Escape to Toodyay, Western Australia: The historical town that still doesn't have traffic lights

The glistening coast of Western Australia is where most tourists set their sights for their wild west adventures. But when the locals want to get away from it all, they head inland.

Toodyay is among a clutch of towns located to the east of Perth, beyond the sprawling 4800 hectares of bushland that makes up Avon Valley National Park. 

Like many small towns in WA, Toodyay is full of history. But what separates it from comparable towns is its well-preserved heritage sites, along with its colourful characters of the past.

Architecture of yesteryear is everywhere, particularly among the shopfronts of Stirling Terrace, many of which were built shortly after the town was settled by Europeans in 1836. Such is the local reverence for the past, the town’s biggest celebration is the annual Moondyne Festival named after famous WA bushranger Joseph Bolitho Johns, better known as Moondyne Joe. A notorious jail escapee, the outlaw hid in the Moondyne Hills near Toodyay. 

Each year thousands flock to the town to celebrate colonial life with period costumes and street theatre, moustache competitions and cleavage contests. 

The festivities are among many at Toodyay, which prides itself on its quiet lifestyle for locals and relaxing vibe for tourists.

Population: 4439, as at 2016 Census

Who lives there?

Toodyay is an agricultural town as much as a daytripper town. A tourist fetching coffee from one of the local cafes is likely to cross paths with a local farmer coming to town for supplies.

Kevin and Rebecca Keys have run Toodyay’s popular Cola Cafe for the past seven years and every Saturday they have a regular trade with motorbike riders passing through.

“Monday to Friday we get retired people from Perth and tourists and on weekends, it’s more tourists and regulars, and also a lot of motorbike riders,” Michael said.

“So around 8am we’ll have 100 bike riders on average roll up for breakfast.”

Eggs benedict is the most popular dish on the morning menu, but the 1950s-themed cafe does a rollicking trade in its 12 varieties of burgers.

The cafe doubles as a Coca-Cola museum, thanks to a huge collection of memorabilia stocked by its original owner. Everything from Coca-Cola yo-yos to jukeboxes and even a model-T open-sided delivery truck is on display. 

The town’s popularity with tourists is largely owing to its proximity to Perth, just under an hour’s drive south-west. For many, it’s an easy distance to manage for frequent trips, but also far enough away to feel out of the hustle and bustle. Locals enjoy boasting about Toodyay’s complete lack of traffic lights. 

Michael says Toodyay’s welcoming atmosphere keeps people coming back.

“When people come up from other towns, they always comment on how friendly the town is,” he said.

What happens there?

For a small town, Toodyay has an impressive list of cultural and sporting events. Along with the annual Moondyne Festival in May, there’s also the Toodyay Picnic Race Day in September, the Toodyay Music Fest in March and the Toodyay International Food Festival in August. 

The food festival is timed to coincide with the Avon Descent, a 124-kilometre paddlecraft race on the Avon River, which runs through Toodyay. The two-day race first started in 1973 and since then more than 35,000 people – from novices to kayak champions – have braved the whitewater race.

Festival-goers peruse stalls and sample their goodies on the banks of the Avon River in Stirling and Duidgee parks. 

But foodies don’t need to wait for this once-a-year event and can instead take to the roads to explore local produce. The Toodyay Food and Picnic Trail is a “self-drive journey” that leads to growers and producers of dates, olive oil, wine, breads, pastured meats, condiments and even camel milk.

Tourists and locals alike enjoy the beautiful wildflower season in the Avon Valley. Toodyay is the central hub and the starting point for many wildflower walks. By following trails in the Dawn Atwell Nature Reserve, Rugged Hills Reserve, Majestic Heights Reserve, Panorama Reserve and Pelham Reserve, lovers of all things flora can spot wild orchids and fields of everlastings.

The list of family-friendly activities goes on. There’s the Toodyay Miniature Railway on the first and third Sunday every month, and historic exhibits such as The Newcastle Gaol Museum (Toodyay was once called Newcastle) and Connors Mill, which demonstrates how steam-powered wheat mills once worked. 

There’s also the popular Toodyay Bakery, which is voted the number one eatery in the town by TripAdvisor reviews who rave about the delicious coffee and pastries.

What’s life like?

Lesley and Kevin Hug first came to Toodyay 24 years ago on the lookout for an idyllic country town to raise a family. The pair had been mining in far-flung places like Kalgoorlie and Marvel Loch, and were searching for a home-based business.

The pair bought the Toodyay Caravan Park and, eight years later, the Toodyay Holiday Park and Chalets.

What struck Lesley about the town was the welcoming community. 

“We had a look around, checked out the schools and all of the facilities and the sporting clubs, met the locals and everyone was so friendly, and the country charm of the town is just beautiful,” she said.

“It’s lived up to all our expectations and more. The kids have wonderful memories of growing up there and whenever you go there, it’s like going home. 

“The whole town’s your home.”

What jobs are there?

Toodyay has a mixed bag of employment opportunities. Census data reveals most working locals are employed in the mining industry, followed by local government, secondary education and supermarkets. 

Treechangers who work in the city choose Toodyay because it’s close enough to Perth. Commuting by car takes just under an hour and it’s just an extra 10 minutes via rail on the AvonLink.

For some, Toodyay is the perfect place to set up home and work. Paula Greenway has lived in the town for 32 years and has her own pottery and sculpture studio there. Greenway, who is also a Toodyay shire councillor, runs workshops and retreats from her large property.

She said growing tourism had opened new doors for local artists and business owners, many of whom display their wares at main street shop Uniquely Toodyay.

“It not just for artists, there’s olive oil and macadamias. It’s quite amazing, it’s just choc-a-block,” she said.

“Over the years we were all told we had to be China-ready, but none of us are because we’re all small business.

“Most of the small businesses are on properties out of town; there’s lots of diversity.”

Why should you move there?

The average age of Toodyay residents is 51 and, judging by this, it’s quite possible that empty-nesters have discovered the tranquillity of the town. 

And serene as it may be, no one can call it sleepy. Its events calendar is only getting bigger and major projects such as the new $13 million Toodyay Sports Precinct, which includes a hockey pitch, four multipurpose netball and basketball courts, four tennis courts, a pavilion with change rooms and an outdoor 25-metre swimming pool, is making it increasingly attractive to young families. 

Here is a town that is embracing its past and is open to a new future.