Kings Park, (

Noongar The Noongar (, also spelt Noongah, Nyungar , Nyoongar, Nyoongah, Nyungah, Nyugah, and Yunga ) are Aboriginal Australian peoples who live in the South West, Western Australia, south-west corner of Western Australia, from Geraldton, Western Au ...

: ''Kaarta Gar-up'') is a park overlooking Perth Water and the

central business district A central business district (CBD) is the commercial and business centre of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides with the "city ...

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

, Western Australia. The park is a mixture of grassed parkland, botanical gardens and natural bushland on Mount Eliza with two-thirds of the grounds conserved as native bushland. Offering panoramic views of the Swan River and

Darling Range The Darling Scarp, also referred to as the Darling Range or Darling Ranges, is a low escarpment running north–south to the east of the Swan Coastal Plain and Perth, Western Australia. The escarpment extends generally north of Bindoon, to th ...

, it is home to over 324 native plant varieties, 215 known indigenous fungi species and 80 bird species. It is the most popular visitor destination in Western Australia, being visited by over five million people each year.Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority. 2015. http://www.bgpa.wa.gov.au/ Besides tourist facilities, Kings Park contains the State War Memorial, the Royal Kings Park Tennis club and a reservoir. The streets are tree lined with individual plaques dedicated by family members to Western Australian service men and women who died in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

and

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. The park is also rich in flora (both native and introduced) and during September of each year Kings Park hosts Australia's largest wildflower show and exhibition – the Kings Park Festival. The park is an

unincorporated area An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either hav ...

outside all local government areas; it is administered by the

Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority The Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority is a Western Australian Government authority charged with the administration of Kings Park and Bold Park. It was announced on 28 April 2017 that the Department of Parks and Wildlife would merge with the Bo ...

, which is a state government authority.

History

Prior to European settlement and exploration Mount Eliza was known as ''Mooro Katta'' and ''Kaarta Gar-up'', the Aboriginal names given by the

Nyoongar The Noongar (, also spelt Noongah, Nyungar , Nyoongar, Nyoongah, Nyungah, Nyugah, and Yunga ) are Aboriginal Australian peoples who live in the south-west corner of Western Australia, from Geraldton on the west coast to Esperance on the ...

inhabitants. The area has been an important ceremonial and cultural place for the Whadjuk tribe who had campsites and hunting grounds in the area. In the 1880s Kings Park was used by the Perth section of the Volunteer Rifle Corps (a civilian militia) for shooting. At the base of the southern face is a freshwater spring, known as Kennedy Spring (''Goonininup''), which provided year-round water for the native inhabitants. The spring was noted by the first European visitors to the area,

Willem de Vlamingh Willem Hesselsz de Vlamingh (November 1640 – ) was a Dutch sea captain who explored the central west coast of New Holland ( Australia) in the late 17th century, where he landed in what is now Perth on the Swan River. The mission proved fruit ...

's party, on 11 January 1697. The Lieutenant Governor of the

Swan River Colony The Swan River Colony, also known as the Swan River Settlement, or just Swan River, was a British colony established in 1829 on the Swan River, in Western Australia. This initial settlement place on the Swan River was soon named Perth, and it ...

, James Stirling, chose the townsite of

for this reason – the only local spring. He named the area Mount Eliza for Mrs

Ralph Darling General Sir Ralph Darling, GCH (1772 – 2 April 1858) was a British Army officer who served as Governor of New South Wales from 1825 to 1831. He is popularly described as a tyrant, accused of torturing prisoners and banning theatrical entertain ...

. The Colony's first Surveyor General John Septimus Roe recognised the qualities of the area and tried to protect it, by identifying the land to be set aside for public purposes. By 1835 Roe's protection was overturned and the first shipment of five tonnes of

jarrah ''Eucalyptus marginata'', commonly known as jarrah, djarraly in Noongar language and historically as Swan River mahogany, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a tree with r ...

was cut on Mount Eliza, becoming the colony's first export. Logging in the area continued until 1871 when Roe's successor

Malcolm Fraser John Malcolm Fraser (; 21 May 1930 – 20 March 2015) was an Australian politician who served as the 22nd prime minister of Australia from 1975 to 1983, holding office as the leader of the Liberal Party of Australia. Fraser was raised on hi ...

persuaded the then Governor Weld to set aside as public reserve. This was enlarged in 1890 by , and in 1897 the area of the reserve was further increased to by Sir

John Forrest Sir John Forrest (22 August 1847 – 2 SeptemberSome sources give the date as 3 September 1918 1918) was an Australian explorer and politician. He was the first premier of Western Australia (1890–1901) and a long-serving cabinet minister ...

, the first president of the Board appointed under the Parks and Reserves Act 1895. The area of Kings Park today is , smaller than in 1897. Officially opened on 10 August 1895, the park was originally called Perth Park and was renamed in 1901 to King's Parkthe apostrophe was later dropped. This was to mark the ascension to the British throne of

King Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria an ...

and the visit to Perth of George, the Duke of Cornwall and Princess Mary. One of the major roads through the park, ''May Drive'' is named in the Princess's honour. Forrest planted the first tree, a Norfolk Island Pine ('' Araucaria heterophylla''), and other trees were introduced to the site, '' Eucalyptus ficifolia'' and exotic species of ''

Pinus A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden ...

''; few of these were successful due to lack of irrigation. The Mount Eliza reservoir provided water to the local area, and still remains, but by arrangement of the lease was partly diverted for use in the park itself. This was largely allocated, after 1919, to the memorial Oaks and

Planes Plane(s) most often refers to: * Aero- or airplane, a powered, fixed-wing aircraft * Plane (geometry), a flat, 2-dimensional surface Plane or planes may also refer to: Biology * Plane (tree) or ''Platanus'', wetland native plant * ''Planes' ...

lining May Drive. Their eventual failure led to their substitution with Bangalay, ''

Eucalyptus botryoides ''Eucalyptus botryoides'', commonly known as the bangalay, bastard jarrah, woollybutt or southern mahogany, is a small to tall tree native to southeastern Australia. Reaching up to high, it has rough bark on its trunk and branches. It is found ...

'', and ''Eucalyptus calophylla'' var. ''rosea''. Attempts to situate an

Olympic-size swimming pool An Olympic-size swimming pool conforms to regulated dimensions that are large enough for international competition. This type of swimming pool is used in the Olympic Games, where the race course is in length, typically referred to as "long cour ...

on bushland in Kings Park led to the establishment in 1956 of a Citizens’ Committee for the Preservation of Kings Park, which successfully campaigned to prevent the proposal from going ahead. Since 1999, Kings Park has been administered by the

(BGPA), who also administer

Bold Park Bold Park is a urban bushland area in the suburb of City Beach, in Perth, Western Australia. It is located directly west of the Perth central business district, its western border less than one kilometre from the Indian Ocean. To the east, ...

, and does not come under any

local government authority A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a state, province, division, or territory. The phra ...

. The park's administration building contains all the administrative offices where visitors may book guided walking tours, get information, or reserve one of the facilities. Kings Park was featured in 2006 on the American reality TV show '' The Amazing Race 9'' as well as in 2011 on the Australian franchise ''

The Amazing Race Australia 1 ''The Amazing Race Australia 1'' is the first season of the Australian reality television game show '' The Amazing Race Australia'', the Australian version of ''The Amazing Race''. The first season featured eleven teams of two in a pre-existing r ...

'', where teams collected a clue from in front of the War Memorial. In early 2009, the south western area of the park was severely damaged by a fire, which has been suspected to have been deliberately lit. The

Elizabeth Quay Elizabeth Quay is a mixed-use development project in the Perth central business district. Focusing on an area located on the north shore of Perth Water near the landmark Swan Bells, the precinct being developed by the project was named in hono ...

redevelopment plans include a cable car to Kings Park, although construction is not in scope for the initial phase.

Panoramas

Memorials

War Memorial

The ''State War Memorial Precinct'' is located on Mount Eliza overlooking Perth Water. It comprises the Cenotaph, Court of Contemplation, Flame of Remembrance and Pool of Reflection. The

Anzac Day , image = Dawn service gnangarra 03.jpg , caption = Anzac Day Dawn Service at Kings Park, Western Australia, 25 April 2009, 94th anniversary. , observedby = Australia Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Cook Islands Ne ...

dawn service , image = Dawn service gnangarra 03.jpg , caption = Anzac Day Dawn Service at Kings Park, Western Australia, 25 April 2009, 94th anniversary. , observedby = Australia Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Cook Islands Ne ...

is held at 5:30 am on 25 April each year and is attended by more than people. There is also an official service held at 11 am on 11 November for

Remembrance Day Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day owing to the tradition of wearing a remembrance poppy) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces members who have died in ...

. The Cenotaph was unveiled in the year of the

Centenary of Western Australia In 1929, Western Australia (WA) celebrated the centenary of the founding of Perth and the establishment of the Swan River Colony, the first permanent European settlement in WA. A variety of events were run in Perth, regional areas throughout the ...

– on 24 November 1929 by the Governor Sir William Campion, and had as the honorary architect General Sir J. Talbot Hobbs. The court of contemplation is at the western side of the precinct and was unveiled on 6 November 1955 by Sir

Charles Gairdner Lieutenant General Sir Charles Henry Gairdner, (20 March 1898 – 22 February 1983) was a senior British Army officer who later occupied two viceregal positions in Australia. Born in Batavia (now Jakarta) in the Dutch East Indies, he was brough ...

. The flame of remembrance and pool of reflection was inaugurated by

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

on 1 April 2000. Underneath the Cenotaph is the roll of honour with the names of all servicemen and women who enlisted in Western Australia to die in the

Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sou ...

Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top:{ ...

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making ...

. In 2012, after some controversy the names of service personnel who died in Iraq and Afghanistan were inscribed on the wall. Distributed throughout the park are more specific memorials to various battles, military units,

prisoners of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of w ...

and other groups.

Honour Avenues

The road verges through King Park have been planted with eucalyptus trees, and in front of each one is a plaque honouring those service men who died during action or as a result of wounds received; there are over of these plaques. Originally proposed by Mr Arthur Lovekin, owner of the Daily News, the idea was based on the Avenue of Honour in

Ballarat, Victoria Ballarat ( ) is a city in the Central Highlands (Victoria), Central Highlands of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 Census, Ballarat had a population of 116,201, making it the third largest city in Victoria. Estimated resid ...

. Originally families were required to pay 10 shillings to cover the cost of the plantings; ex-servicemen provided the necessary labour to plant the trees. In 1920 Lovekin and board member Sir William Loton each donated 500 pounds to clear and plant Forrest Avenue with Sugar Gums. After Lovekin died the Kings Park board renamed Forrest Avenue to Lovekin Drive. Kings Park now has three tree-lined avenues set aside to honour service personnel who died in the two World Wars and other engagements: May Drive, Lovekin Drive and the most recent addition - Marri Walk.

Fraser Avenue

Originally planted with Red-flowering gums '' Corymbia ficifolia'' in 1898 to celebrate Queen Victoria's Jubilee, and added to in 1929 to celebrate the State Centenary – the gums were affected by patch canker disease in the 1930s. It was in 1938 that the Lemon Scented Gum trees '' Corymbia citriodora'' now line the avenue are to honour the dignitaries and members of the Western Australia Centenary organising Committee, who on 29 September 1929 planted the trees.

Bali Memorial

This memorial is dedicated to the 16 Western Australian victims, the injured and those who helped the survivors of the Bali bombings on 12 October 2002 in the resort town of Kuta on the Indonesian island of

Bali Bali () is a province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and ...

, where 202 people were killed and 209 injured. The majority of the dead were foreign tourists, including 88 Australians.

Edith Dircksey Cowan Memorial

The

Edith Dircksey Cowan Memorial The Edith Dircksey Cowan Memorial, formerly known as the Edith Cowan Memorial Clock, is a clock tower at the entrance to Kings Park, Western Australia, Kings Park in Perth, Western Australia. It was built in 1934 as a memorial to Edith Cowan, th ...

, formerly known as the Edith Cowan Memorial Clock, is the clock tower at the main entrance to Kings Park. It was built in 1934 as a memorial to Edith Cowan, the first woman elected to an Australian parliament. The committee responsible for the memorial had intended that a memorial be built in the Park, but the Kings Park Board declined the request.

Botanic Garden

The

botanic garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...

is an site within the park. Currently known as the Western Australian Botanic Garden it has a collection of species of Western Australian flora on display. WA Botanic Garden is part of the worldwide network of botanic gardens committed to plant conservation. The garden was designed by

John Oldham John Oldham may refer to: *John Oldham (colonist) (1592–1636), early Puritan settler in Massachusetts *John Oldham (poet) (1653–1684), English poet *John Oldham (psychiatrist), American psychiatrist *John Oldham (engineer) (1779–1840), Irish ...

, who held the position of Government Landscape Architect at the time. It was established to showcase the flora of Western Australia to those visiting Perth for the

1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games The 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Perth, Australia, from 22 November to 1 December 1962. Athletic events were held at Perry Lakes Stadium in the suburb of Floreat and swimming events at Beatty Park in North Perth. The ...

, although the official opening did not take place until 4 October 1965. Botanic Garden is today home to over half of Australia's plant species and the following popular landmarks: * Conservation Garden * Gija Jumulu Boab Tree *

Pioneer Women's Memorial Pioneer Women's Memorial may refer to: * ''Pioneer Women's Memorial'' (Sydney), memorial in Sydney, Australia * Pioneer Women's Memorial (Perth), memorial in Perth, Australia * Canterbury Pioneer Women's Memorial aka Pioneer Women's Memorial, memor ...

Fountain and Water Garden * Centenary of Western Australian Women's Suffrage Memorial * Lotterywest Federation Walkway File:Acacia glaucoptera 14694420481 a9283135ce o.jpg, '' Acacia glaucoptera'' File:Eucalyptuskruseana33762664220 3d3ba01694 o.jpg, '' Eucalyptus kruseana'' File:PileanthusKingsPark8118516950_3f63bcf893_o.jpg, '' Pileanthus'' sp. File:Anigozanthos manglesii KP gnangarra-11.jpg, ''

Anigozanthos manglesii ''Anigozanthos manglesii'', commonly known as the red-and-green kangaroo paw, Mangles' kangaroo paw, Kurulbrang (Noongar), is a plant species endemic to Western Australia, and the floral emblem of that state. The flower has become symbolic ...

'' File:C uncinatum 02 gnangarra.jpg, ''

Chamelaucium uncinatum ''Chamelaucium uncinatum'', the Geraldton waxflower, Geraldton wax, is a flowering plant endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub 0.5 to 4m high, bearing white or pink flowers June–November. The name ''uncinatum'' means "hooked" in ...

'' File:Chorizema varium KP gnangarra-12.jpg, '' Chorizema varium'' File:Darwinia oldfieldii KP gnangarra-10.jpg, ''

Darwinia oldfieldii ''Darwinia oldfieldii'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect, spreading shrub with oblong leaves and dense heads of erect, red flowers. Description ''Darwinia oldfieldii'' ...

Science

The Science Directorate within the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority is renowned for its research and scientific works, specialising in conservation and restoration of native species and ecosystems. The directorate is categorised into specific scientific areas including

restoration ecology Restoration ecology is the scientific study supporting the practice of ecological restoration, which is the practice of renewing and restoring degraded, damaged, or destroyed ecosystems and habitats in the environment by active human interrupt ...

, seed science, conservation genetics, propagation science and orchid science, which are supported by many accredited research scientists and students.

Kings Park Festival

Beginning in 1965, the Kings Park Festival has grown to a month-long celebration of floral displays, live music, exhibitions, workshops, interpretive artworks, guided walks and family activities throughout September. Held to promote the beauty of Western Australia's native wildflowers, the event now attracts over people including gardening enthusiasts, families, school students, artists, seniors and fashion lovers.

May Drive Parkland

The May Drive (formerly Synergy) Parkland is one of two children's playgrounds in Kings Park, the other being the Ivey Watson Playground. It includes a lake and island, play and climbing equipment for children, and life-sized model dinosaurs. It was formerly sponsored by Western Australian power company,

Synergy Synergy is an interaction or cooperation giving rise to a whole that is greater than the simple sum of its parts. The term ''synergy'' comes from the Attic Greek word συνεργία ' from ', , meaning "working together". History In Christian ...

. The

Vietnam War memorial The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a U.S. national memorial in Washington, D.C., honoring service members of the U.S. armed forces who served in the Vietnam War. The site is dominated by two black granite walls engraved with the names of thos ...

and Zamia café are located in the Synergy Parkland.

Lotterywest Family Area

This popular playground for young families is specifically targeted for children aged under five to encourage strong early childhood development. It was extensively refurbished in 2006 with funding from Lotterywest.Lotterywest. "Kings Park – inner-city jewel preserved by friends." Grants. http://www.lotterywest.wa.gov.au/grants/grant-stories/1882 (accessed 24 April 2009)

Aboriginal Art Gallery

The Aboriginal Art Gallery is a retail outlet on Fraser Avenue that exhibits the works of Aboriginal artists from Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

DNA Tower

Built on the highest point of the park in 1966, the DNA Tower is a white high

double helix staircase Stairs are a structure designed to bridge a large vertical distance between lower and higher levels by dividing it into smaller vertical distances. This is achieved as a diagonal series of horizontal platforms called steps which enable passage ...

that has 101 steps and was inspired by a double staircase in the

Château de Blois A château (; plural: châteaux) is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor, or a fine country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally, and still most frequently, in French-speaking regions. Nowaday ...

in France. Its design resembles the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecule. The paving below the DNA Tower is made with stones sent from 11 towns and 80 shires in Western Australia.

Royal King's Park Tennis Club

Jacob's Ladder

Jacob's Ladder is a set of stairs located at the end of Cliff Street, in the close proximity to Kings Park, though it is not part of the park. It has 242 steps and leads down to Mounts Bay Road. The Ladder is a popular site for Perth residents to exercise, with many people using it in the mornings and on lunch breaks. The staircase was closed after being damaged by a landslide during a storm on 22 March 2010, and re-opened on 21 June 2010, after repairs.

Walks

Law Walk

Law Walk is Kings Park's premier urban bushland trail. It is a loop walk that begins at Rotunda Two and continues along the ridge of the limestone escarpment to Dryandra Lookout. A loop in the trail then leads to the Lotterywest Federation Walkway and back to the start of Law Walk, taking visitors approximately 45 minutes to complete.

The Kokoda Track

The Kokoda Track Memorial Walk is a tribute to the bravery of Australian troops who fought in the Papua New Guinea campaign of . The Kokoda Walk begins at Kennedy Fountain on Mounts Bay Road with a steep climb of 150 steps that ascends a height of .

Guided walks

Founded in 1984, the Kings Park Guides are a group of volunteers that lead guided walks all year round and help staff the Visitor Information Centre. Twice daily the guides provide guided walking tours of the monuments and memorials, bushland paths and the Botanic Garden. The guides cover all aspects of the park including the local

names and traditions. Walks are varied according to the Noongar season: Djilba-Kambarang (July–October) for the wildflower season, the Mukuru for May and June, and the Birak-Djeran for November–April.

Volunteers and community involvement

The Friends of Kings Park was established in 1993 to promote community involvement and commitment within Kings Park and Botanic Garden. The Kings Park Volunteer Master Gardeners provide a free garden advisory service to the community and offer free advice on anything from propagation and potting to planting out and pests. In 1922, the West Perth sub branch of the Returned Services League (RSL) became responsible for the maintenance and preservation of the plaques along Kings Park's Honour Avenues. Today they are known as the Honour Avenues Group.

Notes

References

* Coy, Neil. 00 oaks were planted along May Drive in 1919 – only one survivesFor people and plants, Winter 1993, p. 1.

External links

*
Heritage Icons: Kings ParkFriends of Kings Park
{{Authority control Parks in Perth, Western Australia Botanical gardens in Western Australia Gardens in Western Australia 1895 establishments in Australia Australian military memorials Centenary of Western Australia Tourist attractions in Perth, Western Australia 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games venues