Mundaring Shire - The Beginning

Updated: Oct 21

From the early beginnings of Western Australia and especially Perth the most important aspect for the early settlers was roads and the safe travel on them. It came upon the local government and Governor Hampton to appoint local district committees to report on the state of the rural roads in 1868.

These “Road Boards” were responsible for the repair and construction of roads bridges and drains. They were financed by the government but also revenue was raised from “cart licenses”.

Second Shire offices - now called Shire of Mundaring - on the corner of Great Eastern Hwy and Mann Street opened in 1934, and was demolished in 1982

By 1893 the Swan Road Board District covered a vast area which included The Lakes, Belmont and south to Mount Dale. By 1898 it was decided to make a new Road Board district which included settlements along York Road as well as Kalamunda and Gooseberry Hill to be called the Darling Range Road Board. Because the board members lived on both sides of the Helena River it was difficult to hold meetings, especially when they had to walk a long distance, sometimes in hot or wet weather.

In 1903 the two districts separated, and the York Road area became known as the Greenmount Road Board and by 1906 a new office was erected in Lion Mill (now Mt. Helena). This is now the Mt. Helena Veterinary Clinic.

In the mid 1920’s Mundaring had become the commercial centre of the district therefore a new office was built on the corner of York Road and Mann Street and renamed Mundaring Road Board in 1934. There was another name change in 1961 to become Mundaring Shire Council.

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