Bassendean, Western Australia

Bassendean (once referred to as West Guildford) is a north-eastern suburb of Perth, Western Australia. Its local government area is the Town of Bassendean.[2]

This article is about a suburb of Perth, Western Australia. For the local government area, see Town of Bassendean.

Bassendean
Perth, Western Australia
The heritage listed Bassendean Masonic Lodge
Coordinates31.905°S 115.949°E / -31.905; 115.949
Population10,837 (SAL 2021)[1]
Postcode(s)6054
Area7.3 km2 (2.8 sq mi)
Location12 km (7 mi) from Perth
LGA(s)Town of Bassendean
State electorate(s)Bassendean
Federal division(s)Perth
Suburbs around Bassendean:
Morley Eden Hill Caversham
Bayswater Bassendean Guildford
Ashfield Ascot South Guildford

It is also the name of the sand dune system on the Swan Coastal Plain known as the Bassendean Dune System.[3][4]

History

In 1829, the land along the Swan River was allotted to British settlers as they arrived in the newly created Swan River Colony. James Henty and his brothers were granted 2,000 acres upon which they grazed their livestock and built a mud-brick homestead. They called their property Stoke Farm. In 1832, the Henty brothers sold the farm to the Colonial Secretary, Peter Broun who renamed the homestead Bassendean.[5]

Over the years the Bassendean property became incorporated into the suburb of West Guildford and in 1922, West Guildford was renamed Bassendean.[6] Flooding in 1929 caused severe damage, especially to the primary school oval.[7]

In December 1934, Bassendean Road Board held a referendum, seeking approval to borrow funds for the improvement of an area, known as Hays Swamp, on the edge of the townsite. The development would include a bowling green with floodlights, a croquet lawn, Bassendean Oval, tennis courts and provisions for other sports.[8]

Rail heritage

Bassendean is home to the Western Australian Rail Transport Museum which opened in 1974.[9] The display has a collection of steam and diesel locomotives, some of which have been restored to operating conditions. Also as part of the collection are a number of carriages and other equipment associated including the Zanthus station and a signal box from Perth station.[10] The West Australian Model Railway Club is also housed within the complex.[11] The display's centrepiece is a working scale model featuring engine characters from the children's series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends.

Facilities

Cyril Jackson Senior High School was built in 1962, and was converted into Cyril Jackson Senior Campus in 1990 to provide specialised study for post high school students gaining entrance into university study. Bassendean railway station is served by Transperth Midland line services.[12]

Industry

Bassendean has had an involvement in railway rolling stock construction and maintenance since Commonwealth Engineering opened a plant in 1951.[13] It closed in the 1980s, with Goninan later taking it over.[14][15]

Notable people

See also

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Bassendean (WA) (Suburb and Locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
  2. "Town of Guildford" (pdf). State Records Office of Western Australia. Perth, WA: Government of Western Australia, Department for Culture and the Arts. 10 August 1902. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  3. Broun, Llewellyn (1 January 2004), Banksia Woodland Resilience To Groundwater Drawdown On The Gnangara Mound, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, retrieved 20 August 2018
  4. Pesjak, Lea; Murdoch University. Faculty of Science and Engineering (2011), Low sulfur, potentially-acidic soils and sediments of the Bassendean Dune System, Perth, Western Australia, retrieved 20 August 2018
  5. Bassett, Marnie (1954). The Hentys, and Australian colonial tapestry. London: Cambridge University Press.
  6. "History". Town of Bassendean – Home by the Swan. Town of Bassendean. Archived from the original on 28 February 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  7. "FLOODED SCHOOLGROUND". The Daily News. Perth, WA: National Library of Australia. 16 May 1929. p. 6 Edition: HOME (FINAL) EDITION. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  8. "IMPROVEMENT SCHEME FOR BASSENDEAN". The Daily News. Perth, WA: National Library of Australia. 15 December 1934. p. 9 Edition: LATE CITY. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  9. Bassendean Railway Museum Rail Heritage WA
  10. Here & There Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin issue 701 March 1996 page 95
  11. Home West Australian Model Railway Club
  12. Bassendean Station Transperth
  13. Four Firms Combine to Build Freight Cars in WA Railway Transportation October 1951 page 44
  14. Here & There Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin issue 609 July 1988 page 57
  15. UGL 500 Not Out Motive Power issue 86 March 2013 page 59
  16. Hasluck, Alexandra (1983). Hackett, Deborah Vernon (1887–1965). Retrieved 30 March 2015. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  17. Ducey, Liam (4 July 2014). "Rolf Harris removed from Bassendean history following sex conviction". WAtoday. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  18. Foster, Brendan (4 July 2014). "Rolf Harris's home town removes all signs of former favourite son". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 May 2023.

Further reading
  • Carter, Jennie.Bassendean : a social history 1829–1979 Perth, W.A : Town of Bassendean, 1986. ISBN 1-86252-478-5

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