New Norcia Museum

Just one hour along the Great Northern Highway from Swan Valley lies one of Australia's most important heritage sites. Founded by Dom Rosendo Salvado in 1846, New Norcia is today the home of a community of Benedictine monks.

The architecture, with its strong Spanish flavour, dominates the Australian bush setting. Of the 65 buildings, 27 are classified by the National Trust and the town as a whole is registered on the National Estate. The buildings house richly decorated interiors, furnishings and post-Renaissance art.

The museum and art gallery is a must. It contains one of the finest collections of movable art heritage in Australia. You will see paintings by Spanish and Italian masters and contemporary Australian artists, gifts from the Queen of Spain and a fascinating array of artefacts which tell the story of New Norcia's time as an Aboriginal mission, as a centre of the monks' extensive farming activities and as a place of education and culture.