Bicton, Western Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bicton Perth, Western Australia
View of Point Walter Reserve, Bicton
Established	1830s
Postcode(s)	6157
Area	3.2 km2 (1.2 sq mi)
Location	15 km (9 mi) from Perth
LGA(s)	City of Melville
State electorate(s)	Bicton
Federal Division(s)	Tangney
Suburbs around Bicton: Swan River Swan River Swan River East Fremantle Bicton Attadale East Fremantle Palmyra Melville

Bicton is a lovely riverside suburb in Perth, Western Australia. It is located about 10 kilometers (6 miles) south-west of Perth's city center. Most of Bicton is made up of homes. It is part of the City of Melville local government area. The Swan River forms Bicton's northern border. A large nature reserve called Point Walter takes up the northern part of the suburb.

Bicton was first settled in the 1830s. A big vineyard was started there. For a long time, Bicton was mostly a rural area. Things changed when the old Bicton Racecourse was divided into smaller plots in 1919. More land was divided in the Castle Hill area in 1921. This helped Bicton become a popular place to live. After World War II, Bicton grew even more. Today, many business owners and wealthy people live here. Bicton is known as one of Perth's most beautiful riverside suburbs.

History of Bicton

Early Days and Aboriginal Heritage

Before Europeans arrived, the Noongar Aboriginal people lived here. They were part of the Beeliar group. They found food and water along the riverbanks. The sandbar at Point Walter was an important river crossing. It was one of the few places to cross the river. The Noongar people called the Point Walter area Dyoondalup. This means "place of white sand". It was important in their creation stories. The area along the river, including Blackwall Reach, was called Quaada gabee. This means "beautiful water". It had many fresh water springs.

European Settlement and Growth

The Swan River Colony began in April 1829. But Bicton was not settled until 1830. Four people received land grants then. One of them was John Hole Duffield. He named the area Bicton after his old village in England. In 1845, Duffield started the colony's first working vineyard. It had 5,700 grapevines. Sadly, his son and another worker died in 1860. This happened in a sad accident while they were digging a well on his land.

The Bicton Racecourse opened in 1904. It was on land rented by the Higham family. The racecourse closed in 1917. In 1919, the land was divided into blocks for homes. The Castle Hill area was also divided in 1921. Bicton continued to grow after the Second World War.

Geography and Natural Features

Bicton's Location and Landscape

Bicton has clear borders. Petra Street is to the west, Stock Road to the east. Canning Highway is to the south. The Swan River is to the north and northwest. Most of Bicton is residential, meaning it has homes. There is also a reserve and a golf course at Point Walter. Bicton is one of Perth's hilliest coastal suburbs. Castle Hill is the highest point.

Beaches and Geology

Bicton has several beaches. You can find them at Bicton Baths and Point Walter. There are also beaches along the Bicton foreshore. The suburb is on the Swan Coastal Plain. Much of Bicton sits on limestone rock. The cliffs at Blackwall Reach are made entirely of limestone. Many old houses in Bicton were built using limestone. This stone was dug up right from Bicton. The soil in Bicton is usually sandy and not very fertile.

Swan River Fun

The Bicton foreshore has always been a popular spot for families. Near Bicton Baths, there is a grassy area. It has a square jetty. This is a great place for swimming, fishing, and other water activities.

Things to Do in Bicton

Sports and Recreation

The Melville Water Polo Club and Bicton Swimming Club are at Bicton Pool. This pool overlooks the river. It started as a swimming spot in 1926. Two professional water polo teams play their home games here. These are the Fremantle Mariners (men's) and Fremantle Marlins (women's). The Tom Hoad Cup, an international water polo event, happens here every year. The Bicton Junior Cricket Club started around 1923. They play at Troy Park in Attadale. Sometimes, they play at Bicton Primary School.

Community Places

Bicton has three shopping areas. There is also a long row of shops along Canning Highway. Two churches are in Bicton: St. Christophers Anglican Church and Bicton Presbyterian Church. The Bicton Uniting Church is in nearby Palmyra. There are also three places for older people to live. The local Returned and Services League (RSL) is on Foss Street. The Leopold Hotel is an old building on Point Walter Road. It was listed as an important heritage site in 1999. Many other homes and places are also listed for their history.

A quarantine station used to be in Bicton. It opened in 1916 for ships arriving at Fremantle. It closed in 1983. Part of the land became homes. The rest became Quarantine Park. Its jetty is now used for fun.

Parks and Green Spaces

The City of Melville manages five public parks in Bicton. These include Bicton Quarantine Park and Fred Jones Reserve. There are also reserves at Bicton Baths and Blackwall Reach. Point Walter has an eight-hole golf course and tennis courts. Bicton also has playgrounds. You can find paths for biking and walking along the Swan River shores.

Education in Bicton

Bicton has one public primary school. It is called Bicton Primary School. It opened in 1904 on View Terrace. In 2011, about 410 students attended the school. This included kindergarten, pre-primary, and primary students. The school is used by the local community. It also helps host a yearly fair with other schools. Bicton Primary School is in the area for Melville Senior High School. It is also used as a place to vote in elections. In May 2005, a small tornado hit Bicton. It caused a lot of damage to the school. The school had to close for four weeks.

Getting Around Bicton

Roads and Buses

Canning Highway forms the southern border of Bicton. It connects Fremantle to Victoria Park. Other main roads include Petra Street and Stock Road. Preston Point Road runs through the suburb. Bicton has bus services from Fremantle station. These include routes 148 and 158. Buses also run along Canning Highway, like the 910 and 111. A special school bus, the 765, runs during school terms. All these buses are run by Swan Transit.

Old Tramway

An old tram line used to go to Point Walter. It ran from 1915 to 1939. This tram line helped make Point Walter a popular resort. When the trams arrived, so did electric lights. Soon, shops and restaurants opened. People enjoyed music from McNamara's Band and great views of the Swan River.

Photo gallery

• 

  Blackwall Reach cliffs viewed from Freshwater Bay, Claremont

• 

  Port Walter viewed from Freshwater Bay, Claremont

• 

  Point Walter viewed from Mosman Park

• 

  View from East Fremantle of Bicton's Blackwall Reach and Point Walter