Strawberry Hill at Barmup

Strawberry Hill at Barmup is a historic government farm located in Albany, Western Australia.

It was the first farm established in Western Australia in 1827 by the first European settlers at King George Sound. Today, only six acres of the original 1,536 acres remain, but the property has been preserved and opened to the public.

Situated on a hill that rises 237 feet high, Strawberry Hill offers a spectacular view of the surrounding area. The soil is a combination of clay and gravel, with rich black loam on the lower side, making it of great interest to horticulturalists.

The farm was originally selected by Edmund Lockyer, Alexander Collie, and John Lawrence Morley. Alexander Collie named it Strawberry Hill after the strawberries he cultivated there. Ownership of the farm changed hands over the years, with Richard Spencer acquiring it in 1833 and building a granite two-story residence. The property was visited by notable figures such as Charles Darwin and Captain Robert FitzRoy.

The original part of the main residence burned down in 1870, but it was rebuilt by Charles Miner. In 1889, the farm was purchased by architect Francis Bird and his family, who renamed it the Old Farm. They owned the farm until the 1950s.

After being abandoned for some time, the property was purchased by the Federal Government in 1956 and later vested in the National Trust of Australia in 1964. The farm underwent restoration and is now open to the public, providing visitors with a glimpse into the region's early farming history and architecture.