Ursa Major is Western Australia's premier HEMA / Historical Fencing school, dedicated to the study and practice of historical swordsmanship. 

Drawing from the fighting manuals of the 14th to 19th centuries we train in the historical combat arts of medieval and renaissance Europe, focussing on both historical fidelity and practical tournament application. We also host and compete in local, national, and international tournaments - and perform at public and private events including medieval fayres, school incursions, parties, and more. 

You don't need prior martial arts or fencing experience to join in. Our Tuesday and Saturday classes are perfect for new recruits to jump in and begin their journey, and we run regular longsword intake courses as an entry pathway to our Thursday longsword classes. Whether you train for fun, fitness, or the podium, you'll have the opportunity to develop and apply your skills in a high-energy environment, training with and learning from some of the best.

We train Tuesday and Thursday evenings at Stirling Community Centre in North Beach - and Saturday mornings at the Wembley Downs Scout Hall.

To find out what we're up to right now check out our Facebook and Instagram pages, or get in touch if you want to come and take a stab at it.

Stop reading about history, and start training it.

Dagger, messer, sword & buckler

Diversity of skill and adaptability are key to becoming a formidable fighter. To this end we undertake a new weapon system each trimester. Our current timings are:

• January - April: dagger
• May - August: messer
• September - December: sword & buckler

This session is held at 7a Kitchener St, North Beach, and new recruits are welcome.

Longsword

Longsword is our primary weapon, and we study this year round. While we regularly deep-dive into some of the more advanced or particular techniques, we frequently come back to the basics in order to maintain a solid foundation.

As we train longsword year-round, these sessions are not suitable for new recruits. To make sure no-one finds themselves in over their heads, we run longsword intake courses several times a year. If you already have experience in longsword fencing, you can probably skip the intake and jump straight in – if you don’t, get in touch and we’ll let you know when our next intake kicks off. If you’re unsure, drop us a line.

This session is held at 7a Kitchener St, North Beach.

Ringen, British sabre, Polish sabre

As with our Tuesday sessions, the content of our Saturday sessions rotates each trimester, giving our members the opportunity to experience a number of weapon systems and broaden their skillset. Our current timings are:

• January - April: ringen
• May - August: British sabre
• September - December: Polish sabre

This session is held at the 1st Wembley Downs Scout Hall, and new recruits are welcome.

Dagger, messer, sword & buckler

Diversity of skill and adaptability are key to becoming a formidable fighter. To this end we undertake a new weapon system each trimester. Our current roster is:

• January - April: dagger
• May - August: messer
• September - December: sword & buckler

This session is held at 7a Kitchener St, North Beach.

Longsword

As longsword is our primary weapon, we study this year round. While we regularly deep-dive into some of the more advanced or particular techniques, we frequently come back to the basics in order to maintain a solid foundation.

As we practice longsword year-round, the content can be quite a bit more complex than what we cover on Tuesday nights. To make sure no-one finds themselves in over their heads, we also run longsword intake courses periodically throughout the year. If you already have experience in longsword fencing, you can probably skip the intake and jump straight in – if you don’t, get in touch and we’ll let you know when our next intake kicks off. If you’re unsure, drop us a line.

This session is held at 7a Kitchener St, North Beach.

Ringen, British sabre, Polish sabre

As with our Tuesday sessions, the content of our Saturday sessions rotates each trimester, giving our members the opportunity to experience a number of weapon systems and broaden their skillset. Our current roster is:

• January - April: ringen
• May - August: British sabre
• September - December: Polish sabre

This session is held at the 1st Wembley Downs Scout Hall.