• Climb Holt Rock - Visit the water catchment walls & tanks. September is also a great time for orchids at this site.
• Find yourself on the edge of one of the most biologically significant natural areas left on Earth. Holt Rock is located on the edge of the Great Western Woodlands, the largest remaining intact temperate or 'Mediterranean' woodland in the world. For more information CLICK HERE  
• Varley and Districts Museum (Varley) - Learn about the area’s fascinating gold rush history,  memorabilia and historic town records.
• Rabbit-Proof Fence – located 22km from Varley along Carstairs Rd. Visitors are welcome to visit certain points of the fence but are not permitted to drive along it. (Fines apply). The rabbit-proof fence consists of three fences erected in 1902 to keep rabbits out of WA. The fence is the longest fence in the world, totalling a distance of 3,236.8 klms. Visit the cheeky Rabbit Cemetery (in Varley).  

Public Toilets, BBQ Area and General Store are available in Varley (17kms south from Holt Rock).

Varley Store
Pitt Street
PH: (08) 98751200 (also is Australia Post)

Visit the Shire’s website www.lakegrace.wa.gov.au for more details about Varley attractions

Do you miss a good old-fashioned hoedown? Well then giddy-up and grab your partner and get ready for one of WA's favourite country music nights. The Holt Rock Hoedown, presented by the Westfield Country Music Club (WCMC), happens twice a year on a weekend in April and October and features a number of quality country music artists with part proceeds raised going to charity. Camping is available at the event.

For more information call Robyn on 0438 922 943 

Holt Rock Group - The Holt Rock Group works to improve the sharing of information within the agronomy group to help its members improve their farming business. The group is interested in agronomy, grain marketing, community welfare, sustainability and business structure.

For more information email- holtrockgroup@gmail.com

Varley & Districts Progress Association
Raise funds to improve the facilities of affiliated clubs and organisations in the district.
C/- Post Office Varley
PH: (08) 9875 2056

Varley & Districts Playgroup
Meets every 2nd Tuesday at the Varley Pavilion (except during school holidays)
C/- Post Office Varley
PH: (08) 9875 2070

Lakes Garden Club
Meets once a month, starting February. Members host meetings at their gardens.
C/- Post Office Varley
PH: (08) 9875 2048.

Varley & Districts Museum
Open on request at the Varley store.
C/- Post Office Varley
PH: (08) 9874 4063

Holt Rock Tennis Club
Social and competitive tennis played October to March, days and times as fixtured.
PH: 0409 082 575

Lake Varley Country Women's Association
Meet every 2nd Tuesday of the month at Varley Hall.
C/- Post Office Varley
PH: (08) 9880 0030

Holt Rock was visited first in early 1848-49 by Captain J.S Roe who decided to keep going through the district as he was believed to have said, “the land was apparently unfit for any useful purpose”. He was later honoured with the parcel of the state been named after him called the ROE District.  

Holt Rock was visited by several explorers however no one made claim to the Lands Department until 1928. Captain J.S Logan, his family and Mr Don Lamont, their worker are recognised as some of the first settlers in the area. Mr Don Lamont was later quoted to have said at the time “After a train trip from Perth to Lake Biddy (stopping overnight at Wagin) we called on Mr A Witham a farmer of Lake Biddy, for directions to South Lake Carmody, the location of Captain Logan’s block. Mr Witham having some knowledge of the area, as he had previously been out with Lands Department surveyors.” Throughout the following years, settlers made their way to the Holt Rock region.

Holt Rock takes its name from the nearby feature of the same name. The feature was named by the explorer Frank Hugh Hann in August 1901 when he was on a trip from Menzies to Ravensthorpe. Hann possibly named it after G H Holt, a Draftsman in the Lands & Surveys Department. He named other features on this trip after employees of the Department.

The water supply was established in 1934 which came directly from the Rock near the townsite, which remains today.  The townsite was gazetted in 1939 and telephone communications were established in 1940 with the upgrade to ISD happening in 1970. Supplies and mail came from Newdegate however ended in the late 1930s. The CBH Grain Bins were established in 1946 and the D class bin was opened in 1969. The bins are still at the site but are no longer operating and grain is delivered to bigger centres.

The football and cricket clubs were founded and played on dry salt lakes, whose hard surface provided an ideal surface to play on. Soon all surrounding Lakes seem to be able to field their own teams i.e Lake Hurlstone Soccer Team, South Lake Carmody Football Team, and Lake Varley Football Team. They went from match to match on the back of a truck with each member taking it in turns to drive. Cricket was very strong in the district which produced their first country week cricket team which comprised of Lake Carmody to Ravensthorpe players who played in Perth.

The early 1930s saw the beginning of the tennis clubs in the district. Two clubs were created - Lake Varley Tennis Club and Holt Rock Tennis Club. The very first Lake Varley tennis courts were created on the current local shop site and the Holt Rock tennis courts were created near their current position today. After each match on several evenings, barbeques and social evenings were had by all. To this day tennis remains strong and is played at Varley, the main centre of the district.

The very first committee of the Holt Rock Tennis Club comprised of:

M.A. Francis – President Ruth Francis– Secretary A Knell – Vice President J McCaskill