Balga, Western Australia

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Balga is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stirling. Its post code is 6061.

The name "Balga" was adopted in 1954 and is derived from an Aboriginal word for the indigenous grass tree Xanthorrhoea, commonly known as the Black Boy.

It is considered by many to be a lower class suburb, mainly due to a large percentage of public housing and a reputation for criminal activity due to the relatively abundant aboriginal population. However, this reputation is changing. Balga, while depressed when compared to the rest of the northern suburbs, has never been an area of abject poverty. It maintains the same high standard of living that is common throughout Australia, and crime is typically minor, often associated with youths. Gang activity has increased in Balga since the mid ‘80s, as it has throughout the neighbouring suburbs of Girrawheen and Koondoola (the 3 suburbs are often derisively referred to as the KGB). Although activity is not on par with American gangs, either in organisation or numbers, they have increased in influence. Many of these groups, such as the Dragon Boys (named after the feature film), can be traced to the children of south-east Asian refugees, often from Vietnam.The most well known gang would be the Balga Boys or Boyz who are known throughout Perth however this can be a collective term for gangs from Balga and Westminster.

In 1994 the southern half of Balga was annexed to form a new suburb called Westminster. Once disassociated with the name Balga, Westminster property values increased significantly. In 1998 the state government instituted the New North Project to further improve the status of Balga and surrounding suburbs, demolishing a number of State Housing Commission terrace complexes. According to Department of Land Information, Balga currently (as of 2006) has had a housing value growth rate ~5% higher than the state average. As suburbs expand further north, its lower housing values and proximity to Perth city is likely to cause this trend to escalate.

Suburbs of the City of Stirling
Balcatta | Balga | Carine | Churchlands | Coolbinia | Dianella | Doubleview | Glendalough | Gwelup | Hamersley | Herdsman | Inglewood | Innaloo | Joondanna | Karrinyup | Menora | Mirrabooka | Mount Lawley | Nollamara | North Beach | Osborne Park | Scarborough | Stirling | Trigg | Tuart Hill | Watermans Bay | Wembley Downs | Westminster | Woodlands | Yokine