About the Area
Guildford Captain Stirling's decision to establish three settlements in the Swan River area - a port at Fremantle, an administrative centre at Perth, and a rural centre at Guildford, makes the market town and inland port of Guildford as old as Perth and Fremantle. There are even some thoughts that Guildford would have been Stirling's first choice for a settlement and certainly, when the Government established the first schools in the area in 1834 they appointed three teachers - one for Fremantle, one for Guildford and one for Perth. Guildford’s importance was a combination of factors, one being that it was located at the upper limit of navigation on the Swan River and that the land around the initial settlement was adequate enough (good clay loam soils) to sustain agriculture. Stirling was so taken aback with the region around Guildford that he chose a piece of land between the Swan and Helena Rivers for his country retreat and it was here that he built 'Woodbridge' (it no longer exists but there was a mud brick structure which stood where the Governor Stirling High School Assembly Room now stands). Guildford became an important transportation centre. Initially boats brought settlers and supplies to Guildford. Later, after the arrival of convict labour in 1850, the roads from Perth improved and it was possible to travel from Fremantle, via Perth and Guildford, to the Avon Valley by road. Being rich in history, close to Perth, the airport and the Swan Valley, having many second hand & trendy shops and several cosy restaurants & pubs, Guildford has become a sought after suburb in metropolitan Perth and has achieved some outstanding prices in real estate in the last few years. Suburbs surrounding Guildford have also enjoyed significant price rises. Suburbs like Woodbridge and Hazelmere are performing very well, partly due to the upgrade and development of Midland. Bassendean has also become a desirable suburb for many. With many properties close to the river, on a direct train line to Perth and only 11 km from CBD.