Bicton is an affluent riverside

suburb A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area. They are oftentimes where most of a metropolitan areas jobs are located with some being predominantly residential. They can either be denser or less densely populated ...

Perth, Western Australia 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 ...

, located

south-west The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A ''compass rose'' is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each ...

of the

central business district A central business district (CBD) is the Commerce, commercial and business center of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides wit ...

. The suburb is mostly residential, and falls within the

City of Melville The City of Melville is a Local government areas of Western Australia, local government area in the southern List of Perth suburbs, suburbs of the Western Australian capital city of Perth, east of the port city of Fremantle and about south of ...

local government area. Bicton borders the Swan River to the north, with the northern third of the suburb taken up by a Class-A

reserve Reserve or reserves may refer to: Places * Reserve, Kansas, a US city * Reserve, Louisiana, a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish * Reserve, Montana, a census-designated place in Sheridan County * Reserve, New Mexico, a US v ...

Point Walter Point Walter (Noongar language, Noongar: ) is a point on the Swan River (Western Australia), Swan River, Western Australia, notable for its large Shoal, sandbar that extends into the river. It is located on the southern shore of Melville Water, ...

. Originally settled in the 1830s, when a large

vineyard A vineyard ( , ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines. Many vineyards exist for winemaking; others for the production of raisins, table grapes, and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is kno ...

was established, Bicton was mainly rural until the subdivision of the former Bicton Racecourse, beginning in 1919. Further subdivisions of the Castle Hill area in 1921 established the suburb as a middle-class area of

Fremantle Fremantle () () is a port city in Western Australia located at the mouth of the Swan River (Western Australia), Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth. The Western Australi ...

. Bicton underwent further expansion after the conclusion of World War II. Now with a large demographic of business owners and high net worth individuals, Bicton is considered one of the most affluent riverside suburbs in Perth.

History

Prior to European settlement, the Beeliar subgroup of the

Noongar The Noongar (, also spelt Noongah, Nyungar , Nyoongar, Nyoongah, Nyungah, Nyugah, and Yunga ) are Aboriginal Australian people who live in the South West, Western Australia, south-west corner of Western Australia, from Geraldton, Western Aus ...

Aboriginal people obtained food and drinking water from the river edges and open grassy areas. The sandbar at

was used as one of the few river crossing between the mouth of the river and

The Narrows The Narrows is the tidal strait separating the boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn in New York City. It connects the Upper New York Bay and Lower New York Bay (of larger New York Bay) and forms the principal channel by which the Hudson Ri ...

. The area around Point Walter was known as ''Dyoondalup'' in the local language, meaning "place of white sand", and featured in local creation myths. The area along the

East Fremantle East is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the fact that eas ...

and Bicton foreshores, extending into Blackwall Reach, was called ''Quaada gabee'', meaning "beautiful water", and included a number of freshwater springs. The

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 ...

was declared by

Charles Fremantle Admiral Sir Charles Howe Fremantle GCB (1 June 1800 – 25 May 1869) was a British Royal Navy officer. The city of Fremantle, Western Australia, is named after him. Early life Fremantle was the second son of Thomas Fremantle, an associate o ...

in April 1829, however, Bicton was not settled until 1830, when four land grants were given to John Hole Duffield, who had arrived on ''Warrior'' in March 1830, Alfred Waylen, Joseph Cooper and William Hapgood. The area was named after the village of Bicton in

East Devon East Devon is a local government district in Devon, England. Its council is based in the town of Honiton, although Exmouth is the largest town. The district also contains the towns of Axminster, Budleigh Salterton, Cranbrook, Ottery St M ...

, where Duffield had previously had an estate. Duffield planted the colony's first commercially-operating vineyard, comprising 5,700 vines, in 1845. His son, James Hole Duffield, and another worker, John Luff, died on 30 March 1860 after they were

buried alive Premature burial, also known as live burial, burial alive, or vivisepulture, means to be buried while still alive. Animals or humans may be buried alive accidentally on the mistaken assumption that they are dead, or intentionally as a form of ...

in what the ''

Perth Gazette ''The West Australian'' is the only locally edited daily newspaper published in Perth, Western Australia. It is owned by Seven West Media (SWM), as is the state's other major newspaper, ''The Sunday Times (Western Australia), The Sunday Times'' ...

'' called "a lamentable accident" while attempting to sink a well on Duffield's property. The Bicton Racecourse was established in 1904 on land leased by the Higham family after the closure of the South Fremantle Racecourse. The course was closed in 1917 after the passing of the ''WA Racing Restrictions Act''. The former racecourse was subdivided into suburban blocks in 1919, and the Castle Hill area, close to Point Walter, was subdivided in 1921 by Gold Estates. Further development occurred after the conclusion of the Second World War.

Geography and geology

Bicton is bounded by Petra Street to the west, Stock Road to the east,

Canning Highway Canning Highway is an arterial road in Perth, Western Australia, linking the inner Perth suburb of Victoria Park, Western Australia, Victoria Park in the north-east, to the port city of Fremantle in the south-west. The road is mostly a four-l ...

to the south and the Swan River to the north (

Melville Water Melville Water is a significant section of the Swan River in Perth, Western Australia. It is located west and downstream of Perth Water, from which it is separated by the Narrows Bridge. Name Melville Water was named in 1827 by Captain Jam ...

) and northwest ( Blackwall Reach). Apart from the reserve and golf course at Point Walter, almost all of Bicton is residential. Bicton is one of the most hilly coastal suburbs of Perth, with Castle Hill the most prominent hill. The suburb has several beaches, most notably at Bicton Baths,

and along the Bicton foreshore. The suburb lies 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 ...

. Much of Bicton is situated on

limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...

base-rock, with the cliffs at Blackwall Reach composed entirely of limestone. Many houses, especially those built around the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, were built on limestone foundations quarried from Bicton. Bicton's soil is generally sandy and infertile.

Swan River

The Bicton foreshore has been a popular place for families to visit. Barely 20 metres from Bicton Baths is a grass area with a square jetty that is a popular destination for swimming, fishing and other water activities.

Facilities

The Melville Water Polo Club and Bicton Swimming Club are based at Bicton Pool overlooking the river, which was established as a baths in 1926 by the swimming club. Two teams competing in the

Australian National Water Polo League The Australian Water Polo League (formerly known as the Australian National Water Polo League) is the premier Australian domestic water polo competition. The men's league was established in 1990 with the women's league following in 2004. The le ...

, the Fremantle Mariners (men's), and the Fremantle Marlins (women's), play their home games at the pool. The Tom Hoad Cup, an international

water polo Water polo is a competitive sport, competitive team sport played in water between two teams of seven players each. The game consists of four quarters in which the teams attempt to score goals by throwing the water polo ball, ball into the oppo ...

tournament, has been held yearly since 2003 at the pool. A

cricket Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...

club, the Bicton Junior Cricket Club, was originally formed for school- and church-run competitions around 1923. The club is currently based at Troy Park in Attadale but still plays occasional games at Bicton Primary School. Three shopping facilities are located in the suburb, as well as a

strip mall A strip mall, strip center, strip plaza or simply plaza is a type of shopping mall, shopping center common in North America and Australia where the stores are arranged in a row, with a footpath in front. Strip malls are typically developed as a ...

extending along most of

. Two churches – St. Christophers Anglican Church and Bicton Presbyterian Church – are located within the borders of Bicton, while the Bicton Uniting Church is located in the neighbouring suburb of

Palmyra Palmyra ( ; Palmyrene dialect, Palmyrene: (), romanized: ''Tadmor''; ) is an ancient city in central Syria. It is located in the eastern part of the Levant, and archaeological finds date back to the Neolithic period, and documents first menti ...

. Three aged care facilities – Carinya of Bicton, Braemar Lodge and Craigview Grove are located in Bicton. The Bicton-Palmyra subchapter of the

Returned and Services League The Returned and Services League of Australia, also known as RSL, RSL Australia and the RSLA, is an independent support organisation for people who have served or are serving in the Australian Defence Force. History The League was formed in ...

(RSL) is located on Foss Street. The Leopold Hotel is located on the corner of Point Walter Road and Canning Highway, and was listed on the Statewide Hotel Survey undertaken by the

Heritage Council of Western Australia The Heritage Council of Western Australia is the Government of Western Australia agency created to identify, conserve and promote places of cultural heritage significance in the state. Prior to its creation, considerable variance in policy and p ...

in 1999. There are also a number of residences, facilities and reserves listed with the Heritage Council. A quarantine station operated by the

Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal Aus ...

, Fremantle Quarantine Station, opened in 1916 to service the

port of Fremantle Fremantle Harbour is Western Australia's largest and busiest general cargo port and an important historical site. The inner harbour handles a large volume of sea containers, vehicle imports and livestock exports, cruise shipping and naval visits ...

. The station close in 1983, moving to Byford, with part of the land being subdivided and the rest becoming the Quarantine Park, with the

jetty A jetty is a man-made structure that protrudes from land out into water. A jetty may serve as a breakwater (structure), breakwater, as a walkway, or both; or, in pairs, as a means of constricting a channel. The term derives from the French la ...

converted to use for recreational purposes. There are five public parks operated by the

located in Bicton: Bicton Quarantine Park, Fred Jones Reserve, Harry Grose Reserve, John Dickinson Reserve, and Rod Campbell Park, as well as reserves located at Bicton Baths (including Bicton Pool), Blackwall Reach and

. An eight-hole golf course, Point Walter Golf Course, and tennis courts, are also located at Point Walter. The suburb also includes several playgrounds and bicycle and walking paths along the shores of the Swan River.

Education

The suburb contains one state-run

primary school A primary school (in Ireland, India, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, South Africa, and Singapore), elementary school, or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ...

, Bicton Primary School, established in 1904 and located on View Terrace. As of semester one, 2011, the school has a total enrolment of 410 students, consisting of 40

kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cen ...

, 54

pre-primary Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cen ...

, and 316 primary students. Bicton is occasionally used by the local community, and shares the hosting of an annual

fête In the United Kingdom and some of its former colonies, a fête or fete is a public festival organised to raise money for a charity, typically held outdoors. It generally includes entertainment and the sale of goods and refreshments. Fetes are ty ...

with other local schools. The school is located within the catchment area of

Melville Senior High School Melville Senior High School is a public co-educational high school located in Melville, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia. Opened in 1960, as of 2024 the school had an enrolment of 1,451 students from Year 7 to Year 12, with its catchment ar ...

, having previously fallen within the

John Curtin College of the Arts John Curtin College of the Arts, originally John Curtin High School, is an independent, public co-educational, partially selective high school, located in East Street, , a suburb of Perth, Western Australia. The school provides a general and ...

catchment area. Bicton Primary School is used as a polling booth by the Western Australian Electoral Commission for both state and federal elections. A small tornado in May 2005 caused significant damage in the Bicton area, causing $6 million damage to the school. This resulted in the closure of the school for four weeks.

Transport

, running between

and

The Causeway The Causeway is an arterial traffic crossing in Perth, Western Australia, linking the inner-city suburbs of East Perth, Western Australia, East Perth and Victoria Park, Western Australia, Victoria Park. It is carried over the Swan River (Weste ...

in Victoria Park, makes up the southern border of the suburb. Other major roads include Petra Street, making up the western border, Stock Road, making up the eastern border, and Preston Point Road, running through the suburb. Bicton is served by the 148 and 158

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 ...

bus routes from Fremantle station, as well as services along

, the 910 (previously the 106) and the 111. The 765 school special runs through Bicton during the school term. All services are operated by

Swan Transit Swan Transit is an Australian bus company operating Buses in Perth, Transperth bus services under contract to the Public Transport Authority (Western Australia), Public Transport Authority. It is a subsidiary of Transit Systems. History On 21 ...

. A tramway network, Fremantle Municipal Tramways, operated a

branch line A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line. Branch lines may serve one or more industries, or a city or town not located ...

to Point Walter between 1915 and 1939, by way of Canning Road and Point Walter Road. The opening of this line helped to develop Point Walter into a popular resort and place of entertainment. Along with the trams came electric lighting, and, soon afterwards, shops and restaurants. Entertainment at Point Walter included McNamara's Band, and panoramic views of the Swan River.

Politics

Bicton has one polling booth in federal and state elections, located at Bicton Primary School. At federal level, Bicton is located within the Division of Tangney. At state level, Bicton is located in the district of Bicton, which was created for the 2017 state election. In the

Western Australian Legislative Council The Western Australian Legislative Council is the upper house of the Parliament of Western Australia, a state of Australia. It is regarded as a house of review for legislation passed by the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, Legislative A ...

, Bicton falls into the electoral region of South Metropolitan. At

local government Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of governance or public administration within a particular sovereign state. Local governments typically constitute a subdivision of a higher-level political or administrative unit, such a ...

level, Bicton is part of the Bicton-Attadale Ward of the

, along with Attadale.Suburb and ward map
– City of Melville. Retrieved 14 January 2012. Bicton-Attadale elects two councillors, currently June Barton (term expiring 2013) and Susanne Taylor-Rees (term expiring 2015).

Photo gallery

Image:Blackwall Reach view in 2008.jpg, Blackwall Reach cliffs viewed from Freshwater Bay, Claremont Image:Pt Walter from Claremont.jpg, Port Walter viewed from Freshwater Bay, Claremont Image:Pt walter gnangarra.jpg, Point Walter viewed from Mosman Park Image:SwanRiverEastFremantle gobeirne.jpg, View from East Fremantle of Bicton's Blackwall Reach and

References

External links

{{City of Melville suburbs Suburbs of Perth, Western Australia Suburbs in the City of Melville 1830s establishments in Australia Swan River (Western Australia)