Guildford is one of three towns established in 1829, when Western Australia was settled, and its plan was based on the model of an English country town. The area is enclosed on a peninsular, formed by the Swan and Helena Rivers and was named by Captain James Stirling after his father-in-law’s lectorate in Surrey, England.
As the furthest navigable point on the Swan River, Guildford became an inland port, providing the main link between Perth and the country districts. In 1851 it became a convict ticket-of-leave hiring depot and steamboats made their debut in 1857. Guildford became a thriving market town and commercial centre. The town was declared a municipality in 1871 and granted its own crest of anchor, sheaf and grapes.
Seniorocity Review
Guildford Historical Precinct
