New all-weather road into Araluen Botanic Park open to visitors from June

1/4/98

Visitors driving into Araluen Botanic Park are in for a new motoring experience from June.

Gone will be the potholes, ruts and ridges that characterised the old narrow, winding entrance road that has served the park since it was opened in the early 1930s.

Planning Minister Graham Kierath said that in its place would be a $340,000 all-weather road that will cater for park visitors right through the year.

"It will be a smooth ride all the way into the park," Mr Kierath said.

"The new road now under construction will be wider and rebuilt stronger than the original to cater for the 30,000 vehicles which go to Araluen every year.

"What we want to do is provide an all-weather access that will adequately meet the needs of the increasing number of visitors who come to enjoy the flora, just picnic and relax, or patronise Chalet Healy restaurant."

Arrangements have been made for vehicles to use the park's exit road while road construction is under way.

In addition to the widely acclaimed annual tulip festival, the park is often chosen as the venue for special events, like the Fruit Fair, now in its second year. The fair will be held from April 2-5 and includes crafts like ceramics, pottery, screen printing and garden wares.

A further park attraction will be a twilight performance of Barking Gecko's Festival of Perth production, Frog Opera, to be held by the swimming pool on April 2 and 3.

Mr Kierath said the broad variety of functions held at the park showed that Araluen was a premier facility which figured prominently on Perth's cultural, social and recreational calendar.