After walking from the Dell to South Ledge we stopped at Mundaring Weir for a picnic lunch. After lunch we enjoyed an icecream from the icecream truck before walking across the dam wall enjoying the views of Lake C.Y. O'Connor on our right and the Helena River Valley to our left. It is a short walk across the wall and on the other side we stopped to admire the elegant circular Valve Tower, featuring a domed sheet copper roof.
There is more parking available on the Mundaring side near the C.Y. O'Connor Hub which has lovely shady picnic areas, gas barbecues and toilets as well as a quirky nature playground and interpretive signage about the history of C.Y. O'Connor and the pipeline. You will also find the Rose Garden here.
Steps lead from the C.Y. O'Connor hub to his statue and then down to the O'Connor Lake Lookout.
We followed more stairs down to No 1 Pump Station reading the information panels as we went. There are several signs for the Bibbulmun Track which passes through here so there is scope to spend time exploring a number of trails.
No 1 Pump Station and it's very tall chimney are open every weekend between 12 and 4pm. Current entry fees are $8 per adult, $5 per child (5-12) or $20 for a family. During Heritage Month from mid April to mid May every year many National Trust buildings, including no 1 Pump Station, have free entry weekends so we were lucky enough to get in free.
The No 1 Pump Station is an impressive building with state of the art technology from over 100 years ago including three of the original boilers, the Green's economiser and one of the original steam engines. For the adults there are some very informative panels describing the machinery, engineering feats and history of the pipeline along with the sad story of C.Y. O'Connor who took his own life a day before the water flowed believing that his project was a disaster!
For the kids there is a diorama showing how the pipes traverse the countryside from Mundaring to Kalgoorlie. There is also an interactive model which the kids can pump to move the water up and down the system.
Cross the foot bridge back over the "river" and you will find more parking, barbecues and information. Head back up the tiered steps to the dam wall to complete your loop around the precinct.
It doesn't matter where you park you can explore the loop around the dam and the pump station from any starting point.
If you want to make a day of it you could:
Head to Mundaring Weir Hotel just up the road (walk or drive) for a beverage or a meal. The Mundaring Weir Hotel is a historically significant building with loads of character and a great open area for the kids to play. Often there is also live entertainment.
Mundaring itself is a town full of history and has a great Nature Playground at the Mundaring Community Sculpture Park. This park also has signage detailing the walks and trails in the area. You might also like to explore the Mundaring Heritage and Art Trail and try Cafe Mojo for a quirky place for a cuppa or a meal.
Have your picnic at Fred Jacoby Park which is also dog friendly.
Walk, cycle or drive the many trails (or parts of them as some go for hundreds of kilometres!) around Mundaring - the Dell to South Ledge Track, Perth Hills Discovery Centre to Golden View Lookout, Railway Reserves Heritage Trail, Portogabra Track, Golden Pipeline Trail, Bibbulmun Track, Kep Track, Munda Biddi Trail.
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In the spirit of reconciliation Out and About- Family Nature Connection acknowledges the traditional owners of the Wadjak boodjar (Perth land) and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
As always when hiking in the bush please help to reduce the spread of Phytophthora Dieback by sticking to the tracks and paths, staying out of quarantined areas and, if possible, clean your shoes before and after hiking.