Wesley Church

Full of history and one of Perth’s oldest religious landmarks Wesley Church has a proud English heritage.

Its history traces all the way back to the voyage of the “Tranby”, which sailed from Hull in England, carrying 37 pioneers bound for the Swan River Colony. It arrived in Fremantle in February 1830.  

One of those early pioneers was Joseph Hardey who conducted a thanksgiving service on the beach, laying the foundation for the beginning of the Methodist Church in WA. Hardey became the spiritual leader of the group, conducting his first service under a Jarrah tree on Hay Street where Wesley Church now stands.

The foundation stone of the church was laid in 1867 and on April 10th, 1870, the congregation met for the first time.

Wesley Church was designed by Richard Jewell, who was responsible for many of Perth’s original buildings, including the Perth Town Hall, Cloisters, and the Pensioner Barracks.