| Avondale Agricultural Research Station | |
|---|---|
 The heritage listed stables built around 1890 | |
  Avondale Agricultural Research Station Location of Avondale Agricultural Research Station in Western Australia | |
| General information | |
| Type | Research Station |
| Location | Beverley, Western Australia |
| Coordinates | 32°7′00″S 116°52′07.9″E / 32.11667°S 116.868861°E |
| Designated | 19 March 2004 |
| Reference no. | 5566 |
Avondale Agricultural Research Station or Avondale Discovery Farm is one of thirteen research farms and stations operated by Western Australia's Department of Agriculture and Food. In addition to its research, Avondale has historical buildings, a farming equipment museum and operates as an agriculture education centre specialising in introducing primary school children to farming, and teaching of its history in Western Australia.
Avondale is situated on land where the Dale River joins the Avon River 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) northwest of Beverley. It is located on land originally granted to the first Governor of Western Australia, Captain (later Admiral Sir) James Stirling and Captain Mark Currie RN in 1836.[1] These grants were combined in 1849 and with additional land purchases they became known as Avondale Estate, expanding to in excess of 13,330 acres (53.9 km2).
On 4 April 1924 the remaining 1,740 acres (7.0 km2) of Avondale were passed on to the Department of Agriculture and Food. Initially Avondale continued its involvement with the Group Settlement Scheme, it was not until 1926 that research activities commenced. During the 1930s it was to be the laboratory for Dr Harold Bennetts successful research into Bacillus ovitoxicus. As part of Western Australia's 1979 sesquicentennial celebrations a machinery museum was built and the other buildings were restored to original condition.[2]
Today, Avondale is managed by the National Trust of Western Australia and is open to the public at varying times throughout the year.
- ^ "2004 Year of the Built Environment". Heritage Council of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 15 June 2005. Retrieved 12 October 2007.
- ^ Jones, H. and D. Johnston (1997). The Story of Avondale. Department of Agriculture, Western Australia. ISBN 978-0-7244-8743-1.