Heathridge, Western Australia

Heathridge Perth, Western Australia
Heathridge
Coordinates	31°45′32″S 115°45′40″E / 31.759°S 115.761°E / -31.759; 115.761Coordinates: 31°45′32″S 115°45′40″E / 31.759°S 115.761°E / -31.759; 115.761
Population	6,882 (2006 census)[1]
• Density	1,811/km2 (4,690/sq mi)
Established	1976
Postcode(s)	6027
Area	3.8 km2 (1.5 sq mi)
Location	26 km (16 mi) from Perth
LGA(s)	City of Joondalup
State electorate(s)	Joondalup
Federal Division(s)	Moore
Suburbs around Heathridge: Ocean Reef Connolly Joondalup Ocean Reef Heathridge Edgewater Mullaloo Beldon Craigie

Heathridge is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located 26 kilometres (16 mi) north of Perth's central business district within the City of Joondalup.

Heathridge was chosen as the suburb name because of the heath type vegetation growing on the sand ridges of the area.^[2]

History

Prior to urban settlement in the 1970s, Heathridge was a remote and undeveloped area. It represented the central and eastern portions of Lot M1513 and the northeastern corner of Lot M1506 on Swan Location 1370. The name Heathridge, chosen for the ground-cover vegetation growing on the sand ridges in the area,^[2] was first proposed by the developer, Kaiser Aetna, and was accepted by the government's Nomenclature Advisory Committee on 8 November 1974.^[3] It was officially gazetted in October 1975.^[4]

The suburb started to develop in 1976, with the first land sales in the area bounded by Caridean Street to the north, Admiral Grove to the east, Ocean Reef Road to the south, and Marmion Ave via Mermaid Way and Poseidon Road to the west. The Metropolitan Region Planning Authority rezoned the north and east of the suburb in 1978 for urban development,^[5] and land progressively became available throughout the suburb in the 1980s, particularly in the Heathridge Heights area bounded by Hodges Drive to the North, Caridean Street and Poseidon Road to the East, Mermaid Way to the South, and Marmion Avenue to the West. Sales for this estate were handled from the now long departed Ocean Reef Sales Office, that resided on the site now occupied by private residences and a petrol station at Marina Boulevard and Marmion Avenue in Ocean Reef.

More recently, a number of previously unoccupied areas in the suburb's northern and western areas were developed in the late 1990s. The largest of these, at the south-western tip of the suburb, was previously held by a private religious land trust that was at times slated for development as a retirement village and a shopping centre^{[citation needed]}. After community opposition to these plans and the lack of interest from commercial property developers, the vacant land was converted into residential lots.

Geography

Heathridge is bounded by Hodges Drive to the north, the Mitchell Freeway to the East, Ocean Reef Road to the south, and Marmion Avenue to the West.^[6]

Demographics

At the 2006 census, Heathridge had a population of 6,882,^[1] a decrease of 200 persons in comparison to the 2001 census, which had the population at 7,086.^[7] The median age of Heathridge residents was 31, and median individual incomes were $532. 1% of the population identified themselves as Indigenous persons.^[1]

The most popular religious affiliations in descending order in the 2006 census were No Religion 27.8%, Anglican 20.4%, Catholic 20.2%, Uniting Church 2.9% and Christian, nfd 2.2%.^[1]

Facilities

At the southernmost end of the suburb is the Sail Terrace Community Centre, operated by the City of Joondalup. This includes indoor basketball courts, grassed level oval, tennis courts, education rooms, and child minding facilities. Additionally, the site is home to the Ocean Ridge Cricket Club, Ocean Ridge Amateur Football Club. This oval, along with Prince Regent Park, Admiral Park and all schools within the suburb have large grass outdoor ovals designed for used by community groups and sporting activities including Cricket, Australian Rules Football, and Association Football.

Other facilities within the suburb include a local shopping centre on Caridean Street near Admiral Grove, as well as three dedicated houses of worship, belonging to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Salvation Army, and a Pentecostal Anglican group. Other religious groups meet in various locations around the suburb. There is also the Granny Spiers Community Centre on Poseidon Road, run by a not-for-profit group undertaking various community and disabled outreach and assistance programs.

Education

Heathridge is currently served by three primary schools offering K–7 education. The first of these is Heathridge Primary School, constructed towards the end of the 1970s and opened in 1980. In 1986, a further two primary schools opened in the suburb, including Eddystone Primary School with a primary student catchment area of the Eastern side of Heathridge as well as students from the surrounding suburbs of Beldon, Craigie, and Edgewater. Poseidon Primary School opened that same year with a catchment area of Heathridge's west side including surrounding areas of Connolly, Ocean Reef, and Beldon. With the opening of the two schools, Heathridge Primary School became responsible for the central area of the suburb, bounded by Admiral Grove in the East and Poseidon Road in the West.

The suburb is also served by two high schools offering Years 8–12, although both of these high schools reside outside the suburb. Ocean Reef Senior High School was responsible for Year 8–12 education for the suburb from its inception until 1990, when Belridge Senior High School opened for Year 8 students. Belridge was primarily opened to reduce overall demand at Ocean Reef due to high demand for its advanced programs and its inability to take students from within its primary catchment area. From its opening in 1990 until 1995, Belridge progressively expanded its age range until becoming a full secondary school in 1995 when the first class of graduating Year Twelve students commenced their studies.

See also

• Belridge Senior High School

Transport

The suburb is well served by a number of transport options including rail and bus links.

Railway links

Joondalup Line

• Edgewater (JER)

Bus routes

•   460 Whitfords – Joondalup
•   461 Whitfords – Joondalup
•   462 Whitfords – Joondalup
•   463 Whitfords – Joondalup
•   464 Whitfords – Joondalup

Politics

The suburb first participated in the 1980 State Election.

References