Shenton Park suburb profile: What are its unique selling points and is it a good place to live?

LIVING IN: Shenton Park Population: 4638 Distance from Perth CBD: 4km west Median house price: $2,060,000 Median unit price: $720,000 Crime: 188 offences (2024) This affluent suburb has a relaxed feel, differing in atmosphere from its busy neighbour Subiaco, giving residents the best of both worlds. William Porteous Properties sales executive John Hunter said Shenton Park residents have “the most amazing position in Perth”. The 3.4sqkm suburb sits 4km to the west of the CBD and 5km from the Indian Ocean, while its eastern border abuts Kings Park. Kings Park is one of the world’s biggest inner-city parks and is home to the Western Australian Botanic Garden. Having Kings Park just minutes away is an asset agents call “luxurious”. In Shenton Park many of the original homes have been maintained, restored and extended, filling the streets with charm. The unique ambience in the area is heightened by the combination of architectural styles, according to agents, who say the area’s combination of colour, timber and brick appeals. Large mature trees similar to those found in Kings Park are also common in Shenton Park, making the area popular with local birdlife, particularly at the Lake Jualbup wetlands, which was once a source of water and food for the Noongar people who lived in the area. Lake Jualbup is an Aboriginal burial area and is registered with the State Government as an Aboriginal Site, where Noongar people remain connected through their religion and work closely with the City of Subiaco to protect and maintain the wetlands. Jualbup was the original name for this lake, meaning a place where water rises in spring. In the early days of European settlement a sawyer named James Dyson worked in the area, and the lake became known as Dyson’s Swamp. In the 1900s it was named Shenton Park Lake after the original land owner, George Shenton. The Aboriginal name was restored at a ceremony beside the lake in 1996. Shenton Park is named after the park that it contains, which was named after Mr Shenton. The area was known as West Subiaco until the 1930s and was used by groups such as the local football club and the boy scouts. The name was also adopted by the privately owned West Subiaco Aerodrome, which is well beyond the suburb’s boundary. Shenton Park is home to popular cafes such as The Little Pantry on Nicholson Road and Excelsior Deli on Onslow Road. Mr Hunter said it is common for residents to indulge in breakfast or lunch at a local cafe but venture into the bustling Subiaco for dinner and drinks in the evenings. Shenton Park is divided into two parts by the Fremantle railway line. The eastern part belongs to the City of Subiaco and is mostly residential. The western region is part of the City of Nedlands and comprises mostly bushland, commercial buildings and Shenton College. Among the commercial buildings west of the train line is the quirky all-day diner Wards Central Dining in Victoria House. Wards was formerly a rehabilitation hospital, not that you can tell. The eatery is owned by Lachie Bisset and Craig Stewart, who also own the popular North Street Store in Cottesloe. Opposite Wards on Seymour Avenue is Coles, the only grocery store on the western side of the suburb. The Good Grocer on Onslow Road services residents living east of the train line. Near Shenton College in the western precinct is a teaching and rehabilitation hospital, where a health science campus of Curtin University of Technology can be found, and the University of Western Australia Shenton Park Field Station. Shenton Park is also home to two animal welfare organisations, both on Lemnos Street: Dogs’ Refuge Home and Cat Haven. Shenton Park railway station is on the Fremantle line, which links Fremantle with Perth, making it easy for Shenton Park locals to head into the CBD. There are two schools in Shenton Park, both independent public schools: Shenton College and Rosalie Primary School. The schools have a great reputation and Mr Hunter said residents often move into the area to be part of the catchment zone. The median age in Shenton Park is 41 years old and 64.7 per cent of households are occupied by families, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 census results. Couples with children account for 50 per cent of families, and couples without children 35.5 per cent. Single-person households are common in the area at 31.5 per cent, despite three-bedroom homes dominating the housing market at 39.4 per cent. Freestanding homes make up 67.2 per cent of dwellings, apartments 19.3 per cent and townhouses 13.5 per cent. According to the Real Estate Insititute of Western Australia, it takes an average of 16 days for a house in Shenton Park to sell and 11 days for a unit.

Shenton Park suburb profile: What are its unique selling points and is it a good place to live?

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