Butler, Western Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Butler Perth, Western Australia
Brampton Park, Butler
Established	2003
Postcode(s)	6036
Area	5 km2 (1.9 sq mi)
Location	41 km (25 mi) NNW of Perth CBD
LGA(s)	City of Wanneroo
State electorate(s)	Butler
Federal Division(s)	Pearce
Suburbs around Butler: Alkimos Alkimos Nowergup Jindalee Butler Nowergup Quinns Rocks Merriwa Ridgewood Nowergup

Butler is a lively suburb located about 41 kilometers north of Perth, Western Australia. It is part of the City of Wanneroo local government area. Most of Butler is actually a big community called the Brighton Estate. This estate is a large area with homes and businesses, built by a company called Satterley.

Where is Butler Located?

Butler is on the western coast of Australia. To its west are the suburbs of Jindalee and Quinns Rocks. Merriwa and Ridgewood are to the south. To the north, you'll find Alkimos.

The Mitchell Freeway is on Butler's eastern side. This freeway separates Butler from a more rural area called Nowergup. The beautiful Indian Ocean is also just 2 kilometers west of Butler.

The Story of Butler

How Did Butler Get Its Name?

The name "Butler" was chosen in 1979. It honors John Butler, who was the first explorer to record visiting the Wanneroo and Lake Joondalup areas in 1834.

You might also hear the name "Brighton" when people talk about Butler. This is because the company Satterley marketed the area as the "Brighton Estate." Many shops and places in Butler also use the "Brighton" name. This has sometimes caused confusion for people living there or visiting. Residents even asked to change the suburb's name to Brighton in 2003. However, this request was turned down. There are many other places in Australia named Brighton, and the name didn't have a special history for the area.

How Butler Grew

Even though Butler was officially named in 1979, it was mostly undeveloped bushland for many years. There were no major roads or buildings. In 2002, a plan was approved to start building in the area. Development began in 2003, led by Satterley.

The Brighton Estate plan covers all of Butler. It also reaches into nearby suburbs like Ridgewood, Jindalee, and Alkimos. Within Butler, there are four smaller communities: "The Dunes," "The Green," "Seahaven," and "Junctions North." A lot of money was spent to create these areas. This included building parks, roads, and community facilities. The Brighton Village Shopping Centre on Marmion Avenue was also part of this development.

Who Lives in Butler?

Butler has grown a lot! In 2006, about 5,056 people lived there. This was a huge jump from just five years earlier. The population kept growing fast, reaching over 13,000 people by 2016.

Many people in Butler were born in Australia. However, a good number, about 25%, were born in the United Kingdom. The average age of people in Butler is 28. This is quite young compared to the average age across Australia, which is 37. Families in Butler also tend to have higher incomes than the national average.

Things to Do and See in Butler

Kingsbridge Park, Butler

Butler was planned to be an important "district center." This means it's a place for shops, businesses, and public services. It supports the bigger town centers of Clarkson and Alkimos.

Kingsbridge Boulevard is a main road in Butler. Along this road, you'll find many shops, banks, and public services. There's also a large Coles supermarket. The Cornerstone Tavern, a pub opened in 2010, offers entertainment for the area. Most of Butler's shops and services are on the western side, near Marmion Avenue. The eastern part of Butler is mostly homes.

Butler also has several parks. A long strip of parkland runs along Kingsbridge Boulevard. The Butler Community Centre is located in the southern part of the suburb.

Learning in Butler

Butler has several schools for students. There are three state primary schools for younger kids: Butler Primary School, East Butler Primary School, and John Butler Primary College. For high school students, there is Butler College.

Families also have the choice of private schools. Brighton Catholic Primary School teaches students from Kindergarten to Year 7. The larger Irene McCormack Catholic College is for students in Years 7 to 12.

Getting Around Butler

The Mitchell Freeway is on the eastern edge of Butler. You can get onto the freeway from Butler Boulevard. On the western side, Marmion Avenue connects Butler to northern suburbs like Yanchep. Connolly Drive also ends in Butler and runs parallel to Marmion Avenue. It connects to nearby suburbs like Clarkson, Kinross, and Currambine.

Public Transport

The Butler railway station opened in 2014. It is on the Joondalup line and is currently the last stop. This station connects Butler to Joondalup and then to Perth and Mandurah. Butler station also has many bus routes. Some of these buses travel south through Butler to Clarkson station.

Bus

•        483 Alkimos to Clarkson Station – serves Hollington Boulevard, Camborne Parkway, Mansfield Avenue, Butler Station, Butler Boulevard, Kingsbridge Boulevard, Shropshire Crescent, Bradman Drive and Lukin Drive
•        484 Alkimos to Clarkson Station – serves Benenden Avenue, Butler Boulevard, Butler Station, Landbeach Boulevard and Shepperton Drive

Bus routes serving Butler Boulevard and Marmion Avenue:

•        480 and 482 Butler Station to Clarkson Station
•        490 Butler Station to Two Rocks Shopping Centre
•        491 Butler Station to Yanchep

Rail

•        Joondalup Line
  • Butler Station