Bicton, Western Australia

Infobox Australian Place | type = suburb
name = Bicton
city = Perth
state = wa


caption =
lga = City of Melville
area = 3.2
postcode = 6157
pop = 6,018 (2006 census)Census 2006 AUS|id=SSC51176|name=Bicton (State Suburb)|quick=on|accessdate=2008-10-05]
dist1 = 15
location1= Perth
est =
fedgov = Fremantle
stategov = Alfred Cove, Fremantle
near-nw = Mosman Park
near-n = "Swan River"
near-ne = "Swan River"
near-w = East Fremantle
near-e = Attadale
near-sw = East Fremantle
near-s = Palmyra
near-se = Melvillecoord|-32.029|115.783|type:city(6018)_region:AU-WA_scale:30000|format=dms|display=title

Bicton is a southern suburb of Perth, Western Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Melville, and it is located 15 km from the Perth central business district on the south bank of the Swan River. The northern third of Bicton is taken up by the reserve at Point Walter, a headland which projects into the Swan River.

History

Bicton is named for the English estate of John Hole Duffield, of South Devon, who was one of the four original pioneer settlers who took up grants in the Bicton area in 1830. [LandInfo WA|m|B|2007-05-15.] Descendants of Duffield still live in Bicton and other parts of Perth.

On 16 May 2005, Bicton was hit by a tornado. The storm unroofed houses, extensively damaged the 100-year-old Bicton Primary School, brought down electricity poles, and left some families without a home. The track of the tornado was declared a natural disaster area.

Geography

Bicton is bounded by Petra Street to the west, Stock Road to the east, Canning Highway to the south and the Swan River to the north (Melville Water) and northwest (Blackwall Reach). Apart from the reserve and golf course at Point Walter, almost all of Bicton is residential.Streetsmart WA|maps=Map 401/431]

Facilities

Bicton contains Melville Plaza shopping centre at its southeastern corner, Stammers Arcade in the southwest and a small neighbourhood shopping centre in the centre. Small parks and recreation reserves are scattered throughout the suburb. The suburb is served by Bicton Primary School (1904), [ [http://www2.eddept.wa.edu.au/schoolprofile/overview.do?schoolID=5044 School Profile] , Department of Education and Training (WA), accessed 13 December 2006] and falls within Melville SHS's catchment area.

Transport

Bicton is served by the 148 and 158 Transperth bus routes from Fremantle, as well as services along Canning Highway The 106 and the 147 (which goes down Stock Rd twice every weekday) on its southern border. [ [http://www.transperth.wa.gov.au/TimetablePDFs/Western%2039%2020060611.pdf Western 39 timetable] , Transperth, effective 11 June 2006. Accessed 17 January 2007.] All services are operated by Swan Transit.

References