West Beach, South Australia

West Beach is a seaside suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in both the City of Charles Sturt and the City of West Torrens.

A walkway onto West Beach

West Beach
Adelaide, South Australia
West Beach
Coordinates34°56′43″S 138°30′14″E
Population4,964 (2016 census)[1]
Postcode(s)5024
LGA(s)
State electorate(s)Colton
Federal division(s)Hindmarsh
Suburbs around West Beach:
Henley Beach South, Fulham Lockleys
Gulf St Vincent West Beach Adelaide Airport
Glenelg North Glenelg North

History

West Beach was first laid out in 1929 by Sir Lancelot Stirling, Sir Frank Moulden and Arnold M. Moulden, as trustees of 'The Settled Estates of F.J. and P.J. Gray'.

This estate which in future will be known as "West Beach" at present consists of high undulating sandhills. The party inspected the work accomplished. This comprised the continuance to the sea, the distance of about a mile, of the Richmond Road, which previously stopped at the Tapley's Hill Road; the grading and topdressing of the sandhills, involving the removal of 200,000 tons of sand, and the building of an esplanade and three roads connecting it with Military Road, which was raised 8 feet and remade. The whole of the work was carried out under the order of the Supreme Court and the town was laid out under the approval of the town planner (Mr W. Scott Griffiths)....[2]

West Beach Post Office opened on 5 May 1959 and closed in March 1982. In July 1982 West Beach North office (open since 1964) was renamed West Beach.[3]

Marineland was an iconic South Australian marine park, located in West Beach from 1969 until its closure in 1988.[4] The popular marine park was where Mr. Percival, the Australian Pelican, who was noted for his starring role in the Australian Movie Storm Boy was born and lived.[5]

Demographics

The 2006 Census by the Australian Bureau of Statistics counted 4,332 persons in West Beach on census night. Of these, 50.0% were male and 50.0% were female.[6]

The majority of residents (74.0%) are of Australian birth, with the other common census response being England (5.4%).[6]

The age distribution of West Beach residents is skewed towards a slightly higher age bracket than the greater Australian population. 73.6% of residents were over 25 years in 2006, compared to the Australian average of 66.5%; and 26.4% were younger than 25 years, compared to the Australian average of 33.5%.[6]

Community

The local newspaper is the Weekly Times Messenger. Other regional and national newspapers such as The Advertiser and The Australian are also available. The suburb has a local school known as West Beach Primary School.

Attractions

In 2021 the West Beach restaurant Oceanique received 2 significant awards for excellence at the South Australian Restaurant and Catering Awards, including best contemporary dining.[7]


Cycling

Adelaide being the home of the Tour Down Under; Cycling is amongst the most popular activities along the Adelaide Shores (of which West Beach is central) with cyclists travelling the coastal road or 72 kms of separated bike path every day, overlooking the natural wonders of St Vincent's Gulf.[8] In January 2010 controversial cyclist Lance Armstrong called for cyclists on Twitter to join him on a Sunday morning ride along the Adelaide shores through West Beach. It is estimated a record of over 10,000 cyclists turned up at short notice and rode with Armstrong.[9]


West Beach Parks

West Beach Parks is a South Australian Tourism Hall of fame location and also won the South Australian Tourism Council award in 2021 for "South Australia's best caravan park – holiday resort".[10]

West Beach Trust (marketed as West Beach Parks) is a statutory authority created under South Australia's West Beach Recreation Reserve Act 1987 to manage the reserve and its associated facilities. The West Beach Trust Board comprises representatives of the three local Councils and independent members. The West Beach Parks Precinct covers 135 hectares of beachfront land and comprises two accommodation properties, two public golf courses, diverse competition level sporting facilities, meeting and events venues, a boat haven and a broad range of lessees.[11]

West Beach Parks is a world-class tourism, sport and recreation precinct, providing leisure experiences. West Beach Parks is responsible for managing the West Beach Recreation Reserve, an area of significant natural assets, and its commercial and community facilities including accommodation, boating, a coastal park, golfing, leisure and sports West Beach Parks has a number of tenants, including; The Adelaide Sailing Club, Football Federation SA, Softball SA, Surf Life Saving SA and the Westward Ho Golf Club.[12]


Golf

West Beach Parks oversees a number of golf courses at the location, including the Patawalonga Golf Course, which has been named the best value public golf course in South Australia and the Northern Territory by Golf Australia Magazine.[13]

The Patawalonga Course consists of 18 holes par72 with fine kikuyu fairways all year round and large undulating good speed bentgrass (as used at Augusta National[14]) bunkered greens . Built on a sandy base with mature trees and water hazards the Patawalonga Championship links style course is one of the best public golf courses in Australia. Measuring 5913 metres in length and green sizes averaging 750m2 the Patawalonga caters for all golfer's abilities and needs.[15]

A green on the Patawalonga Golf Course
The Patawalonga Golf Course at West Beach

The shopping Centre on Burbidge Road services the suburb.

Parks

There are numerous parks and greenspaces throughout West Beach, the largest known as Apex Park. Apex Park is a huge park along the river torrens with playgrounds, horses and walkways.

Transport

Roads

The suburb is serviced by the following main roads:

Public transport

The suburb is serviced by bus routes, run by the Adelaide Metro.

Airport

Adelaide Airport is in the adjacent suburb also named Adelaide Airport. It was moved here from Parafield Airport in 1955. There are frequent domestic and international flights and the airport is also used for private aviation.

See also

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "West Beach (State Suburb)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  2. The Manning Index of South Australian History – West Beach
  3. Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Premier Postal Auctions. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  4. Byrne, Bob (26 January 2015). "Bob Byrne remembers Marineland, Adelaide's hub of aquatic entertainment". The Advertiser.
  5. "Storm Boy Pelican dies". ABC News. 3 September 2009. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  6. Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "West Beach (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
  7. Hart, Shantal (17 September 2021). "Adelaide's best brunch venue has also taken out best contemporary dinning". Glam Adelaide. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  8. "Adelaide's Metropolitan Coastline". Bicycling Australia. 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  9. Pepper, Chris (17 January 2010). "Legion of Fans of the Ride of Their Lives". The Sunday Mail. p. 4.
  10. "2021 South Australian Tourism Award Winners". South Australian Tourism Council. 4 November 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. "Company Profile". West Beach Parks. 7 November 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. "West Beach Parks". West Beach Parks. 7 November 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. "Best in SA/NT". Golf Australia Magazine. 3 June 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. Kerr-Dineen, Luke (10 November 2020). "Augusta Nationals Greens Look (slightly) Different This Year: Here's Why". GOLF.COM. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  15. "West Beach Parks Golf". West Beach Parks. 7 November 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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