Jure (George) Sain with his son Duane and grandsons Jonathon and Markus.

THE Australian Heritage Festival will be held at the Azelia Ley Homestead Museum in Hamilton Hill on Sunday April 28.

Now in it eighth year, the free event celebrates the history of market gardens in Cockburn, with past and present farmers and market gardeners attending.

The festival, which runs from 10am-4pm, will include vintage vehicles, early market garden machinery and a tribute to market gardeners that have recently died.

At one stage there were about 900 market gardens in WA, but now there are only about a dozen left.

The festival is organised by Duane Sain, who is descended from a long line of market gardeners.

by SHREYA PILO