Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954), Thursday 25 August 1938, page 25


AROUND KALAMUNDA.

A Charming, Flourishing Town.

THE NEW ROAD TO MUNDARING WEIR.

PROBABLY the best known of all the

hills winter resorts because of its easy accessabuity to the city. Kalamunda continues to hold its high place in the affections of all lovers of the Darling Ranges. Each year that passes sees greater development in the picturesque town-ship, adding to the already great gifts of nature man-made facilities for the in-creased comfort and pleasure of both residents and visitors. This year a not-able step forward can be recorded-the completion of the long-promised motor road from Kalamunda to Mundaring Weir and now a new vista has been opened for visitors to the hills. The new road,

An orchard in the Kalamunda district.

winding across hills and valleys, beside miniature waterfalls and through avenues of straight young saplings, which in years to come will provide wonderful forest scenes, provides a drive which is a con-tinual delight, and the foresight of the authorities in constructing the new drive will be appreciated by all who make the journey.

Before, however, leaving Kalamunda along the new drive, there is much in

the township and its immediate sur-roundings to interest and please the visitor. Thanks to the energy of the controlling road board, the district abounds in splendid motor drives to de-

lightful picnic places. It is difficult to

think of Kalamunda without thinking, too, of the wonderful Bickley Valley, with its rolling hills of orange-covered fruit trees and its long valleys disap-pearing into the sunset in a blaze of blossom. One of the State's most pic-turesque sights is this view down the Bickley Valley as one stands on a high spot and looks to the west at the end of a spring afternoon; and one of the best examples of the fertility of the Darling Ranges soil is the sight of the heavily laden trees and green pastures of the valley. This, by the way, is yet another of the views one obtains from the new Kala-munda-Mundaring Weir road.

The quiet, almost rural scenery which one obtains in the township itself is be-coming, as years pass and more and more people realise the possibilities of the district as a residential area, heightened by the many beautiful gar-dens and shrubs of houses which (to the honour of the owners and architects) are being constructed to harmonise with their natural surroundings. Here it is that the close proximity of Kalamunda to tlie city helps the district, for business men are realising rapidly that modern transport facilities make it easy to live in the beautiful surroundings of the hills and yet conveniently attend to their daily work in town. Building figures for the

Kalamunda district show that, in the area controlled by the road board alone, houses valued at at least £2,600 have been con-ttructed in the past year, while, in areas outside the board's scope, it is estimated that at least a similar sum has been spent. In addition, extensive additions have been made to the picturesquely situated girls' college at Lesmurdie to the extent of over £10,000.

While private owners have been grac-ing the district with their homes, the board has added to the beauty of the surroundings. Avenues of shade-giving box trees have been planted, the recrea-tion reserve has been unproved by new trees and creepers, roads have been widened and surfaced, and well-known picnic spots beautified. Attention ls now being given to proposals to construct a swimming pool and to provide a compre-hensive water supply scheme for the town.

As has been said, there is much to please and interest the visitor to Kala-munda. From Perth one reaches the

township by a road (now being widened

and reconstructed) which winds along beside some of the finest houses to be seen either in or out of the metropolitan area. Now, with wattles in flower and almond blossom gracing almost every house, the approach to Kalamunda is one of great beauty, and in a few weeks, when the wild flowers start to lay their vivid carpet on the ground, the district will indeed be a wonderful sight. Near to Kalamunda are the picturesque Les-murdie Falls, second only to the Serpen-tine Falls in beauty, and one of the fav-ourite hills picnic spots for visitors from the metropolitan area.

In Kalamunda there are all facilities which make for happy winter holidays. Close to the town is a first-class golf links, which at present is in splendid condition—as a recent amateur record round of 32 indicates. The links are open to visitors at all times. There are, too, tennis courts and other sports grounds to entice the energetic, while the shady verandahs of the Kalamunda Hotel and the numerous guest houses offer quiet hours for reading, sleeping or, perhaps, merely lazy contemplation of the beautiful hills scenery.

To take the drive along the new road from Kalamunda to Mundaring Weir, the motorist should cross the railway line opposite the hotel and continue along the Bickley Valley road. Glorious views of the surrounding orchards, are to be seen from this winding road, and, when one nears the new bridge over Piesse's Brook, a magnificent view down the val-ley is to be obtained. From here the road winds up the opposite hill and along through avenues of young trees towards Mundaring Weir. At intervals along its length, the Forestry Department has constructed picnic places in picturesque positions, and these are complete with proper fireplaces for cooking and boiling water.

A new view of the Victoria Reservoir is obtained by taking this road to the Weir as one approaches it from the side not usually seen by visitors, and at present as one pulls up the hill to the top of the reserve the wattles are a blaze of col-our. The new hills road is indeed an acquisition to the districts it serves and to the motorists of the metropolitan area.