Thomas Helms was born in 1786 and arrived in the Colony of Western Australia in 1830 from England. His wife Sarah, was born in 1788, and arrived in the Colony on the 19th April 1834 aboard the Quebec Trader.
An original Crown Grant of 367.5 acres called Location Aq Perthshire was granted to Thomas Helms by the Governor of the Colony, Sir James Stirling, on the 31st August 1837. Location Aq was situated between Herdsman Lake and Lake Monger. The property became known as Helmsville.
