Mayor Margaret Thomas thanked Minister for Planning Ms Rita Saffioti and local Member Mathew Hughes, as well as congratulating the passionate members of the community who helped bring a voice to the issue. 

“In 2018 the City of Kalamunda met with Mr Hughes to relay concerns of the City and the community regarding the proposed sale of land on Schmitt Road. The City and the local member held a joint community meeting to hear from concerned residents, with Mr Hughes presenting a petition to Parliament on the matter.”

“It is a fantastic development and one to be celebrated in the community.”

The rezoning of Schmitt Road land  from Urban to Parks and Recreation will provide a positive conservation outcome for the protection of native flora and fauna.

CEO Rhonda Hardy confirmed a report will go to Council in November, requesting Council to endorse a recommendation for the  Western Australian Planning Commission to initiate a Metropolitan Region Scheme Amendment for Lot 50 (No. 30), Lot 23 (No. 34) and Lot 24 (No. 38) Schmitt Road , Kalamunda and the Old Railway Reserve portion between the Bibbulmun Track Terminus on the corner of Railway Road and Mundaring Weir Road to Schmitt Road from the Urban zone to a Parks and Recreation reservation.

The Schmitt Road blocks fall within the current alignment of the  Railway Heritage Trail and are zoned urban, due to a historical vesting as a former proposed road reserve. The City advocated for the blocks to be rezoned to parks and recreation to accurately reflect their current use, as opposed to being sold off. The City of Kalamunda’s advocacy for the site’s preservation dates back over ten years, when in 2005 and 2006 the City wrote to the Department of Planning, asking they consider reserving the land for recreation purposes, given its use as a part of the heritage walk trail. The City continued its long-standing position on the matter, urging the State Government to reconsider their intention to sell the lots.