Melon Hill and Flyash Hill

Flyash Hill

It is mystery as to why this hill is called Flyash Hill. It is presumably because ash was dumped there.

Ash is the powdery residue that results from burning materials such as wood or coal. In times gone by lime burners used to work locally and a nearby small reserve is named Lime Kiln Field.

Close to Melon Hill, the land that is now bounded by North Steet, Marmion Street, Wood Street and Walpole Street was purchased by Louis C Langoulant and named "Pleasant Valley". "Lime was burnt on the property which was quite a profitable undertaking". In a list of residents, Langoulant's occupation was given as "lime burner". _{Auld pp 42-45}

Other possible sources of ash include the former Cottesloe "Eureka" flour mill (which was steam driven when opened in 1905), the former Cottesloe electricity generating staton, the former Cottesle gas plant and perhaps the railways. Subiaco and Jolimont had ash-producing industries too.

The term flyash is usually reserved for the ash that goes up the chimney and thus it would not have been dumped there. Perhas the name drives from ash being blown about or from ash being flicked up by walkers.

Melon Hill

Melon Hill has a plaque at the top briefly outlining its history as a WW2 battery. The plaque on Melon Hill reads:

SWANBOURNE BATTERY (1936-1964)

This cairn commemorates the efforts of army coastal artillery and the vital role coastal batteries played in defending Australia's coastline from naval attacks. This site marks the location of a battery observation post built and operated on Melon Hill from 1938-1963. The post was used to support army coastal defences. Located 500 metres to the north, within the present day Campbell Barracks Swanbourne battery, was developed and operated by 6 Heavy Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, and formed the northern part of Perth's coastal defence system throughout World War II. The battery consisted of two six inch BL wire MK.VII guns as depicted on mounting central pivot MK.II and had a maximum range of 12800 metres. The battery was never used in action and the facility was scrapped along with most of Perth's coastal defences in 1963 (RK Glyde)

A House at the bottom of Melon Hill

There are small number of heritage houses at the base of Melon Hill near the Allen Park Playing Fields. Only one original house (118 Wood Street) remains, the rest have been moved there. According to the Post Office Directory Lees Wilkinson was living at 118 Wood Street in 1929. By 1931 Lees and his family had moved to 110 Wood Street.