Morley, Western Australia

History

The Morley area was in the early days of the Swan River Colony developed with agriculture. The area was originally known as Morley Park. In 1929 a landowner progress association petitioned the Bayswater Road Board for improved roads and lighting for improved transport of produce to markets.

Commercial icons appeared in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including the Wirrina Drive-In, the Morley Park Hotel and the Boans department store. Parallel with the commercial growth, a settlement program resulted in the residential development of Morley. This was achieved through a series of town planning schemes undertaken by Margaret Feilman, the consultant town planner to the Shire of Bayswater. These schemes especially catered to the needs of the home building companies whose style of large scale development was a new phenomenon of the 1960s.

Tonkin Highway was constructed through Morley in 1984, bisecting the suburb.

After Boans burnt down in 1986, the Galleria Shopping Centre was built, opening in 1994.

In 2015 the City of Bayswater adopted an activity centre plan for the improvement of the Morley commercial precinct. It aims to build upon the strengths already present in the City Centre and promote an improved street interface with the Galleria Shopping Centre; Progress Street as the Centre's Main Street; and an enhanced Galleria bus station.

In 2019, the last overseas Blockbuster store in Morley closed down, leaving only one remaining location in Bend, Oregon.

On 3rd September 2025, a fire occurred at Morley Markets, destroying it completely. Authorities initially believed the fire to be deliberate, but later backtracked, deeming it 'non-suspicious'.

Facilities

Morley Sport and Recreation Centre facilitates various sporting activities, such as indoor soccer, basketball, badminton, netball, roller skating and roller derby. The venue received a $6.7 million redevelopment in 2023.

Education

Primary schools in Morley:

• Hampton Park Primary School (independent public school)
• Infant Jesus Primary School (private catholic school)
• Morley Primary School (independent public school)
• Weld Square Primary School (public school)

High schools in Morley:

• Hampton Senior High School (independent public school)
• John Forrest Secondary College (independent public school) Morley Senior High School is located in the nearby suburb of Noranda.

Transport

Bus

Bus Stations

• Galleria Bus Station

Bus Routes

• 20 Galleria Bus Station to Edith Cowan University Mount Lawley – serves Russell Street, Walter Road and Wellington Road
• 40 Galleria Bus Station to Elizabeth Quay Bus Station – serves Russell Street, Walter Road, Crimea Street and Johnsmith Street
• 66 Galleria Bus Station to Elizabeth Quay Bus Station (limited stops) – only serves Galleria Bus Station
• 341 Galleria Bus Station to Beechboro – serves Russell Street, Walter Road, Embleton Avenue and Walter Road East
• 342 Galleria Bus Station to Beechboro – serves Russell Street, Broun Avenue and Walter Road East
• 343 Galleria Bus Station to Beechboro – serves Russell Street, Walter Road, Crimea Street, Morley Drive, Beechboro Road, Wheatstone Drive, Bottlebrush Drive, Benara Road and Wattle Drive
• 344 Galleria Bus Station to Warwick Station – serves Russell Street, Walter Road and Crimea Street
• 345 Galleria Bus Station to Bennett Springs – serves Russell Street, Broun Avenue and Beechboro Road
• 346 Galleria Bus Station to Noranda – serves Russell Street, Walter Road, Bath Road, Emberson Road
• 347 Galleria Bus Station to Morley Senior High School – serves Russell Street, Walter Road, Wheeler Street, Mangini Street, Wellington Road, Halvorson Road, Timms Place, McGilvray Avenue, Robann Way, Ballarat Street, Wylde Road, Cooper Road, Wolseley Road and Camboon Road
• 371 Galleria Bus Station to Warwick Station – serves Russell Street, Walter Road, Wellington Road, Camboon Road and Wolseley Road
• 950 Galleria Bus Station to Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre (high frequency) – serves Russell Street and Broun Avenue
• 955 Galleria Bus Station to Ellenbrook North – serves Russell Street and Broun Avenue
• 980 Galleria Bus Station to Elizabeth Quay Bus Station (high frequency) – serves Russell Street and Walter Road
• 998 Fremantle Station to Fremantle Station (limited stops) – CircleRoute Clockwise, serves Walter Road, Russell Street, Galleria Bus Station and Rudloc Road
• 999 Fremantle Station to Fremantle Station (limited stops) – CircleRoute Anti-Clockwise, serves Rudloc Road, Galleria Bus Station and Russell Street

Notable people

Australian test cricketer Michael Hussey, singer Samantha Jade and Victorian Bushranger cricketer David Hussey were all raised in Morley.

References

References

1. (13 July 1918). "The Morley Park Estate". [[The West Australian]].
2. "Perth suburb names".
3. (11 July 1929). "Morley Park wants roads and lights". The Daily News.
4. (October 2006). "Municipal Inventory". City of Bayswater.
5. "History – Part Two: 1930 – present".
6. "And then there were two: Morley Blockbuster one of the last in the world".
7. Ho, Cason. (2025-09-03). "Authorities say 'no criminality' detected in Morley fire, after claiming arson". ABC News.
8. Murphy, Hannah. (2025-09-03). "Police backtrack on claim Morley Markets fire was ‘deliberately lit’".
9. "Morley Recreation Centre - Team Sports".
10. (22 December 2023). "NEW GRANDSTAND A SLAM DUNK FOR MORLEY SPORT AND RECREATION CENTRE". [[City of Bayswater]].
11. "Schools and Education".
12. {{Cite Transperth bus. 20
13. {{Cite Transperth bus. 40
14. {{Cite Transperth bus. 66
15. {{Cite Transperth bus. 341
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17. {{Cite Transperth bus. 343
18. {{Cite Transperth bus. 344
19. {{Cite Transperth bus. 345
20. {{Cite Transperth bus. 346
21. {{Cite Transperth bus. 347
22. {{Cite Transperth bus. 371
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24. {{Cite Transperth bus. 955
25. {{Cite Transperth bus. 980
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27. {{Cite Transperth bus. 999