Bickley
A rural suburb in the southern regions of the Darling Range. Before 1949 it was a stopping place on the Upper Darling Range Railway. The Seven Network and Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Perth Television transmission towers are located at Bickley.
Charles Ashcroft was the first settler to established an orchard here, in 1893, on his 8 acre property. Some months later, he was joined by George Palmateer, who he had met at the diggings at Fly Flats, Coolgardie, during the gold rush. George Palmateer's wife, Lucy, was the daughter of John and Emma Wallis, after whom the nearby locality of Walliston was named. The district adopted the name of Palmateer's property - Heidelberg - but during World War I, the Railway Department renamed it the Bickley. At the time, Britain and Germany were at War and it became standard practice across Australia to change places names which were German or sounded German. Bickly was selected because Heidelberg was near the headwaters of Bickley Brook. The brook had been named after Wallace Bickley, who took up land on the Canning River in 1832. Location: 25km east of Perth.
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Western Australia's oldest observatory, the Perth Observatory at Bickley has served the state of WA for over 100 years and remains actively involved in the service of public education. In recognition of its scientific, cultural and historical significance, the Observatory was entered on the state's Heritage Register in 2005. The main obervatory was opened in 1894 by William Ernest Cooke, who had been appointed first State Government Astronomer a year earlier.
The new Perth Observatory opened at Bickley in 1966. Tours of the Observatory began as a way to further promote the Observatory's functions and provide some much-needed revenue in the 1980s. Over the years, a dedicated band of volunteers has worked closely with staff to help co-ordinate and run the tours. To make a tour booking, please phone the Observatory on (08) 9293 8255, Monday to Friday, between 8.30am and 3.30pm. Books essential. The Perth Observatory is located at 337 Walnut Road, Bickley.
Prior to the constriction of the dam, residents of Perth sourced their drinking water from wells, natural bodies of water and rainwater tanks. With the growth in the population of Perth and Fremantle, concerns about water quality, pollution and adequate sewage disposal became widespread. Decades of proposals for sewage disposal and water supply systems followed, resulting in the construction of the first Victoria Dam, completed in 1891. The scheme, which included pipelines to Kings Park and a reservoir there on Mount Eliza, was constructed and operated by the private City of Perth Waterworks Company. The dam became the first permanent water source for Perth.
The decision to replace the Old Victoria Dam was made in 1989. Use of the old dam for water supply ended in April 1990, and the old dam was partially demolished. Construction on the new dam started on 23 August 1990. It was built just upstream from the old dam using roller-compacted concrete (RCC), rather than the more traditional method of large concrete pours or earthfill.
The new dam supplies water to the Perth Hills suburbs of Kalamunda and Lesmurdie, and also supplies the rest of the metropolitan area in times of peak demand. The area is not open to full public access; it can only be visited by the public via walking trails.
Not far from Bickley is the Perth suburb of Carmel. The transmission tower for Network 10 in Perth is located here. Carmel was settled by Benjamin Mason who established a timber mill in 1864 on his 460 acre lease. Prior to 1949 it was a timber miller's stopping place stopping place on the Upper Darling Range Railway. The railway siding was originally known as Green's Landing after Perth businessman Levi Green, who had moved into the area in 1844. In 1915, the name Carmel, meaning "park" or "garden of God" in Hebrew, was adopted. The name was first used by settler Edward Owen who moved into the area in 1893.
The Bickley Brook Reservoir, one of Western Australia's many water catchments, is a popular spot for day trips in Perth. Facilities available include BBQs, toilets, change rooms and tap water. There is always plenty of shade available for picnics.
There are many areas to walk including the 27 kilometre Kattamordo Heritage Trail which starts at Mundaring Weir and makes its way to the Bickley Reservoir following old railway tracks. Location: Hardinge Road, Orange Grove
Sixty Foot Falls
The picturesque Ellis Brook valley falls within Banyowla Regional Park (formerly a part of Darling Range Regional Park). Accessed by a walk that starts in the north at Hardinge Park adjacent to Bickley Brook Reservoir. The first half of the route is the most interesting and varied, as it follows the edge of the Darling Scarp. There are some excellent views across the Swan Coastal Plain and to Perth city, 18 kms away. The highlight at the halfway point is the impressive SixtyFoot Falls in Ellis Brook Valley Reserve in the south. The vegetation varies from jarrah-marri forest to heathlands and some wandoo forest. The second half of the walk is across mainly gentle terrain, aside from the final steeper descent to Bickley Brook Reservoir, Hardinge Road, Orange Grove.
The spring time wildflowers are diverse and spectacular, and a large number of bird species to be seen. These range from walks on easy, surfaced, paths to more challenging hikes on rough trails.
Lesmurdie Falls are situated 20km of Perth and 5km from Kalamunda on the Darling Escarpment. Lesmurdie Falls cascades 50 metres. There is an excellent network of walk trails within the Park that leads to the lookouts and vantage points providing excellent views of the falls. Location: Falls Road, Lesmurdie, WA
