YORK - PART 1 (1 - 4 NOVEMBER 2013)

By the time we were ready to leave Toodyay for the short 70 kms hop to our next destination, York, three factors had emerged which were having a significantly negative impact on the life of your scribe.  The first was the unseasonal hot weather, the second the determined and very friendly bush flies and the third was hayfever, shocking damned hayfever!  But we were in the Wheatbelt after all, the hay cutting was in full swing and the other grain crops were well on the way to being fully ripe and ready for harvest....I should have expected to have a head like a stuffed potato notwithstanding a daily scoffing of massive doses of antihistamines. 

Despite all we were committed to our next dose of early WA history in the small township of York which is situated some 100 kms east of Perth.  Like Toodyay, York is nestled in the Avon Valley. It lies between Mount Brown and Mount Bakewell and proudly lays claim to being the first inland town in Western Australia.  

The Victorian and Federation buildings which feature in York's main street and elsewhere have been wonderfully restored and maintained as a result of which this town has become a very popular day trip destination for the good folk of Perth.  This was clearly evident to us over the weekend we were there.

Our visit had two purposes.  The first was to soak up more of early WA history.  The second was far more hedonistic...we had booked tickets for a Medieval Banquet to be held in the York Mill on Saturday 2 November (we had spotted this on a previous quick visit from Northam whilst en route to Perth three weeks previously).

As usual, let me begin with our digs, the York Caravan Park, where we had made sure a spot would be available before outlaying our hard earned for the banquet tickets.  

Like most parks in this part of the world, water is a scarce commodity and grass is at a minimum but here in York, as can be seen from the entrance, the sites are flat and there were many large shade trees. It is quite remarkable just what a difference a few hours of good shade can make to the interior temperature of the van and with the hot weather we were experiencing, this was most welcomed....particularly by the ship's cat who does not do heat! 

Our rather quaint hosts Elizabeth and Michael saw us to our allotted site and we quickly settled in to a minimalist existence with awning, shadecloth and our plastic flooring only.  On reflection I should have put down our dust proof C-Gear, but I made the mistake of thinking that the small rubble on the ground here was not too dusty...I have been sweeping York dust out of this material ever since.

Poor old Elizabeth and Michael did run a tight park which saw them engaged in a daily fight with the eucalyptus leaves which at this time of the year were dropping with vigour.  It is odd to think that most Australians would argue that gum trees are evergreens and therefore never shed. Not so. They may not do an autumn drop, but they do replace!

One feature of this park which we had never come across before were these little gazebos which were dotted throughout.  What a great idea for encouraging travellers to share a drink and a tale.  We did not make use of the spot near us, though.  Did  I forget to mention the mosquitos?  Let me remedy that right now...in York they compete with the flies for one's attention and inflict considerably more damage.

This does bring me to a small aside.  I have grizzled previously and probably somewhat boringly about the flies.  Come on Marshie, flies are a part of life in this great country of ours. Well, in WA at the present they have reached plague proportions. They have now acquired 'significant bloody pest status' to the extent that the news services have recently been carrying items detailing the steps being taken by the Government to breed and disseminate hordes of dung beetles to help reduce fly breeding potential.  Go the dung beetles....I have a new found respect for the work of these odd little creatures. 

But back to York, and again as we did in Toodyay, we began our sightseeing with the mandatory Avon River walk (sorry to be so predictable!) which we commenced at York's swing bridge.  This stands on the site of the original swing bridge over the Avon built by convicts in about 1889, which leads me to another small 'footnote'.  

Unlike South Australia, where the development of the colony was the result of the work of free settlers, the founding fathers of WA saw the advantages (to them) of acquiring convict labour.   Of course good old Mother England could not agree more...let's clear out the Thames prison hulks and pack them all off to the fresh air of the Antipodes.  Much of the early development of the west is a direct result not only of pure convict labour but also of the broader skills these folk brought to the colony when they had served out their sentences. 

Back to our river walk.  The current swing bridge, to my relief, is not the original.  Due to 'safety concerns' the present day bridge was completely rebuilt in 1988. One can therefore sway and bounce across the river with complete confidence, and,

if the jolly thing stops moving for a moment, take shots upstream of the river itself and the main road bridge in the distance.

The path along the banks of the Avon in York is considerably wider than its counterpart in Toodyay and much less rustic.  Historic markers have been placed long the 1.5 km walkway, but given that much of what they describe is not longer standing in any form, they seemed to us to be a little hollow in significance.  And whilst in grumble mode, I must comment that we did find it somewhat odd to be on a 'river walk' which, for the most part, did not provide views of the river. To be fair, however, this is a direct result of the large seasonal fluctuations in the river levels.  An all seasons pathway at the water's edge is a practical impossibility.  

But here and there we did come across spots of interest....this sign, for example, which I have included particularly for my great mate, KG.  

Some things are universal, Kev, especially weeds.

Another thing which caught our eye as we rambled along the track were these tepees. Just what one would expect to find in an historical town on the Avon!

The site of the original river crossing was much more like what we had come to see,

and from here the view downstream was just what the tourist information promises and what we had hoped to find.

From river level to local hilltop lookout. There is no point in having nearby significant hills without establishing a town lookout.  York does it well on Mount Brown.  From here we had a great view over the township

and, panning further to the right, of Mount Bakewell near the base of which our caravan park was located.

The view to the left of York township with its large silos, and the yellowing grain fields beyond, left no doubt that we were still in the WA Wheatbelt region. 

It was time for the main street and some serious historical meanderings.  It's almost difficult to know just where to start in York, 







so let's begin with the architectural leader, the Town Hall.  You may recall that Toodyay had to wait for the funding for its main civic centre because York got in first.  Once I had set eyes on 

this magnificent example of Edwardian opulence, it was not difficult to understand why public funds were somewhat scarce following its construction in 1911.  The Information Centre is housed in this wonderful building, which boasts an interior decor, staircase and doorway fanlight to match the exterior.  Strangely enough this Town Hall is noted as being one of the largest ever built in country WA.  And it is available for hire.  What a venue for a bash!

As is my want, I was keen to see the venues at which the worthy citizens of York, new and old, quenched their thirsts.  Like Toodyay, York now boasts three pubs, only two of which offer liquid refreshment to the populace.  And, again as is the case in  Toodyay, one of the hotels, the York, is given over to living quarters, albeit in this case, fancy holiday apartments.  






The Castle, however, was a different matter altogether.  Here they do serve beer and other liquid goodies, have a bistro, a beer garden and a very friendly staff.  This is a good pub. I did enjoy my allotted two pints (the keeper of the purse was right at hand) in the bar and enclosed beer garden of The Castle.





We did make an attempt to spread our tourist shekels without favour with a visit to The Imperial only to be stymied at the door, the securely locked front door. We soon discovered that The Imperial has been given over to 'fine dining' and does deign to provide a bar service, but only at limited times, which do not include the late afternoon.  Any thought of eating at The Imperial was soon knocked well on the head when we spied a menu. Nonsensical prices.  So be it... back to The Castle.  

York presents such a plethora of interesting and, in cases, quite spectacular, old buildings (some of which are somewhat inadequately captured in this second streetscape)

that a ruthless approach to selection for this piece was necessary if it were not to be tryingly long.  







The Post Office in the heart of the main street does not warrant exclusion, 










as is the case with its immediate neighbour, the 'new' Courthouse.   And I trust you will marvel at my ability to have captured these without the bothersome interference of local traffic.  An 0530 hours sunrise does have some advantages (I wasn't here quite that early but obviously before business hours)

The impressive facade of the Davis/Collins building and the balcony and corner tower of what was once a York pub but now houses various shops, lie just beyond the Courthouse, whilst, 










on the other side of the road one can find what used to be the 'Settlers Inne' which is now also given over to commercial businesses, although there are fine holiday apartments in a courtyard area at the rear. The original signage has been retained on the facade.

One section really took our fancy. Heaven forbid that the upright folk of York should have to endure anything other than complete rectitude in its visiting population.  I had wonderful visions of the subterfuges in which any non-married couples would have to engage to rest their wearies on the beds of the Settlers' House, York, and wondered just how many 'gentlemen' of the time were travelling with their 'nieces' Queen Victoria has much to answer for!

A little beyond the central CBD this old bank building caught my eye. We have come to recognize this type of building as typical of early bank buildings all over the country....the 'solid and dependable' look!

As I mentioned earlier, York attracts hordes of visitors to the town and area. They all have to stay somewhere, and, not surprisingly there is a thriving B&B industry in the town itself and the local countryside.  Some of these are nothing short of grand, such as 'Faversham House' (pictured here from the only position I could get a shot which does not really show the second wing of the building)  This is a classic example of the style of early settler mansions...two storey, two end wings and connecting balcony.








And the Federation style does not miss out in York.  Of the many I found, 'Elsinore' was the finest looking.







Not too far from this grand B&B I came across an example of just what can be achieved with the application of imagination, labour and water. This garden was just delightful and not surprisingly had been awarded the 'garden of the year' on more than one occasion. This is another instance in which my photo does not do its subject complete justice. 








The wonderful greenery of this garden was given more emphasis by the fact that immediately next door is a dryland park.  The contrast could not have been more stark.









Before we leave the township of York a few snippets. There is a real mix of housing in the township, old and new. Redevelopment is taking place, particularly along the river bank, but there are still plenty of examples of original cottages to be found. This one reminded us very much of the old Cornish miners' cottages in the SA copper triangle area.

  

One of York's earliest industries revolved around the harvesting of the sandalwood which was abundant in the area and highly prized.  This old sandalwood warehouse still stands on the main street.












Behind it is the owner's cottage and the yard in which the cut sandalwood was stacked and dried before being marketed.

The York RSL threw up a surprise.  I was less than overwhelmed by the Sub-Branch building itself, 











but the rear gardens and BBQ area were another matter altogether.  It is obvious that much of the RSL fellowship in York is conducted outdoors. 






And here I found another local oddity...a statue in local stone carved to represent the 'eternal flame'.

I have never come across anything like this before.  Whilst not quite an artistic masterpiece, it is certainly different.




Churches have been a touch thin on the ground in recent blogs.   In most country towns we have visited, the Catholic influence and the size and scale of their church holdings has been impressive, but in York the Anglicans definitely come out on top with their imposing 'York Trinty' church.




And they were clearly a practical lot.  I was most impressed to find, at the rear of the church, two purpose built 'comfort stations'.  I have never before seen a thunder box located in church grounds. Genuine Christian consideration at work here!  "Johnny, you make sure you go before we jump in the dray for the ride home".

After wading through this lot you may well find it hard to believe I have used only a third of the photos I took in York.  It is a veritable architectural treasure trove.  The effort, expended and continuing, to restore and maintain these buildings is obvious evidence of the fact that the locals know just what they are on to.

And of course, all this history is a magnet for those who like to dress up and run about in armour and fancy dress.  Next, our York Medieval Banquet and Fayre.