Mount Helena, Western Australia


Mount Helena is an urban suburb on the outskirts of Perth in Western Australia, some 35 km from the city, in the Shire of Mundaring. Its population in 2016 was 3,185 people.

History

Mount Helena was originally known as White's Mill, a reference to Abraham White who, with Edward Vivien Harvey Keane and James Wright, in 1882 built a saw mill to supply sleepers for the construction of the Eastern Railway from Guildford to Chidlows Well. From 1898 the area was known as Lion Mill until it was renamed Mount Helena in 1924. The chief instigator in the hunt for a new name was the local Progress Association whose first choice, "Hillcrest" had been rejected by the authorities because of a duplication in New South Wales. The next suggestion, "Mount Helena" was more successful, indicative of the terrain and because the suburb was situated centrally in the Helena District.

Local activities

Mount Helena boasts several active community and sporting groups, including the Mount Helena Voluntary Bush Fire Brigade, the Mount Helena Resident and Ratepayers Association and at the local
The Railway Reserve Heritage Trail passes behind the Mount Helena Tavern on its way through the suburb.

Local Events

For many years A Whim Festival has been held in Pioneer Park annually, in 2018 the inaugural Hills Billy Cart Festival was held down Evans Street. 2019 will see the two events combine under the