The Perth Hills are an outdoor enthusiasts’ playground. Located on the Darling Scarp, this massive region stretches several hundred kilometres in Perth’s east and includes the main towns of Armadale, Kalamunda and Mundaring. Campers, hikers, cyclers and rock climbers are spoiled for choice, and that’s not even mentioning the wine routes and wildflowers on offer.
Bushwalking and hiking options are abundant, but the best ones include the trails at Lesmurdie Falls, providing views of the biggest waterfall in Perth Hills and the Swan Coastal Plain. Other highlights include John Forrest National Park (Falls Road Walk, Bushwalk Trail) and a section of the Bibbulmun Track starting at the Northern Terminus, from Kalamunda to Mundaring Weir. This is considered a challenging hike, but a must for experienced hikers to see the diversity of trails and landscapes the Hills offers.
The Weir cannot be skipped if you’re finishing up in Mundaring. Labelled a world-class engineering project, the Weir is home to history, including the Number 1 Pump Station Museum, which explores the building of the Weir and its engineer. The Golden Pipeline Heritage Trail starts from the museum and continues to Kalgoorlie. Mundaring is the perfect balance for a day in the Perth Hills, with bushwalks (Mundaring Heritage Walk), the Mundaring Lookout picnics, birdwatching, and the museum, topped off with a meal at Mundaring Hotel.
A visit to Perth Observatory will remind you how small we really are. The 125-year-old observatory in Bickley hosts regular tours and events with the help of almost 20 telescopes and 120 volunteers. This facility provides insight into the stars and has been involved in landmark research throughout its history, including co-discovering Uranus’ ring system. A night sky tour here is remarkable, where your tour of the Southern Hemisphere’s celestial bodies includes museum entry.