Completed in 1891, the Kalamunda Zig Zag line was built by the Canning Jarrah Timber Company to supply railway sleepers to Perth's growing railway system. It ran from Midland through to the Darling Ranges and up into Kalamunda. It was later extended to Pickering Brook and then on to Karagullen. From Pickering Brook, the line was also run to Bartons Mill. In 1903 the line was taken over by the local Government, which ran it until 1949 when it was closed. 1891 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Kalamunda is both a town and Shire in Western Australia, located overlooking the city from the hills at the eastern limits of the Perth metropolitan area. ... Perth is the state capital city of Western Australia, the largest state in Australia by size. ... Midland Western Australia Known originally as Midland Junction ... The Darling Scarp or Darling Range is a low escarpment running North-South to the East of Perth, Western Australia. ... 1903 has the latest occurring solstices and equinoxes for 400 years, because the Gregorian calendar hasnt had a leap year for seven years or a century leap year since 1600. ... 1949 is a common year starting on Saturday. ...
The line was so steep (1 in 30 grade), that the engine would alternate between pushing and pulling the load. It has since been turned into a very narrow one way bitumen road and is not recommended for hiking or cyclists. Bitumen Bitumen is a category of organic liquids which are highly viscous, black, sticky and wholly soluble in carbon disulfide. ...
A railway zigzag, also called a switchback, is a way of climbing hills in difficult country with a minimal need for tunnels and heavy earthworks.
The advantages of a zigzag include speed and relative cheapness of construction, with no need to worsen the ruling grade, compared to the alternative which almost certainly will require tunnels which are slow and costly to build.
ZigZags are often an alternative to a spiral though these may require long tunnels.
The township of Kalamunda came into existence in 1881 when Frederick and Elizabeth Stirk took up 10 acres of land and built themselves a wattle and daub cottage.
Today there is little left of the village which grew up around the timber company however the old zigzag railway has been turned into a scenic drive which offers superb views over Greater Perth and the broad coastal plain.
The Kalamunda Hotel (the second in the area) was built during this time and was famed as a resort until World War II.
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