Salter Point is a

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 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, located in the City of South Perth local government area.

History

Around 1880, Samuel August Salter (after whom Salter Point was named) worked as a sawyer and timber contractor on the

peninsula A peninsula is a landform that extends from a mainland and is only connected to land on one side. Peninsulas exist on each continent. The largest peninsula in the world is the Arabian Peninsula. Etymology The word ''peninsula'' derives , . T ...

. At the time, the area was completely undeveloped, surrounded by dense bush with no road access. Salter established a landing stage on the point known as ''Salter's Landing'', to which timber logs could be floated from where they were cut in Kelmscott and Jarrahdale for transportation to a mill by barge. Salter operated his business from this location for several years, leading to the area being renamed ''Salter Point''. Samuel August Salter (1849–1930) son of British migrants Samuel and Sarah Salter, and brother to Hannah. Hannah Buckingham (Salter) married Thomas Buckingham in 1871 and lived in Kelmscott. In 1929, a road to the location was made. During the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

, from around 1930 to 1933, up to 110 homeless people camped at Salter Point near what is now the Gentilli Way boatramp. The South Perth Road Board installed toilets and running water following an outbreak of

typhoid Typhoid fever, also known simply as typhoid, is a disease caused by ''Salmonella enterica'' serotype Typhi bacteria, also called ''Salmonella'' Typhi. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often ther ...

at the camp. The residents lived in tents and shacks built out of old metal drums, relying on charity as there was little sustenance work available. In 1955, the area comprising Manning, Mt Henry, Salter Point and

Waterford Waterford ( ) is a City status in Ireland, city in County Waterford in the South-East Region, Ireland, south-east of Ireland. It is located within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster. The city is situated at the head of Waterford H ...

was annexed to the South Perth Road Board from the Canning Road Board. In 1990, the suburb's name Salter Point was gazetted. The foreshore along the Canning River has been studied for management plans. British-born Claude Choules, a former seaman, became the last surviving serviceman to serve as Australian veteran in both World Wars. He died in his sleep at a nursing home in Salter Point on 5 May 2011 at the age of 110, making him Australia's oldest-known living man during that time.

Educational facilities

* Aquinas College, private boys' college, years 4–12

Transport

Bus

* 30 Curtin University Bus Station to Perth Busport – serves Hope Avenue, Mount Henry Road and Gentilli Way * 31 Salter Point to Perth Busport – serves Redmond Street, Unwin Crescent, Sulman Avenue and Klem Avenue

General references

* Cecil C. Florey, Peninsula city: a social history of the City of South Perth, City of South Perth, 1995, p. 125-6.
Heritage Council of Western Australia, Page 4 "Documentary Evidence"

City of South Perth Municipal Heritage Inventory "Origin and Meaning of Street and Place Names" Updated September 2005 Page 87 - 88

References

Suburbs of Perth, Western Australia Suburbs in the City of South Perth Canning River (Western Australia) Populated places established in 1890 {{PerthAU-geo-stub