Historic Towns

The hills forest, streams and fertile coastal plain attracted European settlers to the land that had sustained a diverse Indigenous Australian culture for many thousands of years. The towns of Byford, Mundijong, Jarrahdale and Serpentine reflect in various ways the rich history of the area.
From the 1830’s onwards European settlers established small farms for cattle, sheep, horses and crops. In the 1870’s a thriving timber industry was driving the economy of the state. Jarrahdale was the first “Timber Town” of many throughout the South west of the state.
Dairy and Poultry farms provide food for the growing population of Perth to the present day. The materials and style of the old buildings are a testament to the hard work and ingenuity of the pioneer workers. There are small museums in the shire that tell the story of the lives and work of European settlers over the last 175 years.