Bassendean

On the north side of the Swan River, opposite Perth Airport, about 10km north-east of the CBD, the suburbs of Bassendean and neighbouring Guildford are among the earliest settlements in the state.

The suburbs are graced by some wonderfully-preserved colonial buildings, including Woodbridge, a stately, two-storey mansion overlooking the river which is lovingly maintained by the National Trust.

There's a folk museum in the Mechanics Hall at Guildford, and Bassendean is home to that Rail Transport Museum which has a significant collection from the Western Australian Government Railways.

There are also trains representative of the extensive timber lines that operated in the Jarrah and Karri forests of the south west of the state and from the mining companies in the goldfields region. Besides locomotives there is also a representative display of coaches and wagons that form such an integral part of the railway scene.

Keep driving north-east from Bassendean and you'll soon find yourself in the Swan Valley, home to some of Australia's most prominent wineries.