Preston Beach, Western Australia

Infobox Australian Place | type = town
name = Preston Beach
state = wa


caption =
lga = Shire of Waroona
postcode = 6215
pop = 183 (2006 Census) [Census 2006 AUS|id=SSC55366|name=Preston Beach (State Suburb)|accessdate=2008-10-05]
est = 1959
stategov = Murray-Wellington
fedgov = Forrest
dist1 = 134
location1= Perth
dist2 = 57
location2= Mandurah
dist3 = 33
location3= Waroonacoord|-32.877|115.658|type:city(183)_region:AU-WA_scale:50000|format=dms|display=title

Preston Beach is a small town located in the Peel region of Western Australia just off the Old Coast Road, between Mandurah and Bunbury in the Yalgorup National Park.

History

Explorers Dr Alexander Collie and Lieutenant William Preston RN first came across what are now Lakes Preston and Clifton while exploring the coastline between Mandurah and Bunbury in 1829. After the introduction of convicts to the Swan River Colony in the 1850s, the "Old Coast Road" south of Mandurah was rebuilt. For most of its length, the road went through well-timbered, sandy limestone country of little value to agriculture.

The "Preston Beach Estate" was privately developed in 1959, and together with the "Lakeside Estate", was incorporated as the locality Yalgorup by the request of the local government - the name meaning "place of waters or lakes" in the Noongar Aboriginal language. The townsite was gazetted in 1975. However in 1989, the name was changed to Preston Beach on request from the Shire of Waroona, as this was the local name for the town. [LandInfo WA|c|P|2007-04-17]

Present day

Preston Beach contains basic accommodation and facilities. A couple of roadhouses for passing trucks and motorists are located on Old Coast Road 4 km from the town.

Further to the State Government's announcement that the Peel Deviation (a continuation of the Kwinana Freeway) will terminate in the area, Waroona Shire Council is presently (2006) developing a strategy for development of areas to the north and south of the present townsite, which have been identified for urban expansion since the 1990s and secured by land developers. The strategy is expected to be completed in late 2007. [cite web|url=http://www.waroona.wa.gov.au/documents/pbmediarelease|title=Media Release - Planning for Preston Beach Commences|author=Shire of Waroona|date=20 April 2006|accessdate=2006-10-10]

The Yalgorup National Park was established in the 1970s to protect the coastal lakes, swamps and tuart woodland in the area. The area is also central to waterbird migration patterns. At the edge of Lake Clifton, rock-like structures called thrombolites can be seen, built by tiny microorganisms believed to resemble the earliest forms of life on Earth. Scientists have suggested their presence here may be due to upwellings of fresh groundwater high in calcium carbonate. An observation walkway has been constructed to allow visitors to view these fragile structures.cite web|url=http://www.naturebase.net/national_parks/previous_parks_month/yalgorup.html|title=Yalgorup National Park|author=Dept of Conservation and Environment|accessdate=2006-10-10]

Transport

The main road route through the area is the Old Coast Road (Highway 1; Mandurah to Bunbury), 4 km away, where Perth-Bunbury buses are operated by Transwa under the Public Transport Authority.

References