Heritage
York
Oldest inland town
- From Perth97 kilometres
- Visitor centreTown Hall
- Open7 days
Spot your stop
York, Corrigin and what to see between Wave Rock and Perth
Check out 20 stops
Wave Rock and the Wheatbelt, pin by pin
Pick a route, then tap a marker or a stop for notes and a Google Maps link.
The Shire of Kondinin counts 334 km by road from Perth to Hyden.
Google MapsBy the Shire's table, Albany to Hyden is 339 km.
Google MapsEsperance to Hyden is 382 km, and a signed self-drive links the coast with the rock.
Google MapsBy the Shire's table, Kalgoorlie to Hyden is 488 km.
Google MapsThe Granite Woodlands Discovery Trail joins Hyden to Norseman, with 16 designated stops.
Google MapsThe 4WD-only Holland Track runs about 350km between Hyden and Coolgardie.
Google MapsThe Shire puts the rock 5km east of Hyden, and from the car park the wave is a 100m stroll.
Google Maps
The Shire of Kondinin counts 334 km by road from Perth to Hyden.
Google MapsThe oldest inland town in Western Australia, about 97 kilometres by road east of Perth.
Google MapsA heritage Wheatbelt town on the banks of the Avon River.
Google MapsThe southern way out of Perth follows the Albany Highway through Brookton, about 3 1/4 hours to Hyden.
Google MapsCalled a Town of Windmills: nearly every house had one until 1960, when scheme water came.
Google MapsBegun in 1974 when Paddy Wright buried his dog Strike; over 200 dogs now rest here.
Google MapsA town of 354 people; Statue Lake sits 10km west on the Corrigin-Kondinin Road.
Google MapsReached 27km south of Kondinin, it is home of the Tin Horse Highway.
Google MapsHyden is home to roughly 437 people and lies 340km east of Perth by the Brookton Highway.
Google Maps
Hyden is home to roughly 437 people and lies 340km east of Perth by the Brookton Highway.
Google MapsThe Shire puts the rock 5km east of Hyden, and from the car park the wave is a 100m stroll.
Google MapsA granite tor that once belonged to the main outcrop, on a loop track of approx 1 km from the car park.
Google MapsA clear, salty lake on a gypsum bed, one km north of Wave Rock by Wave Rock Management's figure.
Google MapsFlights from Jandakot take one hour, then it is a five-minute drive into Hyden.
Google Maps
Hyden is home to roughly 437 people and lies 340km east of Perth by the Brookton Highway.
Google MapsThe Shire puts the rock 5km east of Hyden, and from the car park the wave is a 100m stroll.
Google MapsA granite outcrop approximately 16 km north of Wave Rock; the Kalari Trail climbs to its summit over 1,670 metres.
Google MapsHand prints make up 69% of the 452 motifs recorded on the cave walls.
Google Maps
Maps © OpenStreetMap contributors
The drive to Wave Rock is long, but it passes some characterful Wheatbelt towns. Here is what to see between Wave Rock and Perth, starting with historic York, and how to break the journey.
Editorial team, waverocktour.com · Updated November 8, 2026 · ~8 min read
Main facts
- YorkThe oldest inland town in the state, about 97 kilometres east of Perth.1
- Visitor centreYork Town Hall, open 7 days, 9.30am to 4.00pm.2
- CorriginIts Dog Cemetery dates from 1974 and holds over 200 dogs.3,4
- KondininStatue Lake lies 10km west of town.5
- On the tourFree time in York, then Corrigin and Kondinin.
Leaving Perth: over the Darling Range
Every route to Wave Rock begins with a climb. Heading east out of Perth on the Great Eastern Highway, you drive up Greenmount Hill into the Darling Range.6 Soon the suburbs fall away behind you and the road runs through tall eucalypt forest along the top of the scarp. It is a beautiful start to a long day, and a reminder that the flat Wheatbelt is still some way ahead. Keep the camera handy for the first glimpse of open farmland.
What follows is a slow change of scene that is worth watching for. Wave Rock Management describes the trees thinning and changing as the rainfall declines: grey jarrah where the plateau ends, then York gums further in, then shiny salmon gums and stumpy mallee near Corrigin, and finally low sandplain heath around Hyden.7 Each band has its own colour and smell, and together they tell you how far from the coast you have come.
The towns along the way are worth more than a fuel stop. The Pathways to Wave Rock route links them over 760km, and treats the towns as attractions in their own right.8 The site tour gives the same impression: its record has free time in York, the Avon Valley's first township, before Corrigin, Kondinin and the Dog Cemetery further east. Following the same thread at your own pace is easy with a car.
Plan the stops
What each town on the way offers
| Town | Highlight | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| York | Town Hall | Built 191123 |
| York | Courthouse | Buildings from the 1840s24 |
| York | Mount Brown | 342m lookout25 |
| Corrigin | Dog Cemetery | Since 19743 |
| Corrigin | Gorge Rock | 20km east26 |
| Kondinin | Statue Lake | 10km west5 |
| Kulin | Tin Horse Highway | 27km south of Kondinin21 |
Dates and distances as the Shires of York, Corrigin and Kondinin and the regional tourism bodies give them.23,3,5
York, the oldest inland town in Western Australia
York is the natural first stop. The Shire of York calls it the oldest inland town in Western Australia; it lies in the Avon Valley, about 97 kilometres east of Perth by road.1 The Shire also acknowledges the Ballardong Noongar people as the Traditional Owners of the land, and the visitor centre describes York as lying in the heart of Ballardong Noongar Country, about an hour's drive from Perth.12,13
Its colonial history begins with a long walk. In the winter of 1830, Ensign Robert Dale of the 63rd Regiment, then a 21 year old officer, led the first exploring party over the Darling Ranges.14 The explorers saw a likeness to the county of Yorkshire in England, so the district was named Yorkshire and its first town York.15 The townsite was gazetted in November 1830 and the first town allotments were sold in 1835.16
The first settlers reached the valley on 15 September 1831.17 A convict depot was set up for the town in 1851, and in 1871 York became a municipality, by then the state's fourth largest town after Perth, Fremantle and Albany.18,19 Later the gold rushes at Southern Cross, Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie from the 1880s made York the last place to buy supplies before the long trek east, and the town boomed.20
What to see in York in an hour or two
Start at the York Town Hall on Avon Terrace. Built in 1911, it is a fine example of Edwardian opulence and a landmark of the main street.23 It houses the York Visitor Centre at 81 Avon Terrace, open 7 days 9.30am to 4.00pm, where you can pick up a town map.30,2 The whole town is listed as a Heritage Precinct, so simply walking the main street is a history lesson.27
Nearby, the York Courthouse complex has buildings from the 1840s: courtrooms, a police station, a troopers' cottage, gaol cells and a stable yard.24 Down by the river, the original swinging bridge opened in 1888, was lengthened and moved to its present position in 1896, and has been rebuilt many times after floods.31,32 The riverbank has free gas BBQs, picnic tables, shade and public toilets.33
For a view, drive up Wongborel / Mount Brown, 342m above sea level and within five minutes of town, for a 360 degree outlook over the valley.25 Car fans should look into the motor museum, whose collection runs from early 1900s vehicles to the genuine Crocodile Dundee ute.34 In late winter, canola flowers yellow around York from mid-August into September, depending on rainfall.28 Tour guests pay for their own coffee in York.
Only time for a few?
Which stops suit your trip
On a long drive, choose stops by what you enjoy most.
If I love history and old buildings
Stop in York
The Town Hall, courthouse and heritage streets.27
If I want a quirky photo
The Corrigin Dog Cemetery
Over 200 decorated dog graves.4
If I want a view
Mount Brown in York
342m with a 360 degree outlook.25
If I am travelling in spring
Look for canola
Mid-August into September around York.28
If I want art in the landscape
Statue Lake or Kulin
Three classic stops
York, the dog cemetery and Statue Lake
Quirky
Dog Cemetery
West of Corrigin
- Since1974
- Gravesover 200
- Look forBig dog statue
Sculptures
Statue Lake
Near Kondinin
- From Kondinin10km west
- ColourYellow-green at times
- RoadCorrigin-Kondinin
York to Wave Rock: Beverley, Brookton and the routes east
From York to Wave Rock, Wave Rock Management describes a northern and a southern approach from Perth. The northern one passes through historic York and on through the farming districts of Quairading, Corrigin and Kondinin to Hyden, about a 3 1/2 hour drive from Perth's northern suburbs.60 The southern one follows the Albany Highway through Brookton, Corrigin and Kondinin, about 3 1/4 hours from Perth's southern suburbs.47 Both routes meet in Corrigin.61
Beverley is another Avon River town worth a stop if you go that way. The Pathways to Wave Rock trail describes it as a heritage Wheatbelt town along the Avon River.46 From Beverley the same trail counts 118km on to Corrigin.9 The country in between is classic Wheatbelt: wide paddocks of wheat and canola, salt lakes glittering in the hollows and silos rising above the small towns. It rewards an unhurried drive.
The towns along these roads have their own small museums, cafés and roadhouses, but opening hours are short. Wave Rock Management notes that every town has a roadhouse, but they keep limited hours.56 Fill up when you can rather than when you must. For the full detail of the drive itself, see the Perth to Wave Rock page, which compares the routes, distances and driving times.
East from the city
The stops in order on the way to the rock
Darling Range
Climb out of Perth
Greenmount Hill on the Great Eastern Highway.6
York
Heritage town
About 97 kilometres from Perth.1
Beverley
Avon River town
118km on to Corrigin from here.9
Corrigin
Dog Cemetery
Over 200 dogs buried west of town.4
Kondinin
Statue Lake
49km from Corrigin.10
Hyden
Wave Rock
334 km from Perth by the Shire's table.11
Corrigin and its famous Dog Cemetery
Corrigin is the stop with the strongest character. Australia's Golden Outback calls it a popular stopover on the way to Wave Rock, a drive of two and a half hours south-east of Perth.62 It is known as a Town of Windmills: almost every home had a windmill until 1960, when scheme water reached the town.48 Gorge Rock, a natural rock pool, lies 20km east.26
The Corrigin Dog Cemetery is the stop that makes people smile. The Shire of Corrigin traces it to a local man, Paddy Wright, who buried his dog Strike west of town in 1974.3 Others followed, and by 1975 the spot was an unofficial yet accepted burial ground; today the Shire manages it.63 More than 200 dogs now lie there, and the Shire says the cemetery is known for its colourful, creative and very personal graves.4,64
Australia's Golden Outback places the cemetery 5 kilometres west of town on the Brookton Highway, marked by a statue of a large dog.65 Take a few minutes to read the headstones; together they say a great deal about the bond between farming families and their dogs. The site tour passes it on the way east, so keep an eye out for the big dog statue. If you drive yourself, park off the highway and give it a quiet short wander.
Video
Things to see and do in York, Western Australia
Lou & Miriam's Travel Experiences on YouTube · The video waits until you tap play to load.
York is the oldest inland town in Western Australia, being situated approximately 97 kilometres by road east of Perth in the Avon Valley
For the road east
Before you set off for the Wheatbelt
Kondinin, Kulin and the last stretch to Hyden
From Corrigin it is 49km to Kondinin, a town of 354 people.10,49 Statue Lake, 10km west on the Corrigin-Kondinin Road, is known locally as the Statues lake, and the Shire says the lake turns a vivid yellow-green from algae at times, reputedly most often around November.5,29 Kondinin also has a large salt lake only 5km west of town.66 Both sit close to the road, and late in the afternoon the low light runs across the water and the paddocks.
South of Kondinin, Yeerakine Rock carries a sculpture on its summit in memory of the Kondinin locals who served in the First World War.67 The Shire says the rock is easily climbed and gives good views over the surrounding country.68 Kulin, 27km south of Kondinin, is home of the Tin Horse Highway, a roadside display of imaginative community creations.21 It makes a cheerful detour if you have time to spare.
From Kondinin the road towards Hyden runs past Karlgarin, through farmland, salt lakes and the first patches of granite.69 The Shire of Kondinin gives 273 km from Perth to Kondinin and 334 km from Perth to Hyden, so this final stretch is short.22,11 When you see a pale granite dome rising behind the town, you have arrived. The Corrigin to Wave Rock leg is the last part of the trip where you will want to stop for photos before the rock itself.
Breaking the long drive safely
A Wave Rock day from Perth is long, and the stops are as much about safety as sightseeing. Wave Rock Management advises a break at least every two hours, and the towns above are spaced well for that.57 On the site tour the guide drives, and the record notes a comfort stop on the way back to Perth. If you are driving, share the wheel if you can, and plan to be back in Perth before dark.
Wildlife is a real hazard on these roads. Kangaroos and emus are most active at dusk and dawn, and Wave Rock Management asks drivers to take particular care then.58 Road trains with up to 4 trailers also share the highways in farming regions, so be patient and overtake only with a long clear view.59 Out of town the limit is 110 km per hour; in most country towns it drops to 50 km per hour.70
Phone signal fades in places, and around Hyden only Telstra works.71 Carry water, keep the tank well topped up, and tell someone your plans if you leave the main roads. With those basics covered, the towns between Perth and Wave Rock become part of the pleasure of the trip rather than something to rush through, and York in particular deserves a proper stop, with time for a coffee on Avon Terrace.
FAQ
Quick answers to quick questions.
What is there to see between Perth and Wave Rock?
How far is York from Perth?
About 97 kilometres.
The Shire of York puts it about 97 kilometres east of Perth by road.1
When is the York Visitor Centre open?
Where is the Corrigin Dog Cemetery?
West of Corrigin.
It is 5 kilometres west of town on the Brookton Highway, marked by a large dog statue.65
Does the Wave Rock tour stop in York?
Yes, with free time.
The site tour's record names York with free time, coffee at your own expense.
When does canola flower around York?
Mid-August into September.
Timing depends on seasonal rainfall.28
How far is Kondinin from Corrigin?
49km.
The Pathways to Wave Rock trail counts 49km from Corrigin to Kondinin.10
Sources
- Shire of York · History ↩
- York Visitor Centre (Shire of York) · York Visitor Centre ↩
- Shire of Corrigin · Dog Cemetery ↩
- Australia's Golden Outback (regional tourism organisation) · Corrigin Dog Cemetery ↩
- Shire of Kondinin · Visiting Kondinin ↩
- Wave Rock Management (waverock.com.au) · Getting to Wave Rock ↩
- Wave Rock Management (waverock.com.au) · Getting to Wave Rock ↩
- Australia's Golden Outback (regional tourism organisation) · Corrigin ↩
- Wheatbelt Tourism (Shire of Merredin) · Pathways to Wave Rock ↩
- Wheatbelt Tourism (Shire of Merredin) · Pathways to Wave Rock ↩
- Shire of Kondinin · How to Get Here ↩
- Shire of York · History ↩
- York Visitor Centre (Shire of York) · About York ↩
- Shire of York · History ↩
- Shire of York · History ↩
- Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (inHerit) · Central York Heritage Area ↩
- Shire of York · History ↩
- Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (inHerit) · Central York Heritage Area ↩
- Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (inHerit) · Central York Heritage Area ↩
- York Visitor Centre (Shire of York) · York Town Hall ↩
- Wheatbelt Tourism (Shire of Merredin) · Pathways to Wave Rock ↩
- Shire of Kondinin · How to Get Here ↩
- York Visitor Centre (Shire of York) · York Town Hall ↩
- York Visitor Centre (Shire of York) · York Courthouse Museum, Art Galleries and Gaol ↩
- York Visitor Centre (Shire of York) · Mount Brown Lookout ↩
- Australia's Golden Outback (regional tourism organisation) · Corrigin ↩
- York Visitor Centre (Shire of York) · About York ↩
- York Visitor Centre (Shire of York) · Canola Fields ↩
- Shire of Kondinin · Visiting Kondinin ↩
- York Visitor Centre (Shire of York) · York Visitor Centre ↩
- York Visitor Centre (Shire of York) · Avon Park and Swinging Bridge ↩
- York Visitor Centre (Shire of York) · Avon Park and Swinging Bridge ↩
- York Visitor Centre (Shire of York) · Avon Park and Swinging Bridge ↩
- York Visitor Centre (Shire of York) · Attractions ↩
- Shire of Kondinin · Hyden - Wave Rock
- Shire of Kondinin · Hyden - Wave Rock
- Shire of Kondinin · Hyden - Wave Rock
- Wave Rock Management (waverock.com.au) · Wave Rock and Hippos Yawn
- Wave Rock Management (waverock.com.au) · Wave Rock and Hippos Yawn
- Wave Rock Management (waverock.com.au) · Lake Magic
- Wave Rock Management (waverock.com.au) · Lake Magic
- Tourism Western Australia · Wave Rock
- Shire of Kondinin · Walk trails at Wave Rock and The Humps (brochure, front and back, PDF)
- Wave Rock Management (waverock.com.au) · Explore the Humps and Mulka's Cave
- Shire of Kondinin · Walk trails at Wave Rock and The Humps (brochure, front and back, PDF)
- Wheatbelt Tourism (Shire of Merredin) · Pathways to Wave Rock ↩
- Wave Rock Management (waverock.com.au) · Getting to Wave Rock ↩
- Australia's Golden Outback (regional tourism organisation) · Corrigin ↩
- Shire of Kondinin · Visiting Kondinin ↩
- Shire of Kondinin · How to Get Here
- Shire of Kondinin · How to Get Here
- Shire of Kondinin · Self Drive Trails
- Shire of Kondinin · How to Get Here
- Shire of Kondinin · Self Drive Trails
- Shire of Kondinin · Holland Track
- Wave Rock Management (waverock.com.au) · Getting to Wave Rock ↩
- Wave Rock Management (waverock.com.au) · Getting to Wave Rock ↩
- Wave Rock Management (waverock.com.au) · Getting to Wave Rock ↩
- Wave Rock Management (waverock.com.au) · Travel Advice Western Australia ↩
- Wave Rock Management (waverock.com.au) · Getting to Wave Rock ↩
- Wave Rock Management (waverock.com.au) · Getting to Wave Rock ↩
- Australia's Golden Outback (regional tourism organisation) · Corrigin ↩
- Shire of Corrigin · Dog Cemetery ↩
- Shire of Corrigin · Dog Cemetery ↩
- Australia's Golden Outback (regional tourism organisation) · Corrigin Dog Cemetery ↩
- Shire of Kondinin · Visiting Kondinin ↩
- Shire of Kondinin · Visiting Kondinin ↩
- Shire of Kondinin · Visiting Kondinin ↩
- Shire of Kondinin · Wildflowers ↩
- Wave Rock Management (waverock.com.au) · Getting to Wave Rock ↩
- Wave Rock Management (waverock.com.au) · Travel Advice Western Australia ↩