West Leederville, Western Australia

Infobox Australian Place | type = suburb
name = West Leederville
city = Perth
state = wa


caption =
lga = Town of Cambridge
postcode = 6007
est = 1890s
pop = 3,567 (2006) [Census 2006 AUS|id=SSC52511|name=West Leederville (State Suburb)|accessdate=2007-09-27]
area = 1.4
propval =
stategov = Nedlands
fedgov = Curtin
near-nw = Wembley
near-n = "Lake Monger"
near-ne = Leederville
near-w = Wembley
near-e = Leederville
near-sw = Subiaco
near-s = Subiaco
near-se = West Perth
dist1 = 3 | dir1 = NW
location1= Perthcoord|-31.938|115.832|type:city(3567)_region:AU-WA_scale:30000|format=dms|display=title

West Leederville is a suburb convert|3|km|mi|1|lk=on northwest of the central business district of Perth, the capital of Western Australia, and is located within the Town of Cambridge Local Government Areas of Western Australia. It used to be integrated with Leederville (now within the Town of Vincent) prior to the construction of Mitchell Freeway through the suburb in 1972.

The tiny section east of Southport Street is a commercial area with several warehouses, taking advantage of its location at the end of the Graham Farmer Freeway. The rest of the suburb is medium-density residential. The suburb backs onto Subiaco Oval, the home of football in Western Australia, and St John of God Hospital Subiaco. Many of the original residences still stand with most being renovated next to newer double storey dwellings, leafy streets with some properties gaining views of the city. Prestigious "Hill of Tara" subdivision is a newer subdvision with larger homes on bigger blocks with many affording view of Lake Monger.

It is served by bus services along Cambridge Street and the Leederville train station (Joondalup/Clarkson line) and West Leederville train station (Fremantle line).

History

West Leederville, though informally known by that name for many years, was officially gazetted as a suburb in 1998. [LandInfo WA|m|W|2007-09-27] [Gazetteer of Australia | name = West Leederville | id = 293604]

West Leederville is the earliest area of residential subdivision in the Town of Cambridge. It was originally formed from the sale and subdivision of the estate of William Leeder that occurred from 1891 onwards. Most of West Leederville's residential land was subdivided prior to 1903.

The Home of the Good Shepherd Convent (now the Catholic Education Centre) was established in 1903 by the Good Shepherd Sisters. [ [http://www.goodshepherd.com.au/story/history.html The Good Shepherd Story] ] [Citation
last =Byrne | first =Geraldine
publication-date =2002
year =2002
title =Built on a hilltop : a history of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd in Western Australia, 1902-2002
edition =1
volume =1
publication-place =Leederville, Western Australia
publisher =Sisters of the Good Shepherd
isbn =095818271X]

Most of West Leederville was well developed with houses before 1925.

Until the 1950s, a tram ran down Woolwich Street. With a one in fourteen gradient, Woolwich Street was one of the steepest tram lines in the city. [ [http://www.abc.net.au/perth/stories/s1418687.htm ABC Radio 720 'Last Tram Out of Perth' Wednesday, 20 July 2005] ]

Subdivision of the Hill of Tara occurred in the 1990s when land was released around the Catholic Education Centre in Ruislip Street. [ [http://www.cambridge.wa.gov.au/council_docs/tps/res_des_guide_precinct_statements_0203.pdf Town of Cambridge Residential Design Guidelines Precinct Statements February 2003] ]

Leederville Town Hall and Recreation Complex

The Leederville Town Hall & Recreation Complex is bounded by Holyrood Street, Tower Street and Cambridge Street. It forms a central focus of West Leederville. It is historically significant in the development of Leederville and the surrounding district, and was developed in response to the rapid expansion of the suburb prior to the First World War. It was designed by A. E. Clarke and built in 1916 by local builder, W. H. Roberts.

The Leederville Bowling Club was established to the rear of the Leederville Town Hall in 1906, and continues to operate both as a bowling club and a social venue. The bowling club was the first sporting facility established on the site and was developed in association with the Excelsior Masonic Lodge.

The Fallen Soldier’s Memorial was designed and executed in 1924 by Pietro Porcelli. [ cite web|url=http://register.heritage.wa.gov.au/PDF_Files/incoming/Leederville%20TH%20(P-AD).PDF |title=Register of Heritage Places - Leederville Town Hall and Recreation Complex |accessdate=2007-09-26 |date=2003-10-17 |publisher=Heritage Council of Western Australia ]

The Leederville Croquet Club operated on the site from 1908 until 2006. [http://www.geocities.com/croquetwest/History.htm]

In 2007 the West Leederville Residents Association began a community garden [http://garden.highway1.com.au] on an unused area of council land next to the bowling club.

External links

* [http://www.wlra.org.au/ West Leederville Residents Association]
* [http://garden.highway1.com.au/ West Leederville Community Garden]

References