The Darling Range
Cellar-door wine tastings, eclectic dining and invigorating bush walks are just some of the temptations attracting visitors to the Swan Valley and Darling Range for day trips and short getaways. Tall timber forests, tumbling waterfalls and sweeping views are an inspiration to artists, who keep the local galleries well stocked.
Head into the valley by car or take a cruise up the Swan River from Barrack Street Jetty. Tour the award-winning wineries, art studios and craft shops by coach or Wine Tasting, Sittella Wineryhorse-drawn wagon, or explore on horseback starting at historic Guildford.
Into the forested landscape of the Darling Range
Into the hills, John Forrest National Park epitomises the natural beauty of the Darling Range, with bush trails, granite outcrops and waterfalls.
Mundaring, in the heart of the hills, is the site of one of Australia’s greatest engineering feats – the Mundaring Weir and the Golden Pipeline, which carries water all the way to Kalgoorlie. Discover fascinating pioneer history, follow a gentle walk trail, or visit the Hills Forest Activity Centre for all kinds of outdoor activities, from camping and bushcraft to canoeing and abseiling.
The first leg of the Munda Biddi Bike Trail stretches from Mundaring to Dwellingup, and the award-winning Bibbulmun Track begins at Kalamunda and covers a full thousand kilometres to the south coast.
Kalamunda’s Zig Zag offers a scenic view over the city, or head to the History Village for more Darling Range heritage.
Among several irresistible picnic spots are South Ledge, perched above Mundaring Weir, and Lake Leschenaultia, named for one of the many native wildflowers that carpet the hills in spring.
Accommodation in the valley and hills includes self-contained chalets, farmstays, caravan and camping parks, luxury hotels and even converted railway carriages.
A network of reserves of crown lands on the escarpment have been connected into a national park to maintain and conserve parts of the escarpment.
In most cases the reserves or parks had individual names prior to being incorporated into the larger park, for example the Serpentine National Park, John Forrest National Park and the Greenmount National Park
The Darling escarpment is an ancient fault-line, which separates the younger sedimentary rocks of the Perth Basin from the ancient cratonic interior of the continent.
The Darling Fault separates the Phanerozoic aged sediments to its west from the Yilgarn Craton to the east. It is concealed by sediments, but is located by geophysical data. The Darling Fault is over 1,000km long and has a downthrow of up to 15 kilometres, with the west side down.
The Archaean granites and gneisses of the Yilgarn Craton form the high ground of the Perth Hills and can be observed in several road cuts immediately before the pumping station of the Golden Pipeline.
The sediments of the Perth Basin are Tertiary and Quaternary in age immediately below Perth and include coquina, travertine and sandy limestones with abundant shelly material. Perth is sited on a set of sand dunes formed during the Pliocene-Pleistocene during the last Ice Age.
Offshore, the sand dune system and surficial deposits transition into a system of partly eroded limestones and sandy limestones. These form a series of drowned cuestas which today form submerged reefs.
Visit Perth Hills and Darling Range WA
The Darling Range is the tilted edge of a huge plateau that is the foundation of the South Western third of Australia. It is one of the most ancient places on earth; its granites and quartzite were formed some 2,500 million years ago. In this range, known locally as the Perth Hills lay the Shires of Mundaring and Kalamunda, and south along the range and in the foothills lay the heritage towns of Armadale, Gosnells, Serpentine and Jarrahdale.
Mundaring, once a major logging centre is the site of one of Australia’s greatest engineering feats, the Weir and the start of the water pipeline to the goldfields, completed in 1903. This is an area of outstanding natural beauty with large tracts of ancient forest, wonderful walking trails and a huge diversity of wildflowers. National Parks, prolific wildlife, a wide choice of accommodation, restaurants and wineries offer something for everyone, so come and spend a few days in the Hills, just east of Perth.
Mundaring Weir dam wall, in the Darling Range, PerthVisit Mundaring WA
In the heart of the hills, Mundaring is a short 35 minute drive from the City of Perth. The community is warm, friendly, multicultural and welcoming, enriched by the traditions of past generations and days gone by.
Mundaring is home to the amazing engineering feat of the Mundaring Weir, where the Golden Pipeline starts its journey to Kalgoorlie Boulder. Water is pumped 963 kilometres from the Weir in peaceful Helena River Valley to Kalgoorlie. Following wet winters, the dramatic sight of the Mundaring Weir overflowing draws sightseers and residents alike to the valley.
The new Munda Biddi mountain bike trail which begins in Mundaring and will eventually finish in Albany currently goes as far as Dwellingup. The trail passes through some very beautiful countryside and is becoming a highly regarded and popular trail for mountain biking enthusiasts.
It was at Mundaring that bushranger Moondyne Joe roamed among the tall jarrah trees and scaled the rocky outcrops of what is now John Forrest National Park on the side of Greenmount Hill. Wildlife abounds and beautiful birds and wildflowers can be found right throughout the Shire. Cyclists and walkers can enjoy the heritage trails running through small picturesque villages including Darlington, Glen Forrest, Parkerville and Chidlow. You can also go horse riding, canoeing or play a round of golf.
Magnificent gardens are open to the public in spring and autumn. In spring the bush is alive with colour, with native flora including kangaroo paws, spider orchids, leschenaultias and hoveas. Visitors can enjoy an early morning walk as the mist rises in the treetops and the joyful laughter of the kookaburra heralds a new day.
With Mundaring's tourism being predominantly nature based, there are many facilities and outdoor activities to enjoy in the area: walk trails, Lake Leschenaultia, John Forrest National Park, Mundaring Weir and the Golden Pipeline, wildlife sanctuaries and a marsupial hospital.
Hotels, farm and homestay properties, as well as cottage accommodation, offer overnight or longer term bed and breakfast facilities. Guests may choose to sample fine wines at local wineries or enjoy a meal at one of the many excellent restaurants throughout the Hills.
Firewood banksia (Banksia menziesii) in flowerVisit Kalamunda WA
The Shire of Kalamunda is located a 30 minutes' drive east of Perth, where the hills of the Darling Scarp meet the plains of the foothills. This unique location offers a mix of residential and rural areas scattered with hobby farms, vineyards, and orchards.
Kalamunda is an ideal daytrip for families and nature lovers alike. Spectacular forests are perfect for bushwalks, while lookouts provide excellent views across the coastal plains.
Kalamunda offers visitors a variety of activities, from walking the Bibbulmun Track and travelling down the historic Zig Zag Scenic Drive, to the local history village which offers various activities for children. More than 70 percent of the Shire of Kalamunda is made up of state forest, national parks, open space and water catchment areas. This provides visitors with plenty of opportunities for bushwalking, scenic drives and picnic spots. Also worth seeing are the local arts and craft galleries and their selections of public art.
Some of Kalamunda's other tourism features include: the historic Shire Cottage, Stirk Park, open garden displays, Lesmurdie Falls, forest wildflowers in season, heritage walk trails and spectacular city views by day and night.
A range of bed and breakfasts, hotel accommodation and caravan parks are available.
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