Bassendean (once referred to as West Guildford) is a north-eastern suburb of

Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...

, Western Australia. Its

local government area A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a federated state, state, province, division (politica ...

is the Town of Bassendean. It is also the name of the sand dune system on the

Swan Coastal Plain The Swan Coastal Plain in Western Australia is the geographic feature which contains the Swan River as it travels west to the Indian Ocean. The coastal plain continues well beyond the boundaries of the Swan River and its tributaries, as a geol ...

known as the ''Bassendean Dune System''.

History

In 1829, the land along the Swan River was allotted to British settlers as they arrived in the newly created

Swan River Colony The Swan River Colony, also known as the Swan River Settlement, or just ''Swan River'', was a British colony established in 1829 on the Swan River, in Western Australia. This initial settlement place on the Swan River was soon named Perth, an ...

. 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''. Over the years the Bassendean property became incorporated into the suburb of West Guildford and in 1922, West Guildford was renamed Bassendean. Flooding in 1929 caused severe damage, especially to the primary school oval. 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 A bowling green is a finely laid, close-mown and rolled stretch of turf for playing the game of bowls. Before 1830, when Edwin Beard Budding of Thrupp, near Stroud, UK, invented the lawnmower, lawns were often kept cropped by grazing sheep ...

with floodlights, a

croquet Croquet ( or ) is a sport which involves hitting wooden, plastic, or composite balls with a mallet through hoops (often called Wicket, "wickets" in the United States) embedded in a grass playing court. Variations In all forms of croquet, in ...

lawn, Bassendean Oval, tennis courts and provisions for other sports.

Rail heritage

Bassendean is home to the Western Australian Rail Transport Museum which opened in 1974. 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. The West Australian Model Railway Club is also housed within the complex. 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 Transperth is the public transport system for Perth and surrounding areas in Western Australia. It is managed by the Public Transport Authority (PTA), a state government organisation, and consists of train, bus and ferry services. Bus operat ...

Midland line services.

Transport

Bus

* 45 Bassendean Town Centre to Bayswater Station – serves Parker Street, James Street, Old Perth Road, Devon Road, North Road, Hyland Street, West Road, Reid Street and Kenny Street * 47 Bassendean Station to Morley Station – serves Scaddan Street and Collier Road * 355 Galleria Bus Station to Whiteman Park Station – serves Grey Street, Broadway, Bassendean Station and Ivanhoe Street * 356 Galleria Bus Station to Ballajura Station – serves Walter Road East, Penzance Street, Broadway, Bassendean Station and Ivanhoe Street * 357 Bassendean Station to Whiteman Park Station – serves Railway Parade and Lord Street

Rail

* Midland Line ** Ashfield Station ** Bassendean Station ** Success Hill Station

Industry

Bassendean has had an involvement in railway rolling stock construction and maintenance since

Commonwealth Engineering Commonwealth Engineering, often shortened to Com-Eng, later known as Comeng was an Australian engineering company that designed and built railway locomotives, rolling stock and trams. History Smith and Waddington, the predecessor to Common ...

opened a plant in 1951. It closed in the 1980s, with Goninan later taking it over.

Notable people

* Peter Broun (1797–1846), first Colonial Secretary of Western Australia *

Margaret Forrest Margaret Elvire Forrest, Lady Forrest (née Hamersley; 22 October 1844 – 13 June 1929 in Picton, Bunbury, Western Australia, Bunbury) was the wife of Sir John Forrest. Personal life Born in Le Havre, France, she was a member of the prom ...

(1844–1929), wife of

Premier Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of govern ...

John Forrest * Pat Giles (1928–2017), ALP Senator during the Hawke and Keating governments * Deborah Vernon Hackett (1887–1965), mining company director and philanthropist *

Rolf Harris Rolf Harris (30 March 1930 – 10 May 2023) was an Australian musician, television personality, painter, and actor. He used a variety of instruments in his performances, notably the didgeridoo and the Stylophone, and is credited with the inventi ...

(1930–2023), Australian-British entertainer and child sex offender, known as the "boy from Bassendean" * James Henty (1800–1882), pioneer British colonist of the area * May Holman (1893–1939), politician, the first woman Australian Labor Party parliamentarian * Adem K, musician of the band Turnstyle has lived in Bassendean since 2001 * Jon Stockman, musician from

Karnivool Karnivool is an Australian progressive rock/progressive metal, metal band formed in Perth in 1998. The group consists of Ian Kenny on vocals, Drew Goddard and Mark Hosking on guitar, Jon Stockman on bass, and Steve Judd on drums. Karnivool emerg ...

lives in Bassendean

References

External links

Town of Bassendean Website

Cyril Jackson Senior Campus Website
{{Authority control Suburbs of Perth, Western Australia Town of Bassendean