Western Australia, and Perth in particular, is unusual: much of the metro area sits on free-draining sand where soak wells genuinely work. That changes French drain design, but the clay pockets and the heavy winter rains still create plenty of drainage work.
Perth's coastal sand plain is the exception to Australia's clay story, soak wells and rubble pits actually drain here. But hills suburbs, clay pockets and intense winter fronts mean French drains still have their place.
Each area has its own drainage conditions, tap through for local context and recommended installers.
Most of Perth sits on the Swan coastal plain's deep sand, which drains freely, so soak wells often do the job where they'd fail elsewhere. French…
Mandurah's low-lying, canal-and-estuary setting puts the water table close to the surface, especially in winter. Even on sandy ground, a high water…
Bunbury mixes coastal sand with clay and a wet winter season. The contrast between free-draining and water-holding ground across a single suburb…
Joondalup and Perth's northern corridor are largely sand over limestone, generally good draining, but newer estates on reshaped ground can have…