Peel        

Whilst housesitting in Cardup, see blog, we came across the quaint timber milling townsite of Jarrahdale, high up in the Perth Hills.

We used this as a base for my contracted teaching role nearby (read about 2024 Teaching contract here). Jarrahdale offers a free 72hr RV Parking area with both potable water and a dump point. Given two consecutive days of work each week, the RV spot provided the three nights we needed to be in the area. Then, short four-night trips away and alongside some housesitting and staying with friends we continued to travel and explore.

The town is rightly proud of its timber industry history.  The streets are lined with small wooden homes that housed the workers. They are quickly snapped up if they come to the real estate market. Most retain their exterior charm despite some modernisation.

The old church and post office greet you as you enter the town and their car park gives easy access to the Heritage Trail. A short way in, sits the old manager’s house – a delightful, Australian-style wooden bungalow with shade-decked verandas all around it.

If you are interested in birdlife, the walk provides ample opportunities to spot a wide variety of natives among the bush, along the brook and in the tall trees. Red-Winged Fairy Wrens, Western Rosellas and Red-Tailed Cockatoos are imprinted in my mind visually and vocally!

Opposite the church is Necessiteas, a shop selling a range of teas from around the globe and tea paraphernalia. The shop is filled with bright clothing and soft, home furnishings.

Further uphill, the Jarrahdale Tavern offers good meals and a welcoming atmosphere whether on a balmy day in the beer garden or on a cold evening by the wood-fired stove.

Continue up again and the PO Kitchen has quality meals. We indulged in a full-cooked breakfast one morning and an Asian noodle salad another lunchtime. This and Old General Store are both popular refreshment stops for the motorcycle groups that like to ride the twist and bends of the hills area.

A bauxite mine was established in 1963 on the edge of town but has since closed and the site regenerated. Early attempts to restore the forest taught the importance of national companies understanding the flora of local areas. WA does not have the same trees as the NSW gums they tried planting!

Further native rehabilitation has since been taking place and the native fauna and birdlife are returning.

Amongst these new trees and undergrowth, a labyrinth of mountain bike trails has been laid out at Langford Park. You can walk along these but be wary of speedy cyclists. There are a few additional, safer, walk trails too.

Nearby to Jarrahdale, is the Serpentine Dam and the Serpentine National Park where there are even more walks and the beautiful Serpentine Falls.

All in all, we loved our stay at Jarrahdale. Each week we discovered something new about the location and recommend it as a base for RV tourists to Perth, Perth Hills, Rockingham and Mandurah areas.

Gold! At least, that’s what is mined here in the biggest gold-producing mine in Australia, as I write. It claims to beat the scale of the Kalgoorlie Super Pit but since COVID the tours at Boddington mine no longer run.

The town itself is very pleasant. We stayed in the free 48hr RV stop overlooking a shallow stretch of the Hotham River. Toilets and water taps are available a walk across the town oval in the old school buildings, now a Community Resource Centre.

I was impressed with the architecture of the main bridge over the river as you approach town from the north but it’s from under the bridge on a walk trail that you get a sense of the craftsmanship using local timbers that went into its construction.

Further along the trail, you come across Ranford Pool. There used be a tanning factory here and the river was deepened. Now, it’s a popular swimming spot for locals and visitors alike.

For those of you with children, they would be delighted to spend time on the extensive play area by the Visitor Centre. Plenty to climb on and a brilliant bike park to test their cycling skills. Meanwhile, you can enjoy a coffee or light meal at the café decking which overlooks the play area. And, afterwards, spend a few minutes in the interpretive centre to learn more of the area’s history.

Boddington is decorated with many pieces of street art. Take a look at my Instagram images of my favourites. We didn’t but should have checked if there were more at the Rodeo grounds. Yes! You read right! Boddington hosts the largest rodeo in Western Australia each November.

From Boddington we drove on to Quindanning. The Church is a must see in this tiny farming hamlet. The Quindanning Hotel offers free camping to those who spend a few dollars in the bar restaurant and includes toilets and hot showers. The car park is large enough for a few rigs. It was built in the same era as the Yanchep Inn and has similar architectural and decorative elements, trying to emulate the style of dark, wooden Old English Inns.  The grounds are very well kept and when we visited full of colour, floral aromas and plenty of seating.

We did spend a few dollars on a delicious meal, which you can read my review of on my Food Page, enjoying a shady nook in the gardens.