Bucket List: Monastery Town of the Benedictine Order

Australia, Western Australia, New Norcia

The original article was first published in this blog in December 2018. 

This was an unplanned side trip that ended up as a personal bucket list item for me.

While visiting Western Australia, I had planned for a trip to Rottnest Island. However, inclement weather on the day of my planned visit to Rottnest Island meant that I had to cancel my travel plans leaving me with a full day of free time in my itinerary. Someone suggested I should visit New Norcia. Until then, I had never heard of this town before. And since I had a rented vehicle for the duration of my stay in Western Australia, I decided that a drive to this monastery town was a good idea. Instead, it turned out to be a great idea. Besides enjoying the relatively long two and half hour drive (one way ) from Perth to New Norcia, I got to experience an actual monastery town for the first time in my travels.

This trip is proof that bucket list items don't have to be planned years ahead. A chanced side-trip due to a confluence of events may just ended up granting us that bucket list travel item that we had never known or planned for. 

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Located in the state of Western Australia near to Perth, New Norcia is a monastery town of the Benedictine Order.

Central Administration Building, New Norcia, Western Australia, Australia (2018)

St Gertrude's, New Norcia, Western Australia, Australia (2018)

History and Geography

The town of New Norcia is 132km north-east of the Western Australian state capital of Perth and is part of the Avon Valley region. Established in the year 1847, New Norcia is named after the Italian town of Norcia, birthplace of St Benedict.

The former boarding schools of St Ildephonsus and St Gertrude have been converted into accommodations in today's New Norcia. St Gertude's College was opened in 1908 while St Ildephonsus' College was established in 1913. Other significant buildings in the town include the Abbey Church, an old and a new Flour Mill, Bishop Torres Beehouse and the Monastery.

Entrance to St Gertrude's, New Norcia, Western Australia, Australia (2018)

Plaque in front of St Gertrude's, New Norcia, Western Australia, Australia (2018)

Side view of St Gertrude's, New Norcia, Western Australia, Australia (2018)

St Ildephonsus', New Norcia, Western Australia, Australia (2018)

Climate

Similar to Perth, New Norcia's winters during the months of June, July and August are typically marked by mild and rainy weather while summers in the months of December, January, February and March are usually hot and sunny.

Getting There

New Norica is about a 2-hour drive from Perth's city centre, when driving at a comfortable pace and within the speed limits, along the Great Northern Highway. 

If driving is not your preferred option, there are tour companies that offer single or multiple day tours to the town. Some day tour itineraries include visits to both New Norcia and the Swan Valley in a single package.

At the time of the writing of this article, there is also a bus service by TransWA via the N2 Route. The schedule for the bus service is available at the TransWA website at www.transwa.wa.gov.au.

What to Expect

The town's buildings have a distinctly Spanish architecture.

Experience a personal spiritual retreat at the monastery town of New Norcia, Western Australia, Australia (2018)

Take a slow stroll around the town, enjoy the peace and calm of its historical monastery ambience and learn about its history. There is a guided tour which is conducted twice a day. Information on the guided tours and schedules can be found at the Tourist Information Centre. This centre also doubles up as a gift/souvenir shop.

The New Flour Mill which was built in the year 1879 is still operational and it produces the flour used in the bread baked by the monastery town. The bread is available for purchase at the gift/souvenir shop. 

Bread made from the flour produced by the New Flour Mill and baked at the monastery town, New Norcia, Western Australia, Australia (2018)

Behind the monastery and near to the Abbey Church is the Moore River. Here, you can find the Bishop's Well and Bishop Torres Beehouse. Do note that the Bishop Torres Beehouse is not open to the public.

Abbey Church, New Norcia, Western Australia, Australia (2018)

Part of the Moore River, New Norcia, Western Australia, Australia (2018)

Take a break from all the sight-seeing and historical appreciation by having a meal or coffee at the New Norcia Hotel located slightly uphill from the Tourist Information Centre. The uphill slope is both gentle and an easy walk.

Statue in the Monastery Town, New Norcia, Western Australia, Australia (2018)

Visual tour of the Monastery Town, New Norcia, Western Australia, Australia (2018)

Visual tour of the Monastery Town, New Norcia, Western Australia, Australia (2018)

Visual tour of the Monastery Town, New Norcia, Western Australia, Australia (2018)

Visual tour of the Monastery Town, New Norcia, Western Australia, Australia (2018)

Tips and Advices

If you are visiting during the winter months, it will be a good idea to bring along a small umbrella. I visited in early-June and there was a slight drizzle throughout the day I spent at New Norcia. 

For purchases at the gift shop run by the Tourist Information Centre, both cash and credit cards are accepted.

For those who drive to New Norcia, there is a petrol station just before the Tourist Information Centre. It is a good idea to top up your car's fuel tank before you depart the town as it is a 2-hour drive to Perth.

New Norcia, Western Australia, Australia (2018)