Roleystone


The picturesque hills suburb of Roleystone became a fashionable semi-rural suburb in the 1960s. Roleystone was subdivided into farmlets in 1902, many being subsequently developed as orchards and market gardens.

The many reserves and residential gardens in the relatively large blocks are home to a variety of native wildlife with bandicoots, brushtail possums, shingleback lizards and children's pythons in relative abundance. Large numbers of Western Grey Kangaroos are found in bush surrounding the suburb.



Churchman Brook Dam
Churchman Brook Dam offers a delightful family day out with beautiful scenery and excellent facilities. Built in the 1920's, the earthfill dam provided Perth with a substantial portion of its hills water supply until 1937. Construction began with the building of a reservior and pipehead on Churchman Brook. Pipehead dams were also built on the upper Canning.

Visitors can drive to the top of the spillway and walk along the dam wall. The dam is a popular place for a family picnic, having a childrens' playground, large grassed areas, toilets, picnic tables and barbeques. Picnic tables are shaded, have fixed benches on either side and are open at either end. Location: Soldiers Road, Roleystone



Araluen Botanic Park
Back in 1929, the Young Australia League saw the potential of a unique deep forested valley near Roleystone as an ideal site for a tranquil holiday resort. The valley's rich, loamy soils and high rainfall made it the perfect location to create the magnificent, culturally significant terraced gardens, timber and stone structures, water features surrouned by mature trees that form the basis of what is today Araluen Botanic Park.

Popular in spring for its tulips and other magnificent spring blooms, Araluen comprises a tranquil botanic garden of both natural and developed beauty, providing four seasons of relaxing activity that holds great attraction for weddings, photography, bird-watching and family get-togethers. Whatever time you visit Araluen, you will find the streams flowing, plenty of grassy areas on which to enjoy a barbeque or picnic and many delightful bush walks.



Canning Dam
The Canning River has supplied water to Perth since 1924 when a pipehead dam was built near Araluen, 6km downstream from the present Canning Dam. Canning Dam was the State's biggest public works project during the 1930s depression. It was a vast undertaking that provided desperately needed work for 500 men and a valuable boost for local industry. The dam was completed in 1940.

At the western end of the valley, downstream from the dam wall, the workforce lived in their own township complete with post office, general store, recreation hall and school house. The only thing missing from a typical bush town was a hotel. In the 1970s, the Canning Tunnel was blasted through solid granite from Canning Dam to Roleystone to boost the water flow from the dam.

Picnic facilities, barbecue areas and walking trails are provided for visitors. Access by road via Brookton Highway to Roleystone. Turn right into Croydon Road, follow the signs directly to Canning Dam, around 9km further.

The suburb's name
It is believed that the suburb got its name from a large rock, which is uphill past the Brackenridge shops. It can be viewed from a private road to the right of the highway half way between Soldiers Road and Thompson Road.










Sales: Ph 0409 006 472 - Email | Editorial: Ph 0412 879 698 - Email | Content © 2016 Australia For Everyone