Glen Forrest, Western Australia

Glen Forrest
PerthWestern Australia
The Glen Forrest Volunteer Fire Brigade building in 2012
Map
Coordinates31°54′36″S 116°06′11″E / 31.910°S 116.103°E / -31.910; 116.103
Population2,789 (SAL 2021)[1]
Established1877
Postcode(s)6071
LGA(s)Shire of Mundaring
State electorate(s)Swan Hills
Federal division(s)Hasluck
Suburbs around Glen Forrest:
Hovea Hovea Hovea
Darlington Glen Forrest Mahogany Creek
Darlington Paulls Valley Paulls Valley

Glen Forrest is a suburb within the Shire of Mundaring, south of John Forrest National Park, west of Mahogany Creek, east of Darlington, and north of the Helena River. Its northern boundary is determined by the Great Eastern Highway.

The area was originally named Smith's Mill, after A. C. Smith & Son's jarrah saw mill, established in October 1877.[2][3][4] In 1915 local residents petitioned to change the area's name to Glen Forrest, to honour Sir John Forrest, first Premier of Western Australia.[5]

The suburb is bisected by a disused railway track - the original route of the Eastern Railway - which is now known as the Railway Reserve Heritage Trail, and Nyaania Creek.

It has a number of significant conservation reserves including the Glen Forrest Super Block, which is adjacent to Ryecroft Road (the main connecting road to Darlington).[6]

The major early industries were forestry, and the Stathams Brickworks,[7] which had its own siding, just east of the railway yard.[8] The brickworks was located on a patch of white clay that is now a park and recreation area.

It has two commercial areas - one adjacent to and just north of the former railway station site, and the other at the intersection of Hardey Road and Great Eastern Highway.

Like Darlington to the west, Glen Forrest had at its earliest times a winery, Glen Hardey, on the valley edge down which Hardey Road passes.[5]

  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Glen Forrest (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ "Advertising". The Inquirer and Commercial News. Perth, WA. 26 December 1877. p. 1. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  3. ^ "Dissolution of Partnership". The Inquirer and Commercial News. Perth, WA. 9 July 1884. p. 2. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  4. ^ Rome, E. G; HRRC (1907), Glen Hardey Vineyard, Smith's Mill, the property of Mr R. W. Hardey, retrieved 1 October 2012
  5. ^ a b "Smith's Mill". The West Australian. Perth, WA. 3 September 1915. p. 4. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  6. ^ "Glen Forrest Superblock". Western Australian Naturalists' Club. Perth, WA. 31 August 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  7. ^ Leighton, Eric H (1997), Bricks in Glen Forrest : the story of "Statham" Brickworks, E. H. Leighton, retrieved 1 October 2012
  8. ^ Stathams brickworks is sometimes confused with 'Stathams' - the Statham's Quarry in Gooseberry Hill