New names proposed for Kwinana Loop Trail as part of marketing push

Parts of the Kwinana Loop Trail and other trails may be renamed as part of marketing to promote the area.

The proposed name draw on features such as the area’s environment, history, industry, and Aboriginal culture and heritage.

They include Sloan’s Forge, Gentle Pass — named after the first employee of the Kwinana Road Board in the 1950s — Wilki Karda Bidi, Kwenda Path, and Sheoak Trail.

They were presented to the City of Kwinana’s Boola Maara Aboriginal consultative committee on September 7, which agreed to review them and provide feedback on their cultural appropriateness.

It also suggested a designated photo area be created amongst wildflowers to deter people from wandering off path and trampling plants.

A report to the committee said consistent and meaningful names would strengthen the trails’ identity and accessibility.

“It supports environmental stewardship by recognising Kwinana’s natural environment and biodiversity, while consultation with Boola Maara promotes inclusive and transparent decision-making and ensures Aboriginal culture, heritage and perspectives inform the trail network,” it said.

A branding strategy for the Kwinana Loop Trail said the names were based on the themes of character, connection and discovery.

It also suggests a tagline of “Look a little deeper” for the trails as a whole.

“The Kwinana trails network helps form connections between natural landscapes, the city’s industrial legacy, deep cultural heritage and the surrounding community,” it said.

The Kwinana Loop Trail is a 21km circuit that circles the outer edge of the city, going through bushland, wetlands and residential areas.

Sites on the trail include Sloan’s Cottage and Sloan’s Reserve, Wilki Karda/Chalk Hill, and a former World War II radio communications base.

Earlier this year the city began works for resurfacing and realignments of the trail.

The redevelopment will deliver more than 17km of resurfacing, which currently varies between crushed limestone, concrete, sand and asphalt, and the realignment of 3km of trail.

The project was expected to be showcased at the upcoming World Trails Conference 2026 scheduled in Perth this month.