Day Tripping to New Norcia

Distance from Perth: 132km
Route: Great Northern Highway

New Norcia Church

This weekend we took a day trip up to New Norcia.

This lovely, peaceful town is a Benedictine Community located just 1.5 hours from Perth. All the images in this post were taken by my son and his friend. Asking the boys to take the photos was the sneaky parental trick used to keep them quiet (but interested) in the 2 hour town tour we took.

I can't say exactly what I liked most about New Norcia, and I admit we didn't get to see everything the town had to offer, but close to number one would be the absolute sense of peace and tranquility to be felt everywhere in the town. Pax (Latin for peace) is the motto of the Benedictine Monks of New Norcia and is central to their daily lives and routine. 


Founded more than 16o years ago, the buildings are gorgeous examples of Spanish architecture and there are tool sheds, nature walks, and an art gallery and history museum to experience. The land belonging to the Benedictine Mission (30km x 10 km around the town center) are used to grow canola, grapes, oranges, olives and other crops including sheep and cattle.

The settlement was created when Benedictine Monks fled from Spain to Italy to due to an anti clerical movement in the early 1800's. During that period there was a focus within Italy on establishing world wide missions, so Dom Salvado and Dom Serra (the founding Bishop of New Norcia) travelled to Perth with Dr John Brady (Arch Bishop of Perth) and were allocated a 20 acre land parcel where the township now lies.  Their aim was to do ministerial work with the native Aborigines and improve their lives through encouraging the learning of agricultural techniques, managing their own land and allowing their children to be educated.

Iron gate protecting the Monk's privacy at their residence.

Through many years of hard work and perseverance the monks increased their landholdings and they became a self sufficient community. Boarding schools were built for boys (St Ildephous) and girls (St Gerturde) and for many years they thrived.

St Gertrudes doorway.

Our tour guide (Roy) was a student at the boarding school and was very knowledgeable about New Norcia's history. As we stood in the field just south of the large Monastery building He related a story about a rather savage fire which threatened the monastery in the early years of the settlement. It is said that exhausted and running out of time and resources to fight the fire bishop Salvado removed the Our Lady of Good Counsel painting from the chapel and positioned it facing the fire. He knelt to pray for divine assistance and incredibly the wind weakened, changed direction and burned back on itself. The mission buildings were saved. Bishop Salvado recounted that he knew enough of the native tongue to understand that the Aboriginal witnesses to this event looked at the painting and remarked that white woman in the image was very powerful. Miracle, coincidence or a bit of both, you decide for yourself, either way it is a colourful bit of history.

Wide open spaces, the field in front of the Monastery Building.

The museum and art gallery is amazing, there are all manner of artifacts from yesteryear. In the gift shop we purchased some really delicious New Norcia Bakehouse bread and several other trinkets including a calico shopping bag and a beautiful china milk jug.

Next time I would like to visit the hotel, stroll along the heritage walk, and attend midday prayers in the chapel.

Shortage of Ivory, Bounty of Ebony

On our return trip to Perth we stopped briefly in Bindoon and purchased some delicious locally grown oranges and mandarins.