This lovely Wheatbelt town is a two hour drive from our home. It is one of the early areas established in the West Australian colony. Land grants were first taken up in 1831 and the town was established in 1868.
The old well maintained buildings, some with great street art, house the usual supermarket, hardware supplies, pharmacy, cafes, a great dress shop, a bakery and art and craft shops and galleries, plus some shops selling old wares. It seems to support a vibrant arts and sporting community. Beverley is an easy drive from the city and an interesting way to spend a day in the country.
Last week, on a cool, clear sunny winters day, we visited family in Beverley. After lunch, we went for a wander along the wide, main street, Vincent Street. Many of the architecturally interesting facades from early development remain.
Famous for the Beverley Soaring Club, the largest club in WA, you can book a trip for a silent view from the sky.
The council publishes a detailed guidebook, Welcome to Beverley, full of useful information. It includes the plan for a short walking tour of the main street.
ROADS BOARD OFFICE. Built in 1908 and in use until 1961, this is now a private house.
OLD COURT HOUSE Designed by George Temple Poole and built in 1897, the courthouse was in use until 1990.
George Temple Poole, an Englishman, was born in Rome, where his parents were holidaying. After working in Ceylon and London, he was appointed Superintendent of Public Works for Western Australia in June 1885. He oversaw the design and construction of more than 200 buildings throughout Western Australia. Thirty four of these are listed by the National Trust and described as, ” essential to the heritage of Australia and must be kept.”
OLD POLICE STATION AND COTTAGES These Federation style cottages and Police Station, just off Vincent Street, were built in 1910 and restored by the National Trust in 2010.
OLD COUNCIL CHAMBERS Built 1898.
OLD BANK HOUSE 1907, Federation style, now a private residence.
FREEMASONS TAVERN Originally this building had wide verandas, typical of when it was build in 1886. It was re-built after a fire in 1908. Recently renovated.
BEVERLEY STATION AND PLATFORM THEATRE Built in 1886 and restored in 2006. Now a multipurpose cultural precinct and railway station. Like so many other areas of the town, it has a carefully clipped and maintained garden.
BEVERLEY POST OFFICE Still in use as a Post Office plus a newsagency, built in 1910 in the Federation style.
To the right of the Post Office is the ANZ BANK, built in 1909.
BEVERLEY OLD JUNIOR SCHOOL Designed by the famous West Australian architect, George Temple Poole and built in 1894. Typical red brick building with large windows, a school design repeated all over Western Australia.
On the way home, canola crops in flower.
Green countryside following good winter rains.
Grass trees, damaged in a previous bush fire, recovering well.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all horses in the Southern Hemisphere for yesterday! Horse ages are standardized so the closer the horse is born to August the first, the older it is in its division. In the Northern Hemisphere, horses celebrate their birthdays’ on January the first. Hope you made a carrot cake for any equine friends you have and helped them celebrate by kicking up your heels.