Darlington, Western Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Darlington Perth, Western Australia
Darlington railway platform
Postcode(s)	6070
Area	11.9 km2 (4.6 sq mi)
Location	20 km (12 mi) from Perth
LGA(s)	Shire of Mundaring
State electorate(s)	Kalamunda
Federal Division(s)	Hasluck
Suburbs around Darlington: Greenmount John Forrest National Park Hovea Boya Darlington Glen Forrest Helena Valley

Darlington is a lovely area in Western Australia. It's part of the Shire of Mundaring and sits on the Darling Scarp, which is a big hill range. A creek called Nyaania Creek runs through it, and the Helena River is to its south.

Where is Darlington?

Darlington is about 20 kilometres east of Perth. Just west of Darlington, you'll find Boya. Between these two places are two old quarries. One is called "Hudman Road Amphitheatre" and the other is "Mountain Quarry" or "Boya quarry". These quarries are on the side of Greenmount Hill.

What is the land like?

Darlington is on the edge of the Darling Fault. This is a major geological line that runs north to south across the southwest of Western Australia. It creates the beautiful area known as the Perth Hills.

A Look Back: Darlington's History

Darlington started to grow because of the Darlington Winery, which opened in the late 1800s. Unlike some other towns, Darlington wasn't planned out beforehand. The Darlington Hall was first built for the winery.

From 1890 to 1954, a railway line called the Mundaring Loop ran through Darlington. It was part of the Eastern Railway. In the 1930s and 1940s, people would take special "picnic" and "excursion" trains to visit Darlington. The railway line closed in 1966, and the tracks were removed. Now, the old railway path is a popular walking and bike trail called the Railway Reserves Heritage Trail. Locals often call it the "bridle trail."

In the early 1900s, Darlington had many fruit orchards. The famous writer D. H. Lawrence even stayed in a guest house here for a short time. During the Second World War, guest houses were used as places for people to recover. By the mid-1900s, many artists came to live in or visit this small community. Later, farms and orchards were divided into smaller blocks, which led to more people moving to Darlington.

Fun Places: Parks and Reserves

Darlington has some great spots for outdoor activities:

• Darlington Oval - This is where the Darlington Junior Football Club plays their home games.
• Darlington Skate Park - A fun place for skateboarding and scootering.

Who Lives in Darlington?

In 2016, there were 3,656 people living in Darlington. Most people (65.4%) were born in Australia. The next largest group (14.0%) came from England. About 90.3% of people spoke only English at home. When it came to religion, 40.9% said they had no religion, 19.3% were Anglican, and 13.9% were Catholic.

What Makes Darlington Special?

Darlington became a popular place for picnics and country drives very early on. Because it's up in the hills and away from the city, many people built holiday homes here.

Writers, artists, and others who wanted to be away from the busy city of Perth were drawn to Darlington's natural beauty. The artists often got more attention for living here, while writers usually preferred their privacy.

Some of Darlington's community groups have been around for over 40 years. For example, the Darlington Residents and Ratepayers Association grew from an older group called the Darlington Progress Association. The Darlington Arts Festival also has a long history. Sports clubs like tennis and cricket have been around for a long time too.

A newer group, the Darlington Club, helps keep the community involved and uses the Darlington Hall for social events.

Darlington is special because it has several primary schools:

• Darlington Primary School (a state school)
• Tree-Tops Montessori School
• Helena College

The Darlington Arts Festival is an annual event that has been running for more than 40 years. It features art shows and other activities on the Darlington oval.

In 2006, the "Trek the Trail" event took place on the Railway Reserve Heritage Trail. It went from Mundaring to Darlington and included events on the oval.

The Darlington Review is a monthly newspaper that has been published for about 50 years. It shares local stories, news, and advertisements. It's delivered to every home in Darlington and is one of the few local papers to serve a hills community for so long.

Getting Around: Transport

Bus Services

Several bus routes serve Darlington:

•        Route 320 goes from Midland Station to Mundaring. It uses Great Eastern Highway.
•        Route 321 goes from Midland Station to Glen Forrest. It travels along Great Eastern Highway, Darlington Road, and other local roads.
•        Route 322 also goes from Midland Station to Glen Forrest. It uses Coulston Road, Darlington Road, and other local roads.
•        Route 328 goes from Midland Station to Chidlow. It uses Great Eastern Highway.

Famous People Who Lived Here

Some well-known people have lived in Darlington, even if only for a short time:

• Guy Grey-Smith (artist)
• Robert Juniper (artist)
• D. H. Lawrence (writer)
• A. O. Neville (public servant)
• Mollie Skinner (writer)
• George Temple-Poole (architect)
• Richard Woldendorp (photographer)

Images for kids

• 

  The Darlington oval seen from the back of Greenmount Hill.

• 

  A cricket game on the Darlington Oval in March 2005.

• 

  The old Darlington station platform, last used in 1954.