The Eastern Rural Districts
In the Eastern Rural Districts the urban sprawl gives way to rural areas strewn with wineries and orchards that in turn give way to the breathtaking old growth forests of Jarrah and Marri. The largest region in the City by area, rolling hills, fields of produce and quintessential Australian bush are characteristic of this area which encompasses the suburbs of Carmel, Canning Mills, Bickley, Walliston, Hacketts Gully, Paulls Valley, Pickering Brook and Reservoir. Canning Mills is home to the Korung National Park and the Victoria Reservoir while Hacketts Gully hosts the Beelu National Park and the popular Munda Biddi Cycle track. Built in 1897, Western Australia’s oldest observatory is located in the suburb of Bickley, while Paulls Valley is home to the Calamunda Camel Farm and an abundance of walking and hiking trails. Synonymous with apple and stone fruit production, the very Mediterranean looking suburbs of Bickley and Carmel are increasingly making their mark on the food and wine tourism scene, playing host to an ever growing industry of small boutique wineries. The tranquil serenity of this environment has you easily forgetting that you are but 40 minutes from the Perth CBD.