West Coast Highway
Encyclopedia
West Coast Highway is a major arterial coastal road located in the western and inner northern suburb
s of Perth
, Western Australia
, commencing slightly inland in Swanbourne
and heading north via the SAS
Campbell Barracks
and rifle range to City Beach
, Scarborough
and Trigg
, terminating at the intersection of Karrinyup Road and Marmion Avenue
, at which point it becomes Marmion Avenue. It is allocated State Route 71 and also Tourist Drive 204 in various coastal parts. It links the northern coastal suburbs of Perth with the city of Fremantle
. The speed limit is 80 km/h, reduced to 60–70 km/h in residential areas. It is a dual carriageway for most of its length.
in the 1940s. Prior to this time, the only access to settlements such as North Beach and Mullaloo
had been by gravel road from Wanneroo Road
. In the late 1960s, it was significantly upgraded and extended to Mullaloo Beach.
In the mid 1970s, the section through City Beach was redesigned, seeing the former Challenger Drive (inland) and West Coast Highway (coastal) trading names and the new highway being dualled as far north as Scarborough. The southernmost section running through Swanbourne was renamed Rochdale Road. In 1984, the highway was extended north to Ocean Reef Road.
By this stage, Marmion Avenue
had supplanted the highway as the major road servicing the new northern suburbs, and suburban Swanbourne was struggling to cope with the through-traffic. In 1985-86, immediately preceding the designation of the State Route system, the highway immediately north of Scarborough was diverted inland along its present route to join Marmion Avenue at Karrinyup Road, and the highway south of City Beach was rerouted into Servetus Street, Swanbourne.
The northern two-thirds of the highway was divided up and renamed:
Apart from the section in Scarborough, all of these sections were continuous.
By 2000, Servetus Street had become as much of a bottleneck as Rochdale Road had prior to 1985. A new extension to West Coast Highway, cut into the ground to reduce noise for local residents, was completed immediately next to Servetus Street, which was reduced to a local road. Curtin Avenue (leading to Fremantle) was also upgraded.
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
s of Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, commencing slightly inland in Swanbourne
Swanbourne, Western Australia
-Facilities:Swanbourne includes the 18-hole Cottesloe Golf Club and Swanbourne Beach. Swanbourne is also well-known for having the only nudist beach in Perth. The beach, situated on army land and thus not subject to local council authority, is immediately north of the officially named Swanbourne...
and heading north via the SAS
Australian Special Air Service Regiment
The Special Air Service Regiment, officially abbreviated SASR but commonly known as the SAS, is a special forces unit of the Australian Army...
Campbell Barracks
Campbell Barracks (Australia)
Campbell Barracks is an Australian Army base located in Swanbourne, a coastal suburb of Perth, Western Australia. The Australian Special Air Service Regiment has been based at Campbell Barracks since the Regiment was first established as an independent company in 1957...
and rifle range to City Beach
City Beach, Western Australia
City Beach is a beachside suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the Town of Cambridge. Its postcode is 6015. The term "City Beach" is also used to describe a specific beach located within the suburb of the same name....
, Scarborough
Scarborough, Western Australia
Scarborough is a coastal suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located approximately 14 km northwest of the city centre in the local government area of the City of Stirling...
and Trigg
Trigg, Western Australia
Trigg is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stirling. Trigg is also the name of a small island off the coast of the suburb of Trigg....
, terminating at the intersection of Karrinyup Road and Marmion Avenue
Marmion Avenue
Marmion Avenue is a major arterial road in Perth, Western Australia, designated State Route 71.It runs through the northern coastal suburbs of Perth from the end of West Coast Highway in Trigg and Karrinyup, to the outer northern suburb of Yanchep...
, at which point it becomes Marmion Avenue. It is allocated State Route 71 and also Tourist Drive 204 in various coastal parts. It links the northern coastal suburbs of Perth with the city of Fremantle
Fremantle
Freemantle is a suburb of Southampton in England.Fremantle or Freemantle may also refer to:- Places :* Fremantle, the port city to the capital Perth, Western Australia...
. The speed limit is 80 km/h, reduced to 60–70 km/h in residential areas. It is a dual carriageway for most of its length.
History
The highway began life as a minor coastal road (called Coast Road) between Swanbourne and North BeachNorth Beach, Western Australia
North Beach is a northern coastal suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, and is located from Perth's central business district via Mitchell Freeway and Reid Highway. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stirling.-History:...
in the 1940s. Prior to this time, the only access to settlements such as North Beach and Mullaloo
Mullaloo, Western Australia
Mullaloo is a northern coastal suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Joondalup.-History:Mullaloo is named after an Aboriginal word, believed to mean "place of the rat kangaroo". It was first recorded in 1919 as Moolalloo Point, but the spelling was later changed to Mullaloo...
had been by gravel road from Wanneroo Road
Wanneroo Road
Wanneroo Road is an important arterial road in Perth, Australia. It is about 75 kilometres long. It links Perth with the City of Wanneroo, and the Towns of Yanchep and Lancelin...
. In the late 1960s, it was significantly upgraded and extended to Mullaloo Beach.
In the mid 1970s, the section through City Beach was redesigned, seeing the former Challenger Drive (inland) and West Coast Highway (coastal) trading names and the new highway being dualled as far north as Scarborough. The southernmost section running through Swanbourne was renamed Rochdale Road. In 1984, the highway was extended north to Ocean Reef Road.
By this stage, Marmion Avenue
Marmion Avenue
Marmion Avenue is a major arterial road in Perth, Western Australia, designated State Route 71.It runs through the northern coastal suburbs of Perth from the end of West Coast Highway in Trigg and Karrinyup, to the outer northern suburb of Yanchep...
had supplanted the highway as the major road servicing the new northern suburbs, and suburban Swanbourne was struggling to cope with the through-traffic. In 1985-86, immediately preceding the designation of the State Route system, the highway immediately north of Scarborough was diverted inland along its present route to join Marmion Avenue at Karrinyup Road, and the highway south of City Beach was rerouted into Servetus Street, Swanbourne.
The northern two-thirds of the highway was divided up and renamed:
- West Coast Drive from TriggTrigg, Western AustraliaTrigg is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stirling. Trigg is also the name of a small island off the coast of the suburb of Trigg....
to Hepburn Avenue and Hillarys Boat HarbourHillarys Boat HarbourHillarys Boat Harbour is a marina and tourist precinct located in Hillarys, north of Perth, Western Australia and on the Indian Ocean.Hillarys Boat Harbour was the first such major marina in the north metropolitan region of Perth. Construction of the new Harbour commenced in September 1985...
; - Whitfords Avenue to Whitfords Avenue (east-west);
- Northshore Drive to Mullaloo Drive; and
- Oceanside Promenade to Ocean Reef Road.
Apart from the section in Scarborough, all of these sections were continuous.
By 2000, Servetus Street had become as much of a bottleneck as Rochdale Road had prior to 1985. A new extension to West Coast Highway, cut into the ground to reduce noise for local residents, was completed immediately next to Servetus Street, which was reduced to a local road. Curtin Avenue (leading to Fremantle) was also upgraded.