Spearwood, Western Australia

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


caption =
lga = City of Cockburn
area =
postcode = 6163
pop = 8940 (2006 census)Census 2006 AUS|id=SSC52336|name=Spearwood (State Suburb)|quick=on|accessdate=2008-10-05]
dist1 = 18 | dir1 = S |location1 = Perth
est =
fedgov = Fremantle
stategov = Cockburn
near-nw = North Coogee
near-n = Hamilton Hill
near-ne = Coolbellup
near-w = Coogee
near-e = Bibra Lake
near-sw = Coogee
near-s = Munster
near-se = Yangebupcoord|-32.106|115.783|type:city(8940)_region:AU-WA_scale:30000|format=dms|display=title

Spearwood is a southern suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Cockburn. It was named by colonial settlers who noticed the native tea trees, scientific name "Melaleuca Lancialata Chipolata", being used for spears by the Yugul Aboriginal people.

History

Settlement appears to have begun in Spearwood in the 1850s when Alfred Hooker took up Cockburn Sound Location 97, although several adjoining blocks were taken up during the same period by Charles Manning ["Cockburn: The Making of a Community" Michael Berson, 1978, Town of Cockburn, ISBN 9596533-0-9] . When the area was subdivided by real estate entrepreneur James Morrison in 1897 he used the name "Spearwood Gardens Estate", the first time the name was used. The Spearwood area soon became one of Perth's major market gardening areas [LandInfo WA|m|S|2007-10-12] .

Geography

It is bounded by Phoenix Road to the north, Stock Road to the east, Barrington Street and Troode Street to the south and Hamilton Road to the west [Streetsmart WA|maps=Maps 460-461] .

A well-known and aesthetically pleasing street in Spearwood is Edeline Street, where businesses and residential housing are located. The houses on the street were built in the late 1800s, and many retain the character and style of the period. The street is named after Lady Edeline, wife of prominent politician Gerald Strickland, and is listed in Lonely Planet guide for the state.

Phoenix Road was named by John Healy after Phoenix Park Dublin, where the British Chief Secretary for Ireland was assassinated by Fenians in 1882, although an alternative suggestion is that it was named by Steve Dobra, the first settler on Phoenix Road, who worked in Phoenix, Arizona before coming to Western Australia in 1912. Barrington Street is named after Barrington C. Wood, the first Mayor of Fremantle (1883-1885). Troode Street is named after Edward Thomas Troode, the original owner of the "Woodlands" Estate from 1860 ["Cockburn: The Making of a Community" Michael Berson, 1978, Town of Cockburn, ISBN 9596533-0-9] .

Facilities

Commercial

The main shopping area is "Phoenix Shopping Centre", a thriving commercial centre located along Rockingham Road, with a smaller centre, "Stargate Spearwood" located further south, also on Rockingham Road.

Cultural

The City of Cockburn's main administrative offices and library are located on Coleville Crescent immediately to the south of the Phoenix Shopping Centre.

Educational

There are three primary schools located within the suburb: Spearwood Primary School, Newton Primary School and Spearwood Alternative School.

Recreational

Dalmatinac Park is home to the Spearwood Dalmatinac Amateur Soccer Club.

Watsons Oval is home to the Southern Spirit Soccer Club. [ [http://www.cockburn.wa.gov.au/documents/CommunityServices/Youth/Club_Sport_Register.pdf City of Cockburn Club Sports Register] ]

Beale Park is home to Cockburn City Soccer Club which plays in the Premier league of the State's Football (Soccer) Association.

Beale Park is also home to the Cockburn City Teeball & Baseball Club.

References