My suburb

[BullcreekBob]

G'day

I thought it might be of interest, if some of us "locals", already here in Perth did a post on where we live and what we like and dislike about it.

I live in Bull Creek which is 11k south of Perth. There are no major roads that carry traffic through Bull Creek, so it makes things nice and quiet. All the car and truck traffic is on the major roads that make up Bull Creek's boundaries. They are Leach Highway to the North, South Street to the South, The Freeway to the west and Karel Avenue to the east. These major roads make it easy to get to other places quickly. Perth is less than 15 minutes away, Mandurah to the south is about 40 minutes, Joondalup to the north is about 40 minutes. Fremantle is about 15 minutes away and the Swan Valley is 30 minutes. When the southern train starts running (29/7), it will be a six minute trip into the city.

By Perth standards, Bull Creek is an older well established suburb with most houses built in the very late 70's or early 80's. The average house price is over $500K with most in the $450K to $650K range. Bull Creek has a small shopping centre (15 shops) in Parry avenue and a larger shopping centre (30 shops) in Benningfield Road. About 1 km away in Willetton is the Southlands shopping centre with over 60 shops, restaurants and banks as well as a large cinema complex. Within 1km of our house are 3 different areas of parkland for running our dog, there are tennis courts, skateboard and bike circuits, cricket, football and rugby pitches. I am a member of the council recreation centre ($50/month) about 3km away where there is a 50m swiming pool, 2 smaller 25m pools, play pools, kids pools, cafe, a large gym, squash courts, creche, steam rooms, saunas and spas. There is also another closer centre in Leeming which I can also use but the facilities are not quite as good. Also within a few minutes of the house we have a couple of good chippies, 4 Chinese Restarants, 3 Malaysian, 1 Sri Lanka, 2 Italian and a food hall with about a dozen food counters. There are also all the usual chain burgers or chicken or Pizza shops.

All of the schools that serve Bull Creek have excellent reputations, Oberthur Primary, Bull Creek Primary, Rossmoyne High School and Willetton High School. There is also a private school in Bull Creek and others in the adjoining suburbs of Brentwood and Murdoch. Nearby (less than 3k) is Murdoch university, as well as the Murdoch hospital which is the biggest hospital south of Perth. It is a private hospital. There are plans for he Royal Perth Hospital to move to the same site in a couple of years.

So, that's about it. Good facilities, close to places I need to get to, low crime rates, and very reasonably priced - especially when we bought three and a half years ago for $275K, now worth $625K.

[The Boultons]

Bob,

What a fantastic post! loved reading it as it helps us with little idea of the suburbs to get an idea.

Would love to read about other suburbs!

[wackyjacky]

:lol: hi bob your name keeps cropping up on all my post! you are one very handy man to know? good post reyour suburb how about some on joondalup cos its top of my list at mo all info greatly receieved thanks

[BullcreekBob]

G'day Jacky

Sorry, my opinions on Joondalup are probably not what you want to hear :(

I MUCH prefer living south of the city, ask about a southern suburb and I'll answer, but as a general rule, the closer a suburb is to the city centre, the more established it will be, the better the schools will be, the more amenities it will have and the more it will cost.

Perth continues to grow outwards, so every year or two they open up new suburbs to the north, east and south. The new suburbs have very little in them, just building blocks. In a few years they'll get the first shops, then later on a school, then maybe a hotel or a restaurant, possibly a doctor, then more shops - perhaps even a shopping centre etc. If you move to a developing outer suburb, it will have reduced facilities, if you move to a well established (older) suburb, it will have the sort of things in it that make living easier.

[ali]

I'm a little biased as I have settled south too (in the suburb next to bobs!), my hubbys job takes him all over and he has visited some of the newer estates and says they lack 'soul' at the moment.

We lived on a new estate when we lived in UK and it was only just getting established when we were leaving (and we'd been there 10 years), it really depends on what you want, for us it was a more established community.

Ali

[Tim]

South for me too...Waikiki in Rockingham. I just love it down here. Reasonable property prices, not too over developed and very close to the wonderful beaches..... :D :D :D

[Arwen]

:lol: hi bob your name keeps cropping up on all my post! you are one very handy man to know? good post reyour suburb how about some on joondalup cos its top of my list at mo all info greatly receieved thanks

Joondalup as a suburb is well placed with plenty of facilities. It has shops, schools, sports facilities, parks and all the other things a family could need. It has a number of pubs and restaurants and has good train links into the City. 10 minutes to the beach. I live just to the south of Joondalup and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

[LizBrad]

Hi - it's good to see you are doing lots of research. Where you live in Perth really depends on your circumstances. Many people recommend living close to the CBD, but this isn't affordable for most people. I bought a place at Somerly in Clarkson (10 mins north of Joondalup), and I've never regretted my decision. The train station and beaches are really close, as well as large shopping centres. Somerly has lots of big landscaped parks too. There is much more open space than near to the CBD, and the beaches are spectacular. There are lots of other British people living here - sometimes it's hard to hear an Aussie accent on the local beach! Good luck with your move.

[Bobcat]

Hi - it's good to see you are doing lots of research. Where you live in Perth really depends on your circumstances. Many people recommend living close to the CBD, but this isn't affordable for most people. I bought a place at Somerly in Clarkson (10 mins north of Joondalup), and I've never regretted my decision. The train station and beaches are really close, as well as large shopping centres. Somerly has lots of big landscaped parks too. There is much more open space than near to the CBD, and the beaches are spectacular. There are lots of other British people living here - sometimes it's hard to hear an Aussie accent on the local beach! Good luck with your move.

Somerly is a fantastic suburb (not according to posters on other forums though?)............. at the end of the day it is a posher part of Clarkson..... but so what? I really don't think the people who criticise Somerly actually live there............... and it really irks me to hear them make all those unfounded statements without coming up with the facts?

My son and his girlfriend bought land there last year........it was so scarce they had to be drawn out of the hat to qualify for a land purchase! They have got their loan together to go ahead and build......... pity about the 12 month plus wait list ......... but it will all be worthwhile long term.

If I had to rate Somerly.............. it would get a whopping 10 out of 10 from me. A feather in the cap of the people who planned that suburb because they got it so right.

[Bobcat]

G'day

I thought it might be of interest, if some of us "locals", already here in Perth did a post on where we live and what we like and dislike about it.

I live in Bull Creek which is 11k south of Perth. There are no major roads that carry traffic through Bull Creek, so it makes things nice and quiet. All the car and truck traffic is on the major roads that make up Bull Creek's boundaries. They are Leach Highway to the North, South Street to the South, The Freeway to the west and Karel Avenue to the east. These major roads make it easy to get to other places quickly. Perth is less than 15 minutes away, Mandurah to the south is about 40 minutes, Joondalup to the north is about 40 minutes. Fremantle is about 15 minutes away and the Swan Valley is 30 minutes. When the southern train starts running (29/7), it will be a six minute trip into the city.

By Perth standards, Bull Creek is an older well established suburb with most houses built in the very late 70's or early 80's. The average house price is over $500K with most in the $450K to $650K range. Bull Creek has a small shopping centre (15 shops) in Parry avenue and a larger shopping centre (30 shops) in Benningfield Road. About 1 km away in Willetton is the Southlands shopping centre with over 60 shops, restaurants and banks as well as a large cinema complex. Within 1km of our house are 3 different areas of parkland for running our dog, there are tennis courts, skateboard and bike circuits, cricket, football and rugby pitches. I am a member of the council recreation centre ($50/month) about 3km away where there is a 50m swiming pool, 2 smaller 25m pools, play pools, kids pools, cafe, a large gym, squash courts, creche, steam rooms, saunas and spas. There is also another closer centre in Leeming which I can also use but the facilities are not quite as good. Also within a few minutes of the house we have a couple of good chippies, 4 Chinese Restarants, 3 Malaysian, 1 Sri Lanka, 2 Italian and a food hall with about a dozen food counters. There are also all the usual chain burgers or chicken or Pizza shops.

All of the schools that serve Bull Creek have excellent reputations, Oberthur Primary, Bull Creek Primary, Rossmoyne High School and Willetton High School. There is also a private school in Bull Creek and others in the adjoining suburbs of Brentwood and Murdoch. Nearby (less than 3k) is Murdoch university, as well as the Murdoch hospital which is the biggest hospital south of Perth. It is a private hospital. There are plans for he Royal Perth Hospital to move to the same site in a couple of years.

So, that's about it. Good facilities, close to places I need to get to, low crime rates, and very reasonably priced - especially when we bought three and a half years ago for $275K, now worth $625K.


CARRAMAR WA 6031

Carramar Golf Course Estate, a slightly inland refreshing alternative to the wind-blown suburbs that dot the coastal strip………….. yet only at most; a 10 minute drive to the ocean at nearby Burns Beach.

Boasting a top notch first-class golf course right on its doorstep………. Carramar today offers a fully established family lifestyle that prides itself on community spirit. Less than 10 minutes away from the ocean……….. and only 5 minutes away from the nearby City of Joondalup if the traffic lights are in your favour.

Not quite so isolated now; Carramar is a hub of activity which still has that natural bush feel to it due to an abundance of mature trees and ample parkland dotted up and down the suburb.

When formerly known as Neerabup some 11 years or so ago…………. the Carramar Golf Course Estate was deemed to out in the scrubs far off the beaten track ……. and in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere? Public transport servicing the area was at best……….. abysmal …………. and there was nothing for the kids to do ……….. and no schools local for them to attend in those early days.

Early purchasers on the estate (myself included who bought right at the beginning in Stage 1); could not help but feel they had dropped a right clanger by buying land in such a remote area…………….. we couldn’t have been further from the truth if we tried!!!

Neerabup soon became Carramar……………….. and eventually the much awaited promised schools became more than a proposal on the drawing board………. and resident’s short term shopping needs were catered for by the purpose-built corner deli/convenience store which became aptly known as the ‘Tucker Shop’ once I sold it to newly arrived English migrants Brian & Ann Tucker.

The advent of St Stephens School brought about a big change to Carramar……… from a seemingly before little unheard of suburb ………….. Carramar soon became a well sought after place to live. Once St Stephens School became a reality……… families flocked to the suburb in droves.

There is an investment protection covenant in place on the Carramar Estate; by which high building standards are maintained thereby enhancing the quality of the estate. Building is already well underway for a new shopping centre complex that is going up just off Cheriton drive, the long awaited Carramar Community Centre is already up and running……… work on a new Tavern & Bottle Shop will be able to commence soon now that all the red tape allowing building of same has been overcome.

To the North East of Carramar plans are afoot to build what will become the now designated Neerabup Industrial Estate; same will ensure significant development takes place in the years to come thereby offering numerous employment possibilities to Carramar residents.