Plans for Darling Range Regional Park released for comment

May 7, 1996

The State Government has released for public comment detailed plans to create Australia's biggest regional park in the Perth hills.

Planning Minister Richard Lewis said Darling Range Regional Park would be the largest of the 15 regional parks in the Perth metropolitan region and would protect outstanding environmental, recreation and landscape values.

Outlining the required zoning amendments to the Metropolitan Region Scheme to formalise the establishment of the park, Mr Lewis said the document proposed the reservation of 11,703 hectares of land for parks and recreation use.

"This means that close to 35,000 hectares of the Darling Range will be reserved for parks and recreation when the amendment proposals are finalised later this year," he said.

"The amendment implements the recommendations of the 1995 report, 'Proposals for the Darling Range Regional Park', which was compiled by a community advisory committee chaired by local MLA John Day."

The Minister said the release of the amendment marked a significant milestone in the State Government's efforts to increase the amount of reserved recreational areas in the metropolitan region.

"This Government has already moved to protect more than 18,500 hectares of land for recreational use, which represents a 50 per cent increase in the total amount of reserved parkland in the metropolitan area over the past three years," he said.

"The proposed zoning changes will affect a combination of Crown and private land. However, there will be no impact on current land uses."

Mr Lewis said the protection of the area would mean that the community could continue to enjoy its unique qualities and ensure that the Darling Range was retained as a natural backdrop to the city of Perth.

"In particular, a large area of the scarp next to Brigadoon will be kept as parkland to secure that magnificent view for future generations," he said.

"The proposals reflect the need for conservation by protecting several areas identified in the System 6 review undertaken as part of the regional park study."

The Minister said one of the most interesting features of the regional park was the incorporation of disused railway reserves as parks and recreation areas.

"Old railway reserves between Swan View and Chidlow contain remnant native vegetation and will link other reserved areas such as Beechina Nature Reserve and Brookside Park, " he said.

"A parks and recreation reservation along the disused southern railway reserve between the Helena River area through Darlington will provide an important recreational link which includes the site of the old Greenmount Railway Station.

"These greenways will effectively provide a link between the inner Wheatbelt to the metropolitan area.

"A lengthy corridor of urban and rural zoned Crown land between Gooseberry Hill National Park and the State Forest at Carmel is proposed to be rezoned to form another green link for recreational use."

Mr Lewis said the regional park concept sought to encourage environmental awareness and appreciation through recreation and education for a wide range of visitors.

"While many parts of the Darling Range are proposed for the regional park for recreational purposes, other areas are included for their environmental significance," he said.

Mr Lewis said the preparation of the amendment had been a long and detailed process and it identified some areas which were more suited to other zonings.

"In addition to the proposal to rezone 11,703 hectares to parks and recreation, there would be 2.5 hectares rezoned from parks and recreation to urban, 20.9 hectares from rural to State forest, 5.5 hectares from railway reservation to public purposes and 92 hectares from rural to waterways reservation," he said.

The Darling Range Regional Park Major Amendment affects various parts of the Shires of Swan, Mundaring, Kalamunda and Serpentine-Jarrahdale and the Cities of Gosnells and Armadale.

Copies of the amendment are available from the Ministry for Planning, the Cities of Perth, Fremantle, Gosnells and Armadale, the Shires of Serpentine-Jarrahdale, Swan, Mundaring and Kalamunda and the State Reference Library.

Public comment on the proposals is invited over the next three months and written submissions should be lodged by August 9.

Media contact : Bronwyn Hillman 222 9595 or 221 1377