Country towns.. Toodyay.

A drive into the country is sometimes 'just what the doctor ordered'! Wednesday morning dawned crisp and clear.. the perfect day for such a jaunt :) On the banks of the Avon River, Toodyay, 85km north east of Perth.. established in this spot in the 1860's after flooding of the Avon in the 1850's, is one of WA's prettiest country towns. The splendid heritage buildings seen here along Stirling Terrace, the main street, make Toodyay a popular tourist destination. 

This spot towards the end of the main street before heading out of Toodyay conjures up the clearest picture for me of how the town would have worked back then. Above and in the background below, Connor's Mill, built in 1870, the third build to go up in the region and just a stones throw from the river, produced high quality flour, before being turned into the town power station in 1917. St. Stephen's Anglican Church below, first service held in 1862, is one of the earliest buildings constructed in the town.

The Avon River Bridge below.. the river, a tributary of the Swan River was flowing strongly after the heavy rains lately.  I'm guessing the stumps to the side, the remnants of an earlier river crossing. Then, as now, the rivers and coastal areas were the hub of life in what must have been the hardest terrain colonials would have ever encountered! Happy Friday, take care and stay safe..p.s. happy Bastille Day to all who celebrated it yesterday, I just couldn't say it yesterday!