City of Stirling - North Beach

Image of soccer players at Richard Guelfi Reserve

The local community describes North Beach as a lovely, peaceful and friendly neighbourhood. To better understand what is means to be ‘a local’ our suburb profile seeks to understand the local stories Koora (past), Yeyi (present), Boordawan (future) and respond to Ngalang Maya (our place). This snapshot identifies the unique character of North Beach’s neighbourhood and helps the City rethink how we deliver services with a local focus.

North Beach was the former location of the famous Castle Hotel. It has a diverse range of housing types including old holiday dwellings, former workers' houses, modern dwellings and character houses.

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The name 'North Beach' was first given to the locality in 1888 when surveyor Charles Crossland referred to the pastoral leases of Samuel Richard Hamersley as his "north beach coastal run". It was not until 1954 however, that the name was formally approved.

Edward Hamersley settled in the North Beach area in 1837 and built a home known as 'The Castle' on the site of the former Castle Hotel. Edward Hamersley died in 1874 and the land was passed on to his son Samuel.

During the gold rush era, North Beach became a quarantine station for camels entering the country for service in the goldfields. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s the area became a holiday destination for the people of Perth. As a result many coastal shacks and holiday houses were built in North Beach, some of which are still there today.

In the late 1950s and early 1960s North Beach developed into a residential suburb and the town site was gazetted in 1964.

Anzac Day

The North Beach RSL Sub-Branch dawn service
Scarborough RSL Sub-Branch commemorative service.

Street gatherings

Chrismas parties
Halloween
Neighbourhood BBQs
Street parties.

Local community garden

Coastal Community Garden.

Local sporting clubs

Local schools

These are the top local priorities you've told us about what's important for North Beach:

Underground power - "Underground power."
Cycleways - "A dedicated cycle path along WCD. I don't cycle but it is a fabulous healthy activity & we need to make it safe for all ages."
Public amenities - "Beach facilities need upgrade, including change rooms."
Road and traffic management - "Perhaps better policing hoon bikers and drivers."
Pedestrian Crossings - "Pedestrian crossings along west coast drive."

The City has created Locally-led Stirling to drive deeper connection at a local suburb level to listen and respond with a local focus. At the heart of this Locally-led approach is an understanding that local people know what they need and a vision for everyone to get involved in shaping what it means to be “a local”.

We want to bring neighbours together, invest in local stories and inspire opportunities to work together. To find out more about Locally-led Stirling, visit Shaping our City. If you're looking for ways to get involved in your local area, please contact one of the City’s Local Engagement Officers by emailing getinvolved@stirling.wa.gov.au.

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Top five birthplaces

Australia (69%) England (9%) New Zealand (2%) South Africa (2%) Scotland (1%)

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There is a diverse range of housing types within North Beach, including holiday dwellings from before and after World War II, as well as some former workers' houses. There are also many modern dwellings throughout the suburb. There are still some of the older character houses, which were generally constructed of fibro and timber, while the newer developments are predominantly brick.

Single detached dwellings dominate housing within North Beach, although there is an increasing number of unit and duplex developments in the suburb. The average lot size is around 900 m², and block sizes can range between 530 m² and 1100 m².

The major shopping centre in North Beach is West Coast Plaza, located on the corner of West Coast Drive and North Beach Road. There are also smaller centres to serve local residents scattered throughout the suburb.

North Beach is well provided with 21ha of public open space and parks, including Star Swamp Bushland Reserve and Charles Riley Memorial Reserve. Charles Riley Memorial Reserve contains tennis courts and a bowling club, as well as a recreation centre. The suburb has an extensive length of beachfront, which also serves recreational needs.

Star Swamp Bushland Reserve

Star Swamp is a significant North Beach landmark. Named by Charles Crossland during a coastal survey in 1869, the Star Swamp Bushland Reserve was declared an A-Class reserve by the State Government in 1987 and covers an area of about 96 hectares. It is also home to the City's Henderson Environmental Centre. The reserve contains a rich diversity of flora and fauna of both local and regional significance and has areas of historical importance. Check out Destination WA's episode on Star Swamp here.