Kalamunda is an eastern suburb of Perth, Western Australia, situated in the Darling Scarp. Kala means “home” in Noongar (an Indigeneous Australian language) and munda means “forest”. So, Kalamunda translated means “A home in the forest”.
Kalamunda’s valleys are an ideal growing place for stone fruits, apples, pears and a small commercial rose growing industry due to the deep clay soils. Bickley, Carmel and Pickering Brook are extensive orchard growing areas.
Once, this town was a thriving logging region as it was a stopping point on the Upper Darling Range Railway. Now, there is a museum at the site of the railway station.
Although Kalamunda’s retail centre is the biggest in the Darling Scarp, it mainly services the town of Kalamunda, Lesmurdie and Walliston. It is also rich in arts and crafts tradition.
Perth’s three major residential colleges are situated here.
Kalamunda is likely to develop into a large retirement population. Its population has a wide and diverse ethnicity. After the Second World War, many Italian families migrated here to set up the orchard industry.
It is also a base for the television towers of all free-to-air Perth Television stations. The Perth Airport’s approach control radar starts from here too.
The Kalamunda National Park and the Bibbulmun Track, a 963km recreational walking trail is located nearby.
Events held during the year include The Kalamunda Agricultural Show (April), The Harvest Festival (May), The Perth Hills Wine Show (Sept) and The Zig Zag Festival (October).
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Australia