Dick Farefam

I was born in Northam and grew up there in the 70's and 80's and I still return from time to time for a spot of nostalgia. I found that Northam was a great place to grow up. At the time people were friendly and helpful and there was little crime. Northam has a very good regional high school. I went to Avonvale Primary and found that to be an excellent school. Northam Primary and St Josephs also had a good reputation but West Northam Primary was considered a bit rougher due to the large number of public houses in that part of town. Having said that, I never felt unsafe when I cycled or
walked through West Northam.
There were and still are plenty of sporting opportunities for kids and the new indoor recreation facility is great and I see that the outdoor Olympic swimming pool is still in operation during the hotter months. The riverside parks are lovely and there are lots of interesting historic buildings if you know where to look. For day to day shopping there are 3 supermarkets (Woolworths, Coles and Aldi) and several clothes shops and other stores. Unless you want something special such as furniture there's really no need to travel to Perth. I'd agree that there is a lack of entertainment options, but come on.... it is in the country after all... and it's only an hour to the city if you want nightlife or restaurants. Northam is a beautiful green place in winter and spring; albeit the winter mornings can be quite chilly however it can be very hot in the summer months so make sure your house is well insulated. Compared to other towns such as York or Toodyay it is good to to see on my visits that the town still appears to be expanding and prospering. Overall I feel lucky that I grew up there and I enjoy my visits back to the place that will always be home in my heart. If I was looking for a place to live, the south side of town between the river and Avonvale is a good spot, as is the central part of town extending up the hill behind the Bouldevard Shopping centre. I'd still steer clear of West Northam if purchasing a home though.