Shire chief’s historic buy

Sophie Gabrielle, Avon Valley GazetteHills Avon Valley Gazette

The oldest inland farm in WA had been owned by the National Trust until the Shire of York bought it in 1977 and opened it to the public as a tourist attraction. It was later sold by the shire to private interests.

The heritage- listed property consists of 40ha of land and associated historic buildings.

Mr Reid said he planned to restore the site to a working farm museum.

PerthNow Digital Edition.
Your local paper, whenever you want it.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

His original family farm in East Kilbride, Scotland, was gifted to the National Trust for Scotland to be used as a farm museum, now called the Scottish Museum of Rural Life.

Mr Reid said his family had been considering buying the York property for more than a year.

‘Our goal is to develop it to be a living museum for tourism,’ he said.

‘We want to be able to work with the WA Museum and have the farm remain as a working period farm.

‘It’s a highly significant cultural property for the area.’

Settlement on the property is expected to be completed later this month and Mr Reid intends to start restoration works after Christmas.