THE PERTH SUBURB OF
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A BRIEF HISTORY
The Perth suburb of Waterman was originally part of the estate which the Hamersley family acquired in 1837. The area was subdivided as the Mt Flora Estates in 1918; however, initial development was largely limited to holiday shacks.
The pace of growth in Waterman increased after World War II, and by the late 1960's the area had reached its development potential. In recognition of this growth, the townsite was gazetted in 1964.
Some redevelopment began in the 1970's, with new homes replacing holiday
shacks. Many of the street names in Waterman honour members of the Hamersley family, including
Ethel, Margaret, Mary and Ada.
View over Watermans Bay from Waterman Watertower Lookout
RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT
Single detached houses predominate in the Perth suburb of Waterman, though there are some duplexes and unit
developments centring on Elsie Street. Some of these were constructed in the late 1970's, when
replacement of old housing stock commenced.
Residential styles in the Perth suburb Waterman range from timber
and fibro workers' homes to modern two storey dwellings constructed of brick. Average lot sizes are
around 1 012 m2 , though there are several larger blocks along the foreshore.
COMMUNITY SERVICES
The Star Swamp Reserve is of regional significance and occupies a large portion of Waterman. This area provides the local and wider community with a unique recreational area which contains a diverse range of indigenous flora and fauna.
The Perth Suburb of Waterman also contains a number of small parks and recreation areas, including Watermans Beach and Laurie Strutt Reserve. The latter contains the Water Tower Museum, which was converted from its former use in 1986 and now details the region's history.
Commercial development in Waterman is limited to a small retail outlet on West Coast Drive which provides convenience goods for local residents.
The suburb also contains the
Euroka Village, which cares for senior citizens.
Waterman Museum & Lookout
SIGNIFICANT LANDMARKS
Coastline: The beach is the most prominent feature of Waterman and remains a significant focus for
development.
Water Tower: The water tower is located at the highest point of the suburb and was built in 1940 to provide scheme water to the surrounding areas. After the tank became redundant it was converted to a museum and lookout.
Star Swamp: The Star Swamp bushland was declared an "A" Class Reserve by the State
Government in 1987 and covers an area of about 96 hectares.
Source City of Stirling
View from the top of the Waterman Water Tower. You can just see Perth in the distance.
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