Cannington, Western Australia

Cannington's name derives from the Canning River, which forms part of the southwestern boundary of the suburb. It was first subdivided in 1882, and a railway station was constructed in the 1890s opposite Station Street in (now) East Cannington.^[3]^[4]

[edit] Waverley

For many years the areas of Cannington, East Cannington and Beckenham were known locally as "Waverley" and many Buildings and Businesses used the name Waverley to designate their locality, such as the Waverley Hotel, the Waverley Drive In Cinema, Waverley Fish n Chips, etc. The origin of the alternative use of Waverley is designated to the Cecil Gibbs who first used it in naming the Waverley Hotel that was a distinctive landmark over many generations. Between 1860 to 1883 William Lacey Gibbs, gradually accumulated most of what is Cannington. His slaughter yards were located near the present day Myer Department Store, Westfield. His brother built the 'Cecil/Waverley' Hotel on the corner of Cecil Road and Albany Highway^[5] (Carden, 1968). The hotel was altered many times over the years and was recently demolished for widening of the Albany Highway.

[edit] Geography

Canning Vale is bounded by Nicholson Road to the south-east, the Armadale train line to the northeast, Mills and Burton Streets to the northwest, and Fleming Avenue and the Canning River to the southwest. Albany Highway runs through the western part of the suburb.^[6]

At the ABS 2001 census, Cannington had a population of 3,069 people living in 1,561 dwellings, about half of which are detached houses on single lots. The ABS reported that 59% of Cannington residents were Australian-born, with sizable Italian and Chinese minorities. About 6% of the population follow Islam, and an Islamic community centre is located in the suburb.

[edit] Facilities

Cannington contains one of the Perth metropolitan area's largest shopping complexes, Westfield Carousel, first built in 1972 and extensively refurbished and expanded in the 1990s, which includes a Hoyts cinema complex. Albany Highway contains a range of shops and small warehouses, as well as the City of Canning council offices. Bentley Hospital is just beyond the northwestern boundary on Mills Street.

Along the Canning River is the Canning River Regional Park, which contains walking tracks and picnic facilities as well as the Woodloes Museum, a restored 1874 house built by architect and pioneer Francis Bird. Various sports and leisure facilities, including soccer fields, ten-pin bowling and an indoor athletics centre. The City of Canning showgrounds which include the Cannington raceway which is a greyhound racetrack, and exhibition buildings.

Sevenoaks Senior College and Cannington Community College are located in Cannington.

[edit] Transport

Cannington is on Albany Highway, a primary route into Perth's central business district, and lies to the southeast of Leach Highway and to the northwest of Roe Highway. Manning Road (State Route 26) provides access to Curtin University of Technology and Kwinana Freeway.

Cannington is served by the Cannington Interchange, linking the area to the Perth CBD. The suburb is also served by buses along Cecil Avenue, Albany Highway and other routes. All services are operated by the Public Transport Authority.

[edit] Politics

Cannington has a broadly lower-middle-class, mixed-ethnic population and supports the Australian Labor Party at both Federal and state elections.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

^ 2001 Census, Australian Bureau of Statistics
^ REIWA Suburb Profile
^ Western Australian Land Information Authority. History of suburb names - C. Retrieved on January 17, 2007.
^ Carden, F.G. Along the Canning: A History of the City of Canning Western Australia, Covering its progress from Roads Board to Shire, to Town, to City City of Canning, 1st Edition 1968, 2nd edition, 1991,
^ Carden, F.G. Along the Canning: A History of the City of Canning Western Australia, Covering its progress from Roads Board to Shire, to Town, to City City of Canning, 1st Edition 1968, 2nd edition, 1991,
^ 2006 StreetSmart directory, Department of Lands and Surveys, Perth.