Hamersley Development Scheme
Encyclopedia
The Hamersley Development Scheme was conceived in 1967 and built over the ensuing years as part of a major effort by the Government of Western Australia
to force down the price of land elsewhere in the Perth
metropolitan area by opening up and developing land for housing as quickly as possible. This was a response to upward pressures on land prices across the metropolitan area, including demand created by the growth of the Kwinana
industrial district south of Perth and the establishment of the iron ore industry in northern Western Australia
. By 1968 land speculation had also become a significant factor, with individuals and companies profiting by buying and selling released but undeveloped land.
The scheme area was a region of 24 km² bounded by Hepburn Avenue, Marmion Avenue
, North Perimeter Highway
and Wanneroo Road
, and consisted of the suburbs of Hamersley
and Carine
within the City of Stirling, and Warwick
, Greenwood
and Duncraig
within the City of Joondalup
.
, led to the Premier of Western Australia
, David Brand
, convening an inter-departmental committee to study the problem. One of the committee's recommendations to Cabinet was to release 300 hectares of land owned by the State Housing Commission in Hamersley, Warwick and Greenwood which was designated as "deferred urban" land under the Metropolitan Scheme which had been drafted in 1963. On 13 December 1967, the Metropolitan Region Planning Authority decided to rezone as urban all land bounded by Hepburn Avenue, Marmion Avenue
, North Perimeter Highway
and Wanneroo Road
, on the condition that subdivision
would be approved when "Town Planning (Development) Scheme(s) have been approved with the general object of serving the best possible development at the least cost to the community".
The Shires of Perth and Wanneroo combined to prepare Town Planning Scheme No.26 (Hamersley Development Scheme), and by early March 1968, the scheme, which included provisions for water supply, sewerage, drainage, road construction and undergrounding
of power mains, was presented to both councils for consideration. By July, however, negotiations between the councils broke down, and the Shire of Perth (now City of Stirling) decided to administer its own part of the scheme independently.
In April, the R&I Bank, a government-owned bank, was granted permission to subdivide a small area in northern Ardleigh Crescent. The first auction of 80 lots on Saturday 14 December 1968 was anticipated on the front page of The West Australian
, with Premier Brand advising intending buyers to be cautious about their bids. At the auction, 76 lots were sold at an average price of $4,784, compared to $6,700 at a recent R&I Bank sale in the nearby suburb of Karrinyup
, with newspapers agreeing that the Premier's warning had been heeded by bidders.
Government of Western Australia
The formation of the Government of Western Australia is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1890, although it has been amended many times since then...
to force down the price of land elsewhere in the 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....
metropolitan area by opening up and developing land for housing as quickly as possible. This was a response to upward pressures on land prices across the metropolitan area, including demand created by the growth of the Kwinana
Kwinana, Western Australia
The Town of Kwinana is a Local Government Area of Western Australia. It covers an area of approximately 118 square kilometres in metropolitan Perth, and lies about 38 km south of Perth's central business district, via the Kwinana Freeway...
industrial district south of Perth and the establishment of the iron ore industry in northern 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...
. By 1968 land speculation had also become a significant factor, with individuals and companies profiting by buying and selling released but undeveloped land.
The scheme area was a region of 24 km² bounded by Hepburn Avenue, 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...
, North Perimeter Highway
Reid Highway
Reid Highway is a major arterial highway in Perth, Western Australia. It is allocated Route 3, and runs between Marmion Avenue, North Beach, and West Swan Road, West Swan, a distance of...
and 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...
, and consisted of the suburbs of Hamersley
Hamersley, Western Australia
Hamersley is a residential suburb 14 kilometres north-northwest of the central business district of Perth, the capital of Western Australia, and six kilometres from the Indian Ocean. The suburb adjoins two major arterial roads—Mitchell Freeway to the west and Reid Highway to the...
and Carine
Carine, Western Australia
Carine is a suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, and is located north of Perth's central business district between Marmion Avenue and Mitchell Freeway. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stirling.-History:...
within the City of Stirling, and Warwick
Warwick, Western Australia
Warwick is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Joondalup. Its postcode is 6024. The eastern third of the suburb is a native bushland area known as the Warwick Open Space....
, Greenwood
Greenwood, Western Australia
Greenwood, is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located in the City of Joondalup. The suburb is located 18 km from Perth's central business district.-History:...
and Duncraig
Duncraig, Western Australia
Duncraig is a large northern suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, Australia, and is located north of Perth's central business district between Marmion Avenue and Mitchell Freeway...
within the City of Joondalup
City of Joondalup
The City of Joondalup is a council and Local Government Area with City status in Perth, Western Australia. It covers the metropolitan Perth city of Joondalup in its entirety, as well as the town centres of Hillarys and Warwick....
.
History
In the late 1960s, concern about the growth of land prices in the Perth metropolitan area, which for several years had exceeded the consumer price indexConsumer price index
A consumer price index measures changes in the price level of consumer goods and services purchased by households. The CPI, in the United States is defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as "a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of...
, led to the Premier of Western Australia
Premier of Western Australia
The Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australian State of Western Australia. The Premier has similar functions in Western Australia to those performed by the Prime Minister of Australia at the national level, subject to the different Constitutions...
, David Brand
David Brand
Sir David Brand KCMG was the 19th and longest serving Premier of Western Australia and a Member of the Legislative Assembly from 1945 to 1975.-Early life:...
, convening an inter-departmental committee to study the problem. One of the committee's recommendations to Cabinet was to release 300 hectares of land owned by the State Housing Commission in Hamersley, Warwick and Greenwood which was designated as "deferred urban" land under the Metropolitan Scheme which had been drafted in 1963. On 13 December 1967, the Metropolitan Region Planning Authority decided to rezone as urban all land bounded by Hepburn Avenue, 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...
, North Perimeter Highway
Reid Highway
Reid Highway is a major arterial highway in Perth, Western Australia. It is allocated Route 3, and runs between Marmion Avenue, North Beach, and West Swan Road, West Swan, a distance of...
and 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...
, on the condition that subdivision
Subdivision (land)
Subdivision is the act of dividing land into pieces that are easier to sell or otherwise develop, usually via a plat. The former single piece as a whole is then known in the United States as a subdivision...
would be approved when "Town Planning (Development) Scheme(s) have been approved with the general object of serving the best possible development at the least cost to the community".
The Shires of Perth and Wanneroo combined to prepare Town Planning Scheme No.26 (Hamersley Development Scheme), and by early March 1968, the scheme, which included provisions for water supply, sewerage, drainage, road construction and undergrounding
Undergrounding
Undergrounding refers to the replacement of overhead cables providing electrical power or telecommunications, with underground cables. This is typically performed for aesthetic purposes, and increases distribution cost.- Overview and Comparison :...
of power mains, was presented to both councils for consideration. By July, however, negotiations between the councils broke down, and the Shire of Perth (now City of Stirling) decided to administer its own part of the scheme independently.
In April, the R&I Bank, a government-owned bank, was granted permission to subdivide a small area in northern Ardleigh Crescent. The first auction of 80 lots on Saturday 14 December 1968 was anticipated on the front page of The West Australian
The West Australian
The West Australian is the only locally-edited daily newspaper published in Perth, Western Australia, and is owned by ASX-listed Seven West Media . The West is published in tabloid format, as is the state's other major newspaper, The Sunday Times, a News Limited publication...
, with Premier Brand advising intending buyers to be cautious about their bids. At the auction, 76 lots were sold at an average price of $4,784, compared to $6,700 at a recent R&I Bank sale in the nearby suburb of Karrinyup
Karrinyup, Western Australia
Karrinyup is a suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, and is located 12 km north of Perth's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stirling...
, with newspapers agreeing that the Premier's warning had been heeded by bidders.