Bullsbrook, Western Australia

Bullsbrook Perth, Western Australia
Bullsbrook
Bullsbrook
Coordinates	31°39′47″S 116°01′48″E / 31.663°S 116.03°E / -31.663; 116.03Coordinates: 31°39′47″S 116°01′48″E / 31.663°S 116.03°E / -31.663; 116.03
Population	5,448 (2016 census)[1]
Postcode(s)	6084
LGA(s)	City of Swan
State electorate(s)	Swan Hills
Federal Division(s)	Pearce
Suburbs around Bullsbrook: Muchea Lower Chittering Julimar Melaleuca Bullsbrook Gidgegannup Melaleuca Melaleuca Upper Swan and Brigadoon

Bullsbrook (formerly Bullsbrook East) is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia in the outer metropolitan area. It is located in the City of Swan. The original Bullsbrook townsite is located slightly west of the current town, on the 17 km mark of the Midland Railway. Bullsbrook is also the home to the RAAF Pearce airbase, a major training facility for the Royal Australian Air Force. The suburb is situated on the Great Northern Highway, 25 kilometres north of the Midland Strategic Regional Centre. It is well serviced by several major transport networks including the Great Northern Highway, Railway Parade and the Brand Highway to the north, Chittering Road to the east and Neaves Road to the west. Bullsbrook is also adjacent to the State rail network, providing an opportunity for the development of an intermodal freight transport hub. The site is further strengthened by linkage to the planned Perth-Darwin National Highway via Stock Road.

Although traditionally a predominantly rural suburb, the release in 2008 of the Bullsbrook Commercial Centre offers great scope for expansion in the commercial and light industrial land use capability of Bullsbrook. In addition, the City of Swan is awaiting the State's approval of the draft Bullsbrook Townsite and Rural Strategy which would see further industrial, commercial and residential growth in Bullsbrook.

History

Settlement of the area dates from the 1890s, following the construction of the Midland railway line and military land use commenced from 1935. The most significant development occurred from the 1970s, with further population growth in the early 1990s.

Regarding the origin of the name, the Western Australian Department of Land Information states:^[2]

...the name originates from the railway station, established during the construction of the Midland Railway in the 1890s and named after an adjacent watercourse, Bull's Brook. The watercourse may have been named after Lt Henry Bull who was granted Swan Location 1 about 8km south on 15 May 1831. Another possibility is that the watercourse was named after Richard ("Bull") Jones, one of Henry Bull's servants, who resided in the region for many years.

Population

In the 2016 census, there were 5,185 people in Bullsbrook, 66.8% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were England 9.7% and New Zealand 3.6%. 84.9% of people spoke only English at home. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 36.1%, Anglican 19.5% and Catholic 18.2%.^[1]

References