Ellenbrook, Western Australia

Ellenbrook
Perth, Western Australia
Ellenbrook
Coordinates 31°45′54″S 115°59′17″E / 31.765°S 115.988°E / -31.765; 115.988Coordinates: 31°45′54″S 115°59′17″E / 31.765°S 115.988°E / -31.765; 115.988
Population 16,284 (2011 census)[1]
Postcode(s) 6069
LGA(s) City of Swan
State electorate(s) Swan Hills
Federal Division(s) Pearce
Suburbs around Ellenbrook:
Melaleuca Melaleuca The Vines
Lexia Ellenbrook Belhus
Whiteman Henley Brook Belhus

Ellenbrook is a northeastern suburb of Perth, Western Australia, about 21 km from Perth's Central business district (CBD), located within the City of Swan. Ellenbrook, and its neighbouring suburbs of The Vines and Aveley, are unusual for Perth in being a significant distance from neighbouring suburbs. Given this relative isolation and the distance from the CBD, Ellenbrook has been designed and developed as a self-sustainable community. It is envisioned that Ellenbrook will eventually become a satellite city, with a population of 80,000,[2] however a more modest population prediction of 30,000[3] has been set for c. 2012. At the time of the 2006 census there were 15,170 people living in the town and neighbouring areas of Aveley, the Vines and Henley Brook.[4] In June 2010 Rita Saffioti MLA stated that the population of Ellenbrook and neighbouring areas now stood at "over 25,000".[5] The ABS quotes a population for Ellenbrook and the vines of 31,173 as of 30 June 2011.[6] Current City of Swan estimates forecast the population to increase to 37,150 by 2016 and 44,185 by 2021. Population in the City of Swan's nearby Urban Growth Corridor (roughly east of Whiteman Park) is forecast to reach 14,668 in the same period.[7]

Transport links

Ellenbrook has reasonable transport links and is approximately 17 kilometres (11 mi) from Guildford, 19 kilometres (12 mi) from Midland and 27 kilometres (17 mi) from the CBD (via Beaufort Street and Beechboro Road). Gnangara Road links Ellenbrook with Wangara and the northern suburbs, while West Swan Road and the Reid and Tonkin Highways are nearby. Bus services link Ellenbrook with Morley and Bassendean railway station. A journey to the CBD by public transport takes approximately 60 minutes.[8] As of 2010 Public transport is currently limited in the evenings and weekends but Transperth introduced new services including an hourly evening connection to Bassendean train stations and thus the city.[9]

During the campaign for the 2008 Western Australian election, both major political parties committed to building a rail-line. The 15 km long rail-line was expected to cost $850 million and be finished around 2015, with construction starting around 2012.[10] However, in May 2010, the premier Colin Barnett confirmed that his government would not be proceeding with the development.[11]

History and development

Ellenbrook takes its name from after Ellen Stirling, the wife of Captain James Stirling, Western Australia's first governor.

The developer is the Ellenbrook Joint Venture — a partnership between the Department of Housing and Works and Morella Pty Ltd.[12]

The Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) produced a fact sheet[12] providing details about the development:

  • The sites were acquired by the respective owners in the 1980s as rural land. They had commenced informal rezoning discussions by 1989.
  • Given the challenges associated with rezoning and servicing, the owners formed the joint venture in November 1991 (ie the need for critical mass was recognised).
  • The environmental approval involved a Public Environmental Review (PER) process.
  • The site was rezoned to Urban Deferred in December 1992 and to urban in December 1993.
  • Given its location adjacent to the Gnangara Water Mound, the Swan Valley and its distance from existing services, the rezoning was extremely challenging.
  • Structure planning occurred in detail during 1993, to facilitate receipt of planning approval in 1994.
  • The scale of the project demanded extensive consultation with all service providers, the local community groups and significant market research.
  • The Environmental approvals, including drainage and nutrient management, together with provision of water and sewer services, represented the major challenges.
  • Over $2m was expended by the owners in meeting the requirements of the rezoning process.
  • Approximately 300ha of land (25%of the site) was set aside for conservation.

Ellenbrook is a planned community, and is being developed in phases called "villages". The first, Woodlake Village was built on the site of a former sand quarry.[12] The lowest point of the open-cut mine became the central lake and feature parkland, and the high points of the mine were set aside for the area now known as Woodlake Rise. Construction commenced in 1994, with the first home completed in 1995. Subsequent villages are The Bridges, Coolamon, Morgan Fields, Charlotte's Vineyard, Malvern Springs, Lexia and Annie's Landing.

The development of the Town Centre is well established, with The Shops, 33,000sqm of shopping centre including major retailers, Coles, Woolworths and Big W and around 100 speciality stores. It contains the largest Woolworths in the state.[13] The Town Centre is being developed in four phases with stage 3 currently underway. It has already attracted major big box retailers Masters and Bunnings.

The villages and shops are linked and intertwined by a series of pathways and cyclepaths and there is a high standard of landscaping throughout.

Ellenbrook Planning and Development Table

Stage Village Name Developer Planning and Urban Design Consultant Firm Chief Urban Planner Chief Urban Designer
Village 1 Woodlake Village LWP Property Group RobertsDay/Peter Cala & Associates Tim Trefry Mike Day
Village 2 The Bridges LWP Property Group RobertsDay/Blackwell & Associates Tim Trefry Mike Day
Village 3 Coolamon LWP Property Group RobertsDay/TRACT/Plan E Tim Trefry Mike Day
Village 4 Morgan Fields LWP Property Group RobertsDay Tim Trefry Mike Day
Village 5 Charlotte’s Vineyard LWP Property Group RobertsDay/Plan E Tim Trefry Mike Day
Village 6 Malvern Springs LWP Property Group RobertsDay/Plan E Julie Harrold Peter Ciemitis
Village 7 Lexia LWP Property Group RobertsDay/Plan E Tim Trefry Peter Ciemitis
Towncentre Ellenbrook Town Centre LWP Property Group RobertsDay/Plan E Tim Trefry Mike Day

Natural features

Some pre-existing woodlands and wetlands, including Conservation Category Wetlands, have been incorporated into Public Open Space in the villages of Charlotte’s Vineyard and Malvern Springs. The neighbouring Gnangara pine plantation, west of The Bridges, includes walks and picnic facilities accessible directly from Ellenbrook.

Over 300 hectares to the south of Ellenbrook were ceded for conservation prior to the commencement of the development, and are now protected under Perth's metropolitan Bush Forever strategy.

The lake at the Edgecombe Brothers Estate, next to the suburb, is home to one of the last remaining wild populations of the critically endangered Western Swamp Tortoise.[14]

Education facilities

Ellenbrook and its surrounding area contain a number of primary and secondary schools, both public and private.

Primary schools in the area include:

High schools in the area include:

Ellenbrook Community Library,[23] operated by the City of Swan, is colocated within Ellenbrook Secondary College and Performing Arts Centre.

Sporting and leisure facilities

There are four ovals (playing fields) in Ellenbrook. The main ovals at Coolamon Oval and Ellenbrook District Open Space (EDOS) have clubroom and changing facilities and are the home of the Ellenbrook Eels Senior Football Club, the Ellenbrook Dockers Junior Football club (Australian Rules) and the Ellenbrook Rangers (cricket).

Other sporting facilities include:

The town is also home to a junior and senior soccer club, Ellenbrook United FC.

There is a private swimming pool/school operated by State Swim located adjacent to the library.

References

  1. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Ellenbrook (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 2013-01-31.
  2. ↑ "Windows on Ellenbrook (June 2008)" (PDF). The local paper, Windows on Ellenbrook quotes 35 000 for Ellenbrook, 15 000 for Aveley and 5 000 for the Vines. The development of Albion Town at Henley Brook is anticipated to bring the population to 80 000.
  3. ↑ "http://www.ellenbrook.net/TownOfEllenbrook/Villages/". Retrieved June 2006. External link in |title= (help) Ellenbrook's land developers claim that by the year 2012, the seven villages will support a community of 30,000 people.
  4. ↑ "Australian Bureau of Statistics". Retrieved June 2008.
  5. ↑ "Windows on Ellenbrook, June 2010" (PDF). Retrieved June 2010.
  6. ↑
  7. ↑ "City of Swan population forecasts, August 2010" (PDF). Retrieved August 2010.
  8. ↑ "Transperth Website". Retrieved June 2008.
  9. ↑ "Transperth Website, Ellenbrook Service Changes". Retrieved August 2010.
  10. ↑ "Premier pledges $1.1 billion transport expansion". The West Australian. 31 August 2008. Archived from the original on 31 August 2008. Retrieved 31 August 2008.
  11. ↑ "PREMIER WALKS AWAY FROM KEY ELECTION COMMITMENT" (PDF). Rita Saffioti, MLA. 6 May 2010. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  12. 1 2 3 "Urban Development Institute of Australia Case Study" (PDF). Retrieved June 2008.
  13. ↑ "http://www.ellenbrook.net/TownOfEllenbrook/TownCentre/". Retrieved June 2006. External link in |title= (help)
  14. ↑ http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/publications/recovery/p-umbrina/pubs/p-umbrina.pdf Western Swamp Tortoise Recovery Plan, Andrew A. Burbidge and Gerald Kuchling, CALM
  15. ↑ Arbor Grove Primary School
  16. ↑ Ellen Stirling Primary School
  17. ↑ Ellenbrook Primary School
  18. ↑ Malvern Springs Primary School
  19. ↑ St. Helena's Catholic Primary School
  20. ↑ Aveley Primary School
  21. ↑ Ellenbrook Secondary College
  22. ↑ Holy Cross College
  23. ↑ Ellenbrook Community Library
  24. ↑ http://www.cityofswan.com/docs/documents/1321/Annual_Report_2006-2007_461529.pdf City of Swan Annual Report 2006-07

External links

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