Applecross, Western Australia

Name and early history

The suburb of Applecross takes its name from the Applecross peninsula in Wester Ross, Highland, on the northwest coast of Scotland. Many of the streets in the suburb have names from the area, including Carron, Gairloch, Ullapool, Kintail, Strome, Ardross, Alness, Kishorn, Glenelg, Duncraig, Dunvegan, Killian and Roskhill.

The suburb of Applecross was originally assigned to Lionel Lukin on 28 May 1830. The land was finally acquired by Alexander Matheson, second son of Sir Alexander Matheson, 1st Baronet of Lochalsh, in February 1896. Matheson formed the Western Australian Investment Company Limited and instigated and named the subdivision of the area.

Matheson developed the waterfront land as gentlemen's residences. He operated a ferry service to bring day-trippers to the area from Perth for picnics, tennis and sailing. The difficulty in finding reliable water stymied further development, and Matheson sold the land to the London and Australian Investment Company around 1903.

In 1925, Thomas Burke stopped at Fremantle on his return from England. He was persuaded to view the Applecross land held by the London and Australian Investment Company. Burke quickly realised the potential of the undeveloped land as an affordable, long-term investment for working Australians. He purchased 2200 acres between the Swan River (Western Australia) and along the Perth-Fremantle Road (the precursor to Canning Highway) from Canning Bridge, Applecross, and towards Point Walter.

For the next ten years, Burke bundled the land as 0.25 acre blocks and sold them in estates: Applecross Estate, Kintail Road Estate, Canningview Estate, Ardross Park Estate, Wireless Station Estate, Rivermount Estate, Radio Park Estate, Melville Park Estate, and Lucky Bay View Estate. Some buyers built on their block. Others took Burke's advice and gambled it would increase in value significantly with the forthcoming establishment of better road connections with Perth via Canning Bridge. By 1960, the year after the opening of the Narrows Bridge (Perth), a block in the Kintail Road Estate purchased for £A45 in 1940, equivalent to in , returned £A1,750, equivalent to in .

A distinguishing feature of the suburb are the jacaranda trees that line its streets and flower in the late spring. Planting of these and other exotic trees along the streets began in 1935. In keeping with this theme, Applecross is home to an annual Jacaranda festival in late November.

World War II

In 1940, the suburb was the location of a "Patriotic Grand Prix", a once only usage of the streets of the suburb for a car race known at the time as a Round-the-houses race.

Landmarks

A number of well known landmarks and facilities are in Applecross. These include:

• Raffles complex
• South of Perth Yacht Club
• The former Heathcote Hospital
• Waylen Bay
• Canning Bridge

Notable residents

• Joel Creasey, comedian
• Adele Horin (1951–2015), journalist
• Glen Jakovich, West Coast Eagles footballer
• Josephine Langford, actress
• Katherine Langford, actress
• Heath Ledger (1979–2008), actor
• Shaun Marsh, cricketer
• Pogo, electronic musician

Transport

Bus

• 148 Como to Fremantle Station – serves Kintail Road, Matheson Road, Riseley Street and Canning Highway
• 158 Elizabeth Quay Bus Station to Fremantle Station – serves Kintail Road, Matheson Road, Riseley Street and Canning Highway

Bus routes serving Canning Highway:

• 111 and 160 WACA Ground to Fremantle Station
• 114 Elizabeth Quay Bus Station to Lake Coogee
• 115 Elizabeth Quay Bus Station to Hamilton Hill Memorial Hall
• 910 Perth Busport to Fremantle Station (high frequency)

Photos of the suburb

|Image:Kings Park and Perth CBD, taken from Applecross, April 2006.JPG |Views from old Heathcote Hospital site

|Image:Old Majestic Hotel site, Applecross, Western Australia, April 2006.JPG |The old Majestic Hotel site

|Image:Waylen bay heathcote.jpg |Waylen Bay Near The Strand

|Image:South of Perth Yacht Club, April 2006.JPG |South of Perth Yacht Club

|File:2023-05-08-Applecross-Canning-River-foreshore-02.jpg |Yacht club pier from Canning Beach Road

|Image:Applecross, Western Australia.jpg |Raffles Hotel and apartment complex

|Image:Applecross-Jetty.jpg |The view of Perth CBD across the Swan River from the Applecross fishing jetty

|Image:Raffles 003.jpg ||The art-deco Raffles Hotel

Notes

References

References

1. Reid, Anne. (2007-11-06). "Suburb and street history".
2. (1926-01-23). "Property Sales: Sale of Melville Park". [[The West Australian]].
3. Uren, Malcolm. (1975). "The City of Melville: from bushland to expanding metropolis". City of Melville.
4. (22 October 1937). "Melville Tree Planting". West Australian.
5. (2006). "Patriotic road racers : the Patriotic Grand Prix : 11 November 1940 : Applecross WA". Fremantle Motor Museum in association with the Vintage Sports Car Club of WA.
6. (19 October 1940). "PATRIOTIC GRAND PRIX AT APPLECROSS.". [[The Mirror (Western Australia).
7. (4 November 1940). "MOTOR RACING.". [[The West Australian]].
8. (1995). "Fast Tracks - Australia's Motor Racing Circuits 1904-1995". Turton & Armstrong.
9. "Applecross".
10. {{Cite Transperth bus. 148
11. {{Cite Transperth bus. 158
12. {{Cite Transperth bus. 111
13. {{Cite Transperth bus. 160
14. {{Cite Transperth bus. 114
15. {{Cite Transperth bus. 115
16. {{Cite Transperth bus. 910