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] 41,681 (2015)[2]
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. At June 2015 the estimated urban population for Ellenbrook and surrounds was 41,681.^[2] At the time of the 2011 census there were 16,284 people living in the gazetted suburb.^[1] It is envisioned that Ellenbrook will eventually become a satellite city, with a population of 80,000,^[3] however a more modest population prediction of 30,000^[4] has been set for c. 2012. In June 2010 Rita Saffioti MLA stated that the population of Ellenbrook and neighbouring areas now stood at "over 25,000".^[5] 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.^[6]

Transport links

Ellenbrook is approximately 17 kilometres (11 mi) from Guildford, 19 kilometres (12 mi) from Midland and 27 kilometres (17 mi) from the Perth 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 Perth CBD by public transport takes approximately 60 minutes.^[7] Before 2017, public transport was limited in the evenings and weekends, but in that year, Transperth introduced upgraded services, including an hourly evening connection to Bassendean railway station and thus the city.^[8] In August 2017, a bus route was introduced which connected Ellenbrook to Whitfords railway station, via Gnangara Road.^[9]

During the campaign for the 2008 Western Australian election, both major political parties committed to building a rail line. The 15 km 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] Following the election of the McGowan Labor government in 2017, it was announced that the Ellenbrook railway would be constructed, with a projected opening date of 2022.^[12]

History and development

Ellenbrook takes its name from Ellen Brook, a tributary of the Swan, with the brook being named for Ellen Stirling, the wife of Captain James Stirling, Western Australia's first governor.^[13]

The developer is the Ellenbrook Joint Venture — a partnership between the Department of Housing and Works and Morella Pty Ltd.^[14]

The Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) produced a fact sheet^[14] 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.^[14] 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.^[15] 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

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.^[16]

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:

• Arbor Grove Primary School^[17] - A state primary school located in Charlotte's Vineyard
• Ellen Stirling Primary School^[18] - A state primary school located in Coolamon
• Ellenbrook Christian College - A private kindergarten to year 12 school located in The Bridges
• Ellenbrook Primary School^[19] - A state primary school located in Woodlake
• Malvern Springs Primary School^[20] - A state primary school located in Malvern Springs
• St. Helena's Catholic Primary School^[21] - A Catholic primary school located in Woodlake
• Swan Valley Anglican Community School - A kindergarten to year 12 Anglican school located in nearby Aveley
• Aveley Primary School^[22] - A state primary school in nearby Aveley

High schools in the area include:

• Ellenbrook Christian College - A private school which caters for students from Kindergarten to year 12.
• Ellenbrook Secondary College^[23] - A state school serving years 7 to 12.
• Holy Cross College^[24] - A Catholic high school which in 2012 catered for students from Years 8 through 10.
• Swan Valley Anglican Community School - An Anglican school located in the neighboring suburb of Aveley, serving students from Kindergarten to year 12.
• Ellenbrook North Secondary School ( planning name)-A new state school for year 7-12 commenced construction in 2017 to commence with year 7 in 2018 .

Ellenbrook Community Library,^[25] 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:

• Dual-purpose tennis/basketball courts at Woodlake Park and Coolamon Oval.
• Cricket nets on Woodlake oval, Coolamon Oval and EDOS.
• A skatepark at Woodlake oval.
• Tennis/netballcourts at Woodlake and Arbor Grove primary schools.
• A skatepark/BMX facility adjacent to Coolamon oval.^[26]
• A large water park, aimed at younger children, was completed in late 2009 and is located next to the library and high school.

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

External links

• Official Site
• UDIA Case Study
• Community Website
• Insurance Commission of WA (ICWA) - Details of Ellenbrook Restrictive Covenant
• ICWA Retail Masterplan (The Shops development plan)
• Land Developer
• Ellenbrook Suburb Profile from Link House and Land.