Perth, Western Australia
The Names of Perth: Hills
Where the date of naming and the person who named a feature is known, entries are presented in the following format: Date named; Person who named it; reason for giving names. The names are listed from north to south, commencing at Cape Leschenault.
There are many gaps in this list, indicating that the origins of many names were unable to be verified when this list was being compiled. The authors welcome any contributions by readers that will help fill in the gaps.
Darling Scarp: Also referred to as the Darling Range or Darling Ranges, Darling Scarp is a low escarpment running north-south to the east of the Swan Coastal Plain and Perth. It extends generally north of Bindoon, to the south of Pemberton, and easterly to include Mount Bakewell near York and Mount Saddleback near Boddington. The feature was first recorded as General Darling Range by Charles Fraser, Government Botanist with Captain James Stirling aboard HMS Success in March 1827, after Ralph Darling, Governor of New South Wales, who authorised Stirling's expedition to explore the Swan River region.
Today there is a tendency to identify the locations on or to the east of the scarp as being in the "Perth Hills" (or simply "The Hills"). The earliest traverses by British settlers in the Swan River Colony occurred in the 1830s. The best known of these is the expedition of Ensign Robert Dale, who appears to have gone from a point near Guildford, to the south side of Greenmount Hill and up through the Helena Valley.
View of the city skyline from the top of Yokine Hill
Yokine Hill (Yokine): The suburb of Yokine, which originally was known as Yokine Hill, then Mt Yokine when it was subdivided, has a name of Aboriginal origin meaning dingo, or native dog. It is probably taken from Dog Swamp, previously known as Native Dog Swamp or Yokine Swamp to the local Aborigines, a watering hole used as an Aboriginal campsite which is at the foot of the hill. Elevation: 83 metres above sea level.
Greenmount Hill
Greenmount Hill (Greenmount): Greenmount is a locality on the edge of the Darling Scarp at what is known as Greenmount Hill. Great Eastern Highway at Greenmount Hill is a vital point in the transport routes from the Swan Coastal Plain into the hinterland of Western Australia.
In the era of the Swan River Colony the name 'Greenmount' was used for two points on the Darling Scarp. In the 1840s the York Road was known as York Greenmount, and the road further north along the Scarp was known as Toodyay Greenmount. It is possible that these two locations might have had slightly different coloured foliage compared to the grey blue green colour of the Scarp. The original Eastern Railway linking Perth to Kalgoorlie and the eastern states climbed the Darling Scarp on its western slopes. The current railway route still passes within a few kilometres to the west and north of the hill. Greenmount was a railway stopping place on the Eastern Railway until 1954 when the Mundaring Loop was closed for passenger traffic, however trains continued to work on the line to the Mountain Quarry in Boya until 1962.
Lesmurdie Hill
view from Monument Hill, Mosman Park
Monument Hill (Mosman Park): The highest part of Buckland Hill, where there is a reservoir, is often referred to as Monument Hill to differentiate it from the part of Buckland Hill occupied by the Leighton Battery on its western slopes. The water reservoir, built in 1934-35, supplies most of the western suburbs of Perth. Its been there for much of the last century, but is now roofed. Adjacent to the reservoir is a limestone obelisk, hich gives the hill its name. It was built by convicts in the nineteenth century as a Trig point or survey marker. It originally stood in the centre of the reservoir but was moved when the reservoir roof was installed.
The reservoir is the most westerly in the Perth metropolitan area and provides sweeping views from the takes on Rottnest and Garden Islands and Fremantle Port and Swan River mouth to the west and Lucky Bay and Bicton and East Fremantle to the east.
Monument Hill, Fremantle
Monument Hill (Fremantle): Monument Hill, the highest point in Fremantle, has been a popular lookout over the port and surrounding areas since the early days of British Colonisation. In the second half on the 19th century, an obelisk at the hill's summit provided a trig point to navigators and surveyors. Early in the 20th century the hill was made a park and continued as a lookout and beauty spot. To commemorate the losses of the 1914-1918 war, the City of Fremantle erected the Fallen Sailors & Soldiers Memorial at Monument Hill in 1928. The layout of plantings and parkland was established in the 1930s. More memorials were erected after the 1939-1945 war.
Cantonment Hill, Fremantle
Cantonment Hill (Fremantle): Cantonmemt Hill was named after the cantonment established on this site by the 3rd Regiment, first colonial militia, in 1829. The hill was a popular picnic spot for the early residents of Fremantle because of its panoramic views. The hill was quarried at the present site of the Army Store on Canning Highway. The present tower was the Fremantle Port Authority's Signal Station until 1964.
Wireless Hill Museum
Wireless Hill: Off Canning Highway, Ardross. Wireless Hill Park is the location of one of Australia's first Telecommunications Stations built in 1912. Wireless Hill Park, on the southern side of the Swan River between Perth and Fremantle, features two lookouts with views across Melville Water, a Heritage Trail winding through magnificent Western Australian wildflowers in natural bushland and a Telecommunications Museum housed in the original Telecommunications building.
There are many gaps in this list, indicating that the origins of many names were unable to be verified when this list was being compiled. The authors welcome any contributions by readers that will help fill in the gaps.
Darling Scarp: Also referred to as the Darling Range or Darling Ranges, Darling Scarp is a low escarpment running north-south to the east of the Swan Coastal Plain and Perth. It extends generally north of Bindoon, to the south of Pemberton, and easterly to include Mount Bakewell near York and Mount Saddleback near Boddington. The feature was first recorded as General Darling Range by Charles Fraser, Government Botanist with Captain James Stirling aboard HMS Success in March 1827, after Ralph Darling, Governor of New South Wales, who authorised Stirling's expedition to explore the Swan River region.
Today there is a tendency to identify the locations on or to the east of the scarp as being in the "Perth Hills" (or simply "The Hills"). The earliest traverses by British settlers in the Swan River Colony occurred in the 1830s. The best known of these is the expedition of Ensign Robert Dale, who appears to have gone from a point near Guildford, to the south side of Greenmount Hill and up through the Helena Valley.
View of the city skyline from the top of Yokine Hill
Yokine Hill (Yokine): The suburb of Yokine, which originally was known as Yokine Hill, then Mt Yokine when it was subdivided, has a name of Aboriginal origin meaning dingo, or native dog. It is probably taken from Dog Swamp, previously known as Native Dog Swamp or Yokine Swamp to the local Aborigines, a watering hole used as an Aboriginal campsite which is at the foot of the hill. Elevation: 83 metres above sea level.
Greenmount Hill
Greenmount Hill (Greenmount): Greenmount is a locality on the edge of the Darling Scarp at what is known as Greenmount Hill. Great Eastern Highway at Greenmount Hill is a vital point in the transport routes from the Swan Coastal Plain into the hinterland of Western Australia.
In the era of the Swan River Colony the name 'Greenmount' was used for two points on the Darling Scarp. In the 1840s the York Road was known as York Greenmount, and the road further north along the Scarp was known as Toodyay Greenmount. It is possible that these two locations might have had slightly different coloured foliage compared to the grey blue green colour of the Scarp. The original Eastern Railway linking Perth to Kalgoorlie and the eastern states climbed the Darling Scarp on its western slopes. The current railway route still passes within a few kilometres to the west and north of the hill. Greenmount was a railway stopping place on the Eastern Railway until 1954 when the Mundaring Loop was closed for passenger traffic, however trains continued to work on the line to the Mountain Quarry in Boya until 1962.
Lesmurdie Hill
Lesmurdie Hill (Lesmurdie):
Lesmurdie Hill is the route taken by Lesmurdie Road, the main access road to the Darling Scarp village of Lesmurdie from the Swan Coastal Plain is via Welshpool Road. Lesmurdie Road snakes its way up the side of the Darling Scarp from the suburb of Wattle Grove. Lesmurdie Falls National Park is located at the top of Lesmurdie Hill on the escarpment 20 kilometres east/south-east of Perth.
View from Reabold Hill
Reabold Hill (Floreat): The Boulevard, City Beach. With over fifteen kilometres of bushland walking and bridle trails and ten different lookouts with expansive city and coastal views, Bold Park offers a memorable experience any time of year. Bold Park occupies Reabold Hill, which at 93 metres above sea level, it is the highest peak in the Perth inner metropolitan area. Originally it was known as One Tree Hill. In 1839, Henry Trigg was granted the land around One Tree Hill. He established a lime quarry and kilns, to supply limestone for many of Perth's original buildings. As a result of Mr Trigg's business, the area became known as the Limekilns Estate. In 1844 the estate was purchased by Mr Walter Padbury, who was a butcher. He built an abattoir and slaughtered animals in the area for many years. In 1869 the Birch Brothers purchased the estate off Walter, and established a vineyard.
Camel Lake was once used as a quarantine area for camels, imported during the Gold Rush. The explorer Ernest Giles, rested his camels at the Lake, after his epic journey from Port Augusta to Perth, in May 1875. The camels are now long gone, however evidence of tethering is still visible on some of the trees. Look for the distinctive circular marks on the trunks.
Buckland Hill
Buckland Hill (Mosman Park): Buckland Hill, named by Capt James Stirling after James Buckland who became Dean of Westminster, is the last remaining intact peak of seven prominant hills in the Mosman Park region between the Swan River and the Indian Ocean. It is one of the highest points in the Perth metropolitan area. In the early days of colonisation, the area around Buckland Hill was extensively quarried for limestone. It is thought that Willem de Vlaming, the early Dutch navigator landed nearby this feature in 1697 and climbed the hill to ascertain what lay beyond it and in doing so noted the Swan River which he named.
During the Great War, a Battery Observation Post on the western slopes of Buckland Hill served as the Port War Signal Station, a naval facility used to signal vessels leaving and entering Gage Roads. It became the site of the World War II Leighton 6-inch Battery, a gun station commissioned about two weeks after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour in August 1941. Barracks for the personnel, two coast defence searchlights and other associated facilities linked by a series of tunnels were built to serve the battery. Prior to the 6-inch battery moving to Buckland Hill, a 3.7-inch anti aircraft battery had been deployed near what is today the main entrance to the residential estate.
The battery is stil intact with parts of it open for public inspection. Its observation platform offers panoramic views across the area including Cottesloe Beach.
View from Reabold Hill
Reabold Hill (Floreat): The Boulevard, City Beach. With over fifteen kilometres of bushland walking and bridle trails and ten different lookouts with expansive city and coastal views, Bold Park offers a memorable experience any time of year. Bold Park occupies Reabold Hill, which at 93 metres above sea level, it is the highest peak in the Perth inner metropolitan area. Originally it was known as One Tree Hill. In 1839, Henry Trigg was granted the land around One Tree Hill. He established a lime quarry and kilns, to supply limestone for many of Perth's original buildings. As a result of Mr Trigg's business, the area became known as the Limekilns Estate. In 1844 the estate was purchased by Mr Walter Padbury, who was a butcher. He built an abattoir and slaughtered animals in the area for many years. In 1869 the Birch Brothers purchased the estate off Walter, and established a vineyard.
Camel Lake was once used as a quarantine area for camels, imported during the Gold Rush. The explorer Ernest Giles, rested his camels at the Lake, after his epic journey from Port Augusta to Perth, in May 1875. The camels are now long gone, however evidence of tethering is still visible on some of the trees. Look for the distinctive circular marks on the trunks.
Buckland Hill
Buckland Hill (Mosman Park): Buckland Hill, named by Capt James Stirling after James Buckland who became Dean of Westminster, is the last remaining intact peak of seven prominant hills in the Mosman Park region between the Swan River and the Indian Ocean. It is one of the highest points in the Perth metropolitan area. In the early days of colonisation, the area around Buckland Hill was extensively quarried for limestone. It is thought that Willem de Vlaming, the early Dutch navigator landed nearby this feature in 1697 and climbed the hill to ascertain what lay beyond it and in doing so noted the Swan River which he named.
During the Great War, a Battery Observation Post on the western slopes of Buckland Hill served as the Port War Signal Station, a naval facility used to signal vessels leaving and entering Gage Roads. It became the site of the World War II Leighton 6-inch Battery, a gun station commissioned about two weeks after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour in August 1941. Barracks for the personnel, two coast defence searchlights and other associated facilities linked by a series of tunnels were built to serve the battery. Prior to the 6-inch battery moving to Buckland Hill, a 3.7-inch anti aircraft battery had been deployed near what is today the main entrance to the residential estate.
The battery is stil intact with parts of it open for public inspection. Its observation platform offers panoramic views across the area including Cottesloe Beach.
view from Monument Hill, Mosman Park
Monument Hill (Mosman Park): The highest part of Buckland Hill, where there is a reservoir, is often referred to as Monument Hill to differentiate it from the part of Buckland Hill occupied by the Leighton Battery on its western slopes. The water reservoir, built in 1934-35, supplies most of the western suburbs of Perth. Its been there for much of the last century, but is now roofed. Adjacent to the reservoir is a limestone obelisk, hich gives the hill its name. It was built by convicts in the nineteenth century as a Trig point or survey marker. It originally stood in the centre of the reservoir but was moved when the reservoir roof was installed.
The reservoir is the most westerly in the Perth metropolitan area and provides sweeping views from the takes on Rottnest and Garden Islands and Fremantle Port and Swan River mouth to the west and Lucky Bay and Bicton and East Fremantle to the east.
Monument Hill, Fremantle
Monument Hill (Fremantle): Monument Hill, the highest point in Fremantle, has been a popular lookout over the port and surrounding areas since the early days of British Colonisation. In the second half on the 19th century, an obelisk at the hill's summit provided a trig point to navigators and surveyors. Early in the 20th century the hill was made a park and continued as a lookout and beauty spot. To commemorate the losses of the 1914-1918 war, the City of Fremantle erected the Fallen Sailors & Soldiers Memorial at Monument Hill in 1928. The layout of plantings and parkland was established in the 1930s. More memorials were erected after the 1939-1945 war.
Cantonment Hill, Fremantle
Cantonment Hill (Fremantle): Cantonmemt Hill was named after the cantonment established on this site by the 3rd Regiment, first colonial militia, in 1829. The hill was a popular picnic spot for the early residents of Fremantle because of its panoramic views. The hill was quarried at the present site of the Army Store on Canning Highway. The present tower was the Fremantle Port Authority's Signal Station until 1964.
Wireless Hill Museum
Wireless Hill: Off Canning Highway, Ardross. Wireless Hill Park is the location of one of Australia's first Telecommunications Stations built in 1912. Wireless Hill Park, on the southern side of the Swan River between Perth and Fremantle, features two lookouts with views across Melville Water, a Heritage Trail winding through magnificent Western Australian wildflowers in natural bushland and a Telecommunications Museum housed in the original Telecommunications building.
