Willetton, Western Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Willetton Perth, Western Australia
"The Vale", a business premises on Collins Road, Willetton
Established	1970s
Postcode(s)	6155
Area	8.6 km2 (3.3 sq mi)
Location	12 km (7 mi) from Perth City
LGA(s)	City of Canning
State electorate(s)	Riverton
Federal Division(s)	Tangney
Suburbs around Willetton: Rossmoyne Riverton Ferndale Bull Creek Willetton Parkwood Leeming Leeming Canning Vale

Willetton is a big suburb located south of Perth, Western Australia. It's part of the City of Canning, which is like its local council.

Discover Willetton: A Perth Suburb

How Willetton Got Its Name

The name Willetton comes from Henry Willett. He was a person who received land in the area back in June 1832. This land was roughly where the suburbs of Lynwood and Parkwood are today.

In 1964, the local council, then called the Shire of Canning, suggested names for new areas. They thought of "Burtsdale" for Willetton and "Willetton" for Lynwood/Parkwood. "Burtsdale" was meant to honor Septimus Burt, who bought land there in 1882.

However, in 1965, developers wanted to call Lynwood "Clovercrest Estate." They eventually agreed to "Lynwood." So, the name Willetton was moved to its current location and officially recognized in December 1965.

Growing Over Time

The first part of Willetton was developed in the early 1970s. It was known as "Burrendah Heights." You can still see this name in places like Burrendah Boulevard and Burrendah Primary School.

Later, in the 1980s, the eastern part of Willetton was built. This area was unofficially called "Rostrata," which is where Rostrata Primary School gets its name. Most of the homes and local services in Willetton were finished by the 1990s.

Where is Willetton Located?

Looking west over the lake in Prendwick Park

Willetton is about 12 kilometers (about 7.5 miles) south of the main city area of Perth. It's built on a flat, sandy area that used to have lots of native trees like Banksia and paperbark. There were also some shallow swamps that would fill with water during certain seasons.

The suburb has clear boundaries:

• Karel Avenue is to the west.
• Leach Highway and High Road are to the north.
• Willeri Drive is to the east.
• South Street and Roe Highway are to the south.
• Vahland Avenue runs right through the middle of the suburb, from north to south.

In 2001, a census showed that Willetton had 17,571 people living in about 6,300 homes. Most of these homes were detached houses. The census also found that nearly 20% of the people in Willetton had family origins from East, Southeast, or South Asia. Many residents worked in retail, business services, education, or health care.

What Can You Do in Willetton?

Willetton has many useful places and fun things to do:

• Southlands Boulevarde: This is a shopping center with two levels. It has supermarkets, Hoyts cinemas (where you can watch movies!), and a food court for snacks and meals.
• Willetton Sports and Community Centre: Right across from the shopping center, this place is great for sports and community events.
• Industrial Area: Near Leach Highway, there's an area with businesses like Bunnings (a hardware store), pool shops, and various trade services.
• Local Shops: There are also three smaller shopping centers in different parts of the suburb for everyday needs.

Right next to Willetton, on High Road, is the Riverton Leisureplex. This is a big center with lots of facilities for sports, fitness, and recreation. It opened in 2001 and is run by the City of Canning. It also has the council's largest library. The Willetton Library is conveniently located near Southlands Boulevarde.

Schools in Willetton

Willetton has several primary schools:

• Castlereagh Primary School
• Burrendah Primary School
• Willetton Primary School
• Rostrata Primary School
• Orana Catholic Primary School

There is also Woodthorpe School and Willetton Senior High School. Willetton Senior High School is one of the biggest public high schools in Western Australia, with over 2,700 students.

Getting Around Willetton

Willetton is well-connected by major roads. Two important east-west roads are:

• Leach Highway: This road goes west to the Bull Creek railway station, the Kwinana Freeway (which leads to Perth's city center), and Fremantle. East, it goes to Cannington and Perth Airport.
• South Street: This road goes west to Murdoch railway station, Murdoch University, and Fremantle. East, it goes to Canning Vale and Armadale.

Roe Highway is on the edge of the suburb to the southeast. Other important roads that run north-south include Karel Avenue (which goes to Jandakot Airport), Vahland Avenue, and Willeri Drive.

Willetton also has the Southlands bus station. From here, the CircleRoute bus can take you to Murdoch railway station, Murdoch University, and Curtin University. Other bus routes go to Cannington. All these bus services are run by the Public Transport Authority.

Bus Routes in Willetton

Here are some of the bus routes that serve Willetton:

•        Route 75: Travels from Canning Vale to Elizabeth Quay Bus Station, using Willeri Drive.
•        Route 179: Goes from Bull Creek Station to Elizabeth Quay Bus Station, along Leach Highway and High Road.
•        Route 506: Connects Bull Creek Station to Parkwood, serving Burrendah Boulevard, Vahland Avenue, and Collins Road.
•        Route 507: Runs from Bull Creek Station to Cannington Station, using Burrendah Boulevard, Vahland Avenue, Collins Road, Rostrata Avenue, and Killara Drive.
•        Route 508: Goes from Bull Creek Station to Cannington Station, along Karel Avenue, Apsley Road, Vahland Avenue, and High Road.
•        Route 509: Connects Bull Creek Station to Cannington Station, using Leach Highway and High Road.
•        Route 516: Travels from Southlands Boulevarde Shopping Centre to Murdoch Station, serving Burrendah Boulevard, Pinetree Gully Avenue, and South Street.
•        Route 998 (CircleRoute clockwise): Goes from Fremantle Station back to Fremantle Station, with limited stops. It serves Vahland Avenue, Burrendah Boulevard, and Karel Avenue.
•        Route 999 (CircleRoute anti-clockwise): Also from Fremantle Station back to Fremantle Station, with limited stops. It serves Karel Avenue, Burrendah Boulevard, and Vahland Avenue.

Bus Routes Serving South Street

Several bus routes also use South Street:

•        Routes 204 and 205: From Murdoch University to Maddington Station.
•        Route 206: From Murdoch University to Cannington Station.
•        Route 207: From Murdoch University to Thornlie Station.
•        Route 208: From Murdoch Station to Cannington Station.
•        Route 517: From Murdoch TAFE to Thornlie Station.
•        Route 518: From Murdoch TAFE to Cockburn Central Station.
•        Route 519: From Murdoch TAFE to Armadale Station.