spent his form ...

(c.1876–1937) was the first

Indigenous Australian Indigenous Australians or Australian First Nations are people with familial heritage from, and membership in, the ethnic groups that lived in Australia before British colonisation. They consist of two distinct groups: the Aboriginal peoples ...

to play senior

in a major Australian football league. *

Frederick Monger Frederick Charles Monger (25 January 1863 – 15 November 1919) was an Australian businessman and politician who was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia from 1892 to 1903 and again from 1905 to 1914, representing the seat ...

(1863-1919), businessman and politician who was a member of the Legislative Assembly of

from 1892 to 1903 and again from 1905 to 1914, representing the seat of York. He and his father,

John Henry Monger John Henry Monger Jr (25 January 1831 – 23 December 1892) was a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council from 1870 to 1875, and again from 1890 to 1892. Monger was born in Perth, Western Australia in 1831; his father, John Henry ...

Jr, were the first father–son pair to be elected to the Parliament of Western Australia. * John Henry Monger Snr (1802–1867), early settler, opened first hotel and store in York, became a prominent land owner, built the first two stages of Faversham House. *

Jr (1831–1892), was a

Member Member may refer to: * Military jury, referred to as "Members" in military jargon * Element (mathematics), an object that belongs to a mathematical set * In object-oriented programming, a member of a class ** Field (computer science), entries in ...

of the

n Legislative Council from 1870 to 1875, and again from 1890 to 1892. * Joseph Taylor Monger (1831–1892), was a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council from 1875 to 1880, and a York merchant. * George Fletcher Moore (1798–1856), early settler and explorer of the Avon River and early land owner. * Joseph Nunan (1854–1917),

Fenian The word ''Fenian'' () served as an umbrella term for the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) and their affiliate in the United States, the Fenian Brotherhood, secret political organisations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries dedicate ...

convict, architect of architect of St Patrick's Church in York. *

Walter Padbury Walter Padbury (22 December 1820 – 18 April 1907) was a British-born Australian pioneer, politician and philanthropist. Early Life Padbury was born in Stonesfield in the English county of Oxfordshire on 22 December 1820. At the age of 10, ...

(1820–1907), merchant and philanthropist, worked as a shepherd for the Burges brothers in York from 1836 to 1842. *Stephen Parker (senior) (c.1790–c.1880), early York settler. * Stephen Stanley Parker (1817–1904), son of Stephen Parker (senior) *

Stephen Henry Parker Sir Stephen Henry Parker (7 November 1846 – 13 December 1927) was a lawyer and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Western Australia from 1906 to 1914. Biography Early life Stephen Henry Parker was the second son of Stephen Stanley Park ...

(1846–1927), son of Stephen Stanley Parker *

Marlion Pickett Marlion Pickett (born 6 January 1992) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). At age 27 and after a six and a half season career with in the West Australian ...

(born 1892) is a professional

er playing for the Richmond Football Club in the

Australian Football League The Australian Football League (AFL) is the only fully professional sports, professional competition of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AFL also serves as the sport's governing body and is responsible for controlling ...

(AFL). He was the first player to debut in a VFL/AFL grand final in 67 years and the first to win a premiership in his debut game since 1926. Has lived in York. * Christopher Pullin (1947–), former judge, has a home in York. * Joseph Pyke (1831–1910) who settled in York in 1857 with his wife Elizabeth, become a store keeper and land owner, and took a prominent and active role in town affairs. * Hugh Roche (1893–1962) was a politician who served as a Country Party member of the Legislative Council of

from 1940 to 1960. * Herbie Screaigh (1911–2002) was an

er who played for the East Perth Football Club in the

Western Australian National Football League The West Australian Football League (WAFL) is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The league currently consists of ten teams, which play each other in a 20-round season usually lasting from March to September, ...

(WANFL). * John Smithies (1802–1872), Wesleyan minister who tried to establish the Gerald Mission in York. * John Taylor (1821–1890), son of an Oxford carpenter, arrived 1841 with a horse and cow, indentured to Thomas Brown, leased and then purchased Yangedine, built a farming estate. *

Lindsay Thorn Lindsay Thorn (7 June 1891 – 13 July 1971) was an Australian politician who was a Country Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia from 1930 to 1959, representing the seat of Toodyay. He was a minister in the governmen ...

(1891–1971) was a Country Party member of the Legislative Assembly of

from 1930 to 1959, representing the seat of Toodyay and a minister in the government of Sir

Ross McLarty Sir Duncan Ross McLarty, (17 March 1891 – 22 December 1962) was an Australian politician and the 17th Premier of Western Australia. Early life McLarty was born in Pinjarra, Western Australia, the youngest of seven children of Edward McLarty ...

. * Arthur Trimmer (1805-1877) was one of the first settlers in York, being with Revett Henry Bland the first to breed merino sheep (later Balladong Farm). Bland and Trimmer built the first building in the town, which was sold to John Henry Monger Snr in 1836, and he later moved to the Albany region. * Arthur Wansbrough (1877–1949) was a trade unionist and politician who was a Labor Party member of the Legislative Assembly of

from 1924 to 1936, representing the seat of Albany. * Tommy Windich (c1840-c1876), indigenous member of a number of exploring expeditions in

in the 1860s and 1870s. Worked at York. *

Frank Wittenoom Francis "Frank" Frederick Burdett Wittenoom (17 December 185511 September 1939) was an explorer and pastoralist in Western Australia. Biography Early life Frank Wittenoom was born in York, Western Australia in 1855.explorer and pastoralist. * John Burdett Wittenoom (1788–1855), early settler and land owner. *

Garnet Wood Garnet Barrington Wood (1 July 1888 – 3 January 1952) was an Australian politician who served as a Country Party member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia from 1936 until his death. He was a minister in the government of Ross Mc ...

(1888–1952), Country Party member of the Legislative Council of

and a minister in the government of

, who farmed at York.

Facilities

The York Visitor Centre is located in the Town Hall. York is well serviced with all essential facilities, including York District High School for students from kindergarten to Year 10. The York Community Resource Centre enables access to tertiary education. There is a 24/7 medical service, the York District Hospital, library, and swimming pool. York has had a community radio station, Voice of the Avon 101.3FM, since 1994. Beginning life as York FM in the old convent the current location is at the corner of Barker St and Forrest St. The volunteer-driven station presents a 24/7 music service with presenters providing their own programs for 82 hours per week between 6am and 10pm.

Climate

York is in a

temperate climate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout ...

zone and experiences distinctly dry (and hot) summers and cool, wet winters. Under the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

, York has a

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...

. York has hotter summer afternoons than

, with a huge difference compared to the Fremantle shoreline. Winters are more likely to see cold nights instead due to the lower maritime influence. Air frost during the night can emerge on certain occasions during the colder months. Climate data has been recorded by the Bureau of Meteorology at York Post Office from 1877 to 1996, and another site from 1996 onwards. At the post office site, the mean annual daily maximum temperature is and the mean annual daily minimum temperature is . The hottest month is January with a mean maximum temperature of , while the coolest month is July with a mean minimum temperature of . Mean temperatures are based on data from 1880 to 1996. York has a mean annual rainfall of . The wettest month is June with and the driest is January with . A severe

thunderstorm A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a storm characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere, known as thunder. Relatively weak thunderstorms are some ...

lashed the town and surrounding areas on 27 January 2011, resulting in roofs being ripped off, trees being uprooted and power lines being brought down. About 40 houses were damaged in the town as a result of the storm but no injuries were reported.

Notes

References

External links

Shire of York
{{authority control Towns in Western Australia Grain receival points of Western Australia 1831 establishments in Australia