Weekend Activities in Perth - Toodyay

Toodyay, according to everything you read about it, is described as a "charming small town". It is only 85km northeast of perth and used to be only visited by people stopping off on their way to New Norcia. Now, however, it is becoming a popular weekend destination in it's own right.

The town was founded in 1836 making it one of the earliest inland settlements of the Swan River Colony and many buildings still survive, as a result the whole town has been classified by the National Trust.

The town was originally known by the name "Newcastle". It was changed to Toodyay (pronounced 2J) in 1910. Toodyay means "place of plenty" and came from the Aboriginal word duidgee.

The town is a great place for a stroll with antique and craft outlets, a few tearooms, riverside walks and parks. The Avon Valley and Walyunga national parks follow the Avon River southwest of the town and make another scenic stop on the road to and from Perth.

Historic buildings include St Stephen's Church and the Mechanics Institute which features unusual scissor trusses supporting the roof. Another place to visit whilst you're there is Coorinja which is the oldest inland winery in WA. About 6km west of Toodyay, it began operating in the 1870's and now specialises in fortified wines , particularly port.

On the main road of Stirling Terrace you can find Connor Mill which is still a working flour mill. Next door is an information centre and museum featuring displays on the exploits of the local bushranger known as "Moondyne Joe";

I don't know what it is about bushrangers in WA but they seem to be celebrated more for their flouting of authority than anything else. Apparently few local criminals have captured people's imagination more than Moondyne Joe who is the west's most famous bushranger.

He has a song, The Ballad of Moondyne Joe, dedicated to him; a book written about him; a festival held in Toodyay each May in his honour and a cave in Margaret River is named after him.

His appeal is down to his reputation os a Harry Houdini of the bushranging world and his ability to evade authorities.

Born Joseph Bolitho Johns, he was transported to WA for larceny and arrived in Fremantle in 1853. In 1861 he was arrensted on a charge of horse stealing, escaped from Toodyay jail, was recaptured and sentenced to 3 years in jail.

He became famous because of his ability to escape, rather than the severity of his crimes because between November 1865 and March 1867 he made four attempts to escape, three of the were successful. After each successful attempt he returned to the wild and inaccessible Darling Range to hide.

When he was eventually captured he was place in a special reinforced cell in Fremantle with three lots of bars at his windows. In 1867 he was allowed out for exercise and escaped again and headed back to the hills. He was recaptured and eventually conditionally pardoned in 1873. So he ended up spending 12 years either locked up or on the run for not completing 3 years imprisonment!