The area now known as Lake Leschenaultia was built during the period 1897-8 as a railway reservoir to supply water for the steam locomotives stopping on the Eastern Railway at Chidlow’s Well station.
The lake is a man made feature which was constructed by the Public Works Department in 1897-98 to cope with the heavy demand of water at the Chidlow Wells station. At a cost of £8,803, the Public Works Department cleared a creek bed north-west of the town site and constructed an earth embankment to form a 118 million gallons (536,000 cubic metre) reservoir.
Water from this reservoir was often used to augment the supply at other railway stations including Midland. It was stocked with Redfin Perch by 1907 and soon became popular with anglers. Despite this, it was for many years used as a breeding ground from which young perch were distributed into streams throughout the State.
Initially, 600 pine trees were planted because it was believed they improved the water quality, however, due to clearing within the catchment area, by 1930 the lake’s salinity had increased so much to render the water unsuitable for the railway. The Greenmount Road Board took it over in c.1933 and developed it as a picnic spot, except for the period 1941-1947, when the reservoir was resumed for possible wartime use.
As early as 1932 the CPA had begun referring to it by its local name, Lake Leschenaultia, the brilliant blue of the lake’s surface on a summer day being likened to the leschenalultia flower. This name received official recognition by 1949 although correct spelling was not achieved until 1960.
A small kiosk has operated at the lake from the 1950’s and sells sweets, cool drinks and snacks.Throughout the 1950s, entrance tickets and references in the Mundaring Road Board minutes named the lake as ‘Lake Leschenault’. The correct spelling with ‘ia’ on the end was restored in 1960. Changes over the last 40 years include the building of a caravan park (now removed), tea room extensions to the kiosk, and a ranger’s house.
Today this picturesque spot is popular with families for swimming, canoeing and walking or just relaxing over breakfast at the kiosk.
Source: Mundaring A History of the Shire, by Ian Elliot. Published by the Shire of Mundaring 1983