In 1840, John Septimus Roe, Western Australia’s first Surveyor General was granted 4000 acres of riverbank land at West Swan. He named it Sandalford after a priory in his English home at Berkshire. The property became prosperous as an agrarian estate supporting crops, cattle, fruit and vegetables and vines for table grapes, sultanas, raisins, currants and wine grapes. Early varieties planted were Shiraz, Verdelho, Cabernet Sauvignon and Frontignac. Export markets were established by Roe’s grandson John Frederick Roe, who had taken a keen interest in the fertile soils of the Swan River. Read More...