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Hamilton Hill, Western Australia facts for kids

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Hamilton Hill
PerthWestern Australia
Hamilton hill wa gnangarra.JPG
Memorial Hall, built 1925, renovated and extended 2008
Postcode(s) 6163
Area 6.6 km2 (2.5 sq mi)
Location
  • 23 km (14 mi) SW of Perth City
  • 5 km (3 mi) S of Fremantle
LGA(s) City of Cockburn
State electorate(s) Fremantle, Willagee
Federal Division(s) Fremantle
Suburbs around Hamilton Hill:
South Fremantle Beaconsfield
Hilton
Samson
North Coogee Hamilton Hill Coolbellup
Spearwood Spearwood Bibra Lake
Newmarket hotel Hamilton hill gnangarra-11
The Newmarket Hotel, a local spot linked to horse racing.

Hamilton Hill is a suburb found in Perth, the main city of Western Australia. It's about 23 kilometers (14 miles) southwest of Perth's city center. This area is part of the City of Cockburn local government.

Exploring Hamilton Hill's Past

Hamilton Hill has a long history! The first known settler here was Sydney Smith. He worked for Captain George Robb, who arrived in Western Australia in 1830. Captain Robb bought land south of Fremantle.

Sydney Smith worked hard to set up Robb's farm. In a letter from August 1830, he wrote his address as Hamilton Hill. We don't know for sure who named the area, but the name has stuck ever since.

Early Settlers and Homes

In 1860, Charles Alexander Manning bought a large piece of Robb's land. Six years later, he built a big house called Davilak House for his son, Lucius Manning. This house had twelve rooms and was built with the help of convicts. The Manning family owned it until the late 1950s. Sadly, it burned down in 1960. After that, the Shire of Cockburn took over the land.

Another home was built in 1920 by Azelia Ley, who was Lucius Manning's oldest daughter. She married John Morgan Ley in 1900. After her husband passed away in 1927, Azelia continued to run the family farm. Her house became run-down after she died in 1954. However, the Historical Society of Cockburn restored it in 1983. Today, it's the Azelia Ley Homestead Museum. It shows many old items from the Cockburn area.

Around the year 1900, areas like Hamilton Hill and South Fremantle became places for farming and horse racing. Many market gardens grew fresh food, and horse stables were common.

Hamilton Hill's Location

Hamilton Hill is surrounded by several roads. To the west, you'll find Cockburn Road. Phoenix Road is to the south, and Stock Road is to the east. Jean Street and Winterfold Road mark the northern boundary.

Local Spots and Activities

Hamilton Hill has several important places for learning, fun, and culture.

Schools in Hamilton Hill

Hamilton Hill has a few primary schools for younger students. These include East Hamilton Hill Primary School, Phoenix Primary School, and Southwell Primary School. There is also Fremantle Christian College, which teaches both primary and secondary students.

In late 2017, the public Hamilton Senior High School closed. Now, Fremantle Christian College is the main secondary school in Hamilton Hill.

Fun and Recreation

Manning Reserve is a large park in the southwest part of Hamilton Hill. It covers about 900 acres (3.6 square kilometers). The reserve is named after the Manning family, who were very important in the area from 1859 onwards. It's a great place for outdoor activities.

Cultural and Historical Places

The Azelia Ley Homestead Museum is located inside Manning Reserve. This historic building was carefully restored in 1983 by the Cockburn Council and local residents. It helps people learn about the area's past.

Randwick Stable in Hamilton Hill is another important historical site. It's a working horse stable next to Clontarf Hill, another local landmark. The stables were built in the 1920s for Frederick Charles John "Jack" Marks. His family was well-known in the horse racing world.

Horse racing was a big part of how South Fremantle and Hamilton Hill grew. The very first horse races in the Swan River Colony happened at South Beach in 1833. Horse stables were a common sight in neighborhoods near South Beach. At the peak of the horse racing industry, it's believed that 400 horses were kept and trained in the area.

Randwick Stables includes several paddocks, a timber house, stables, a laundry, a stone well, and other buildings. Today, people still live there, and it continues to be a licensed stable for horses.

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