Weekend Activities in Perth - Northam & The Avon Descent

Northam is the major town of the Avon Valley and is a busy farming centre on the railway line to Kalgoorlie-Boulder. The railway from Perth once ended here and the miners had to make the rest of the trek to the goldfields by road.

Northam has some fine heritage buildings but it is mostly known for being the start of the Avon Descent and as a result is packed with people of the first weekend of August every year.

The Avon Descent is a 133km race for power dingys, kayaks and canoes. It passes through Toodyay and the Avon Valley and Walyunga National Parks and finishes in Bayswater in Perth. In 2004 there were 804 competitors in 578 craft. This event is huge with 25,000 spectators along the course.

For more information on the Avon Descent see http://www.avondescent.com.au/

Unusually for WA there are white swans in Northam. They were originally introduced by the then mayor in 1896 and made their home on the Avon River which is a perfect habitat and breeding ground for them. You can still watch them being fed near the suspension bridge at 9am on weekdays and 10am on weekends.