Ellenbrook, Western Australia

Ellenbrook is approximately 17 kilometres (11 mi) from Guildford, 19 kilometres (12 mi) from Midland and 29 kilometres (18 mi) from the Perth CBD (via Beaufort Street and Tonkin Highway). Direct access to Tonkin Highway is nearby, with The Promenade interchange being the main access to Ellenbrook since the highway was extended northwards as part of the NorthLink WA road project in 2019. Alternatively, Tonkin Highway also has a junction with Gnangara Road, which links Ellenbrook with Wangara and the northern suburbs. West Swan Road, Drumpellier Drive (formerly Lord Street), and Reid Highway are also nearby. Bus services link Ellenbrook with Morley and Bassendean railway station. A journey to the Perth CBD by public transport takes approximately 60 minutes.[4] Before 2017, public transport was limited in the evenings and weekends, but in that year, Transperth introduced upgraded services, including an hourly evening connection to Bassendean railway station and thus the city.[5] In August 2017, a bus route was introduced which connected Ellenbrook to Whitfords railway station, via Gnangara Road.[6]

During the campaign for the 2008 Western Australian election, both major political parties committed to building a rail line. The 15 km line was expected to cost $850 million and be finished around 2015, with construction starting around 2012.[7] However, in May 2010, the premier Colin Barnett confirmed that his government would not be proceeding with the development.[8] Following the election of the McGowan Labor government in 2017, it was announced that the Ellenbrook railway would be constructed, with a projected opening date of 2022. Ellenbrook railway station is planned to be constructed as the terminus of the line on The Parkway in the Ellenbrook town centre.[9]

Ellenbrook takes its name from Ellen Brook, a tributary of the Swan, with the brook being named for Ellen Stirling, the wife of Captain James Stirling, Western Australia's first governor.[10]

The developer is the Ellenbrook Joint Venture — a partnership between the Department of Housing and Works and Morella Pty Ltd.[11]

The Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) produced a fact sheet[11] providing details about the development:

• The sites were acquired by the respective owners in the 1980s as rural land. They had commenced informal rezoning discussions by 1989.
• Given the challenges associated with rezoning and servicing, the owners formed the joint venture in November 1991 (ie the need for critical mass was recognised).
• The environmental approval involved a Public Environmental Review (PER) process.
• The site was rezoned to Urban Deferred in December 1992 and to urban in December 1993.
• Given its location adjacent to the Gnangara Water Mound, the Swan Valley and its distance from existing services, the rezoning was extremely challenging.
• Structure planning occurred in detail during 1993, to facilitate receipt of planning approval in 1994.
• The scale of the project demanded extensive consultation with all service providers, the local community groups and significant market research.
• The Environmental approvals, including drainage and nutrient management, together with provision of water and sewer services, represented the major challenges.
• Over $2m was expended by the owners in meeting the requirements of the rezoning process.
• Approximately 300 ha (740 acres) of land (25% of the site) was set aside for conservation.

Ellenbrook is a planned community, and is being developed in phases called "villages". The first, Woodlake Village, was built on the site of a former sand quarry.[11] The lowest point of the open-cut mine became the central lake and feature parkland, and the high points of the mine were set aside for the area now known as Woodlake Rise. Construction commenced in 1994, with the first home completed in 1995. Subsequent villages are The Bridges, Coolamon, Morgan Fields, Charlotte's Vineyard, Malvern Springs, Lexia and Annie's Landing.

The development of the town centre is well established, with 33,000 m² (360,000 sq ft) of shopping centre including major retailers, Coles, Woolworths, Big W and a Kmart currently being built, with around 100 speciality stores. It contains the largest Woolworths in the state.[12] The town centre is being developed in four phases with stage 3 currently underway. It has already attracted major big box retailer Bunnings.

The villages and shops are linked and intertwined by a series of pathways and cyclepaths and there is a high standard of landscaping throughout.

Some existing woodlands and wetlands, including conservation category wetlands, have been incorporated into public open space in the villages of Charlotte’s Vineyard and Malvern Springs. The neighbouring Gnangara pine plantation, west of The Bridges, includes walks and picnic facilities accessible directly from Ellenbrook.

Over 300 hectares to the south of Ellenbrook were ceded for conservation prior to the commencement of the development, and are now protected under Perth's metropolitan Bush Forever strategy.

The lake at the Edgecombe Brothers Estate, next to the suburb, is home to one of the last remaining wild populations of the critically endangered western swamp tortoise.[13]

Ellenbrook and its surrounding area contain a number of primary and secondary schools, both public and private.

Primary schools in the area include:

• Arbor Grove Primary School[14] - state primary school located in Charlotte's Vineyard
• Ellen Stirling Primary School[15] - state primary school located in Coolamon
• Ellenbrook Christian College - a private kindergarten to year 12 school located in The Bridges
• Ellenbrook Primary School[16] - state primary school located in Woodlake
• Malvern Springs Primary School[17] - state primary school located in the village of Malvern Springs
• St. Helena's Catholic Primary School[18] - Catholic primary school located in Woodlake
• Swan Valley Anglican Community School - kindergarten to year 12 Anglican school located in nearby Aveley
• Aveley Primary School[19] - state primary school in nearby Aveley
• Aveley North Primary School

High schools in the area include:

• Ellenbrook Christian College - private school that caters for students from Kindergarten to year 12.
• Ellenbrook Secondary College[20] - public school serving years 7 to 12.
• Holy Cross College[21] - Catholic high school which in as of now is catering for students from Years Pre-K through to 12
• Swan Valley Anglican Community School - An Anglican school located in the neighboring suburb of Aveley, serving students from Kindergarten to year 12.
• Aveley Secondary College[22] - public school located in the North West of Ellenbrook, opened in 2018, serving students in Year 7 to Year 9 as of 2020.

Ellenbrook Community Library,[23] operated by the City of Swan, is colocated within Ellenbrook Secondary College and Performing Arts Centre.

There are four ovals (playing fields) in Ellenbrook. The main ovals at Coolamon Oval and Ellenbrook District Open Space (EDOS) have clubroom and changing facilities and are the home of the Ellenbrook Eels Senior Football Club, the Ellenbrook Dockers Junior Football club (Australian Rules) and the Ellenbrook Rangers.[24]

Other sporting facilities include:

• Dual-purpose tennis/basketball courts at Woodlake Park and Coolamon Oval
• Cricket nets on Woodlake oval, Coolamon Oval and EDOS
• A skatepark at Woodlake oval
• Tennis/netballcourts at Woodlake and Arbor Grove primary schools
• A skatepark/BMX facility adjacent to Coolamon oval[25]
• A large water park, aimed at younger children, completed in late 2009 and located next to the library and high school

The town is also home to a junior and senior soccer club, Ellenbrook United FC.

There is a private swimming pool/school operated by State Swim located adjacent to the library.

• Official Site
• UDIA Case Study
• Community Website
• Insurance Commission of WA (ICWA) - Details of Ellenbrook Restrictive Covenant
• ICWA Retail Masterplan (The Shops development plan)
• Land Developer
• Ellenbrook Suburb Profile from Link House and Land.