Town of Cambridge

About the area

Key Statistics

Location

The Town of Cambridge is located in Perth's western suburbs, about 8 kilometres west of the Perth GPO. The Town of Cambridge is bounded by the City of Stirling in the north, the Town of Vincent and the City of Perth in the east, the Cities of Subiaco and Nedlands in the south and the Indian Ocean in the west. The Town of Cambridge was originally part of the City of Perth, prior to restructuring by the Western Australian State Government in 1994.

Included Areas

The Town of Cambridge includes the suburbs of City Beach, Floreat (part), Jolimont (part), Mount Claremont (part), Wembley (part), Wembley Downs (part) and West Leederville.

Land Use

The Town of Cambridge is a predominantly residential area, with significant parklands and recreational areas. The Town encompasses a total land area of 22 square kilometres.

Name Origin

Cambridge is named after Cambridge Street, which was named after Cambridge University in England.

Indigenous Meaning

The original inhabitants of the Cambridge area were the Nyungar Aboriginal people.

Settlement

European settlement of the area dates from 1831, with land grants around Lake Monger and south of Herdsman Lake. Land was used mainly for grazing. Growth was minimal until the 1890s, spurred by the construction of the Perth-Fremantle railway line, the gold rush in Kalgoorlie and the subdivision of land. Development started in West Leederville, and moved progressively westwards. More significant growth took place in the early 1900s, particularly during the 1920s and 1930s. Substantial development also occurred from the 1950s through to the 1970s. The population was relatively stable during the 1990s, and then increased gradually from nearly 23,000 in 2001 to nearly 25,000 in 2011.

Major Features

Major features of the Town include Lake Monger, Bold Park, Wembley Golf Course, City Beach, Floreat Beach, Bold Park Aquatic Centre, WA Athletics Stadium, WA Basketball Centre, WA Rugby Centre, Wembley Sports Park, Perry Lakes Reserve, Floreat Forum Shopping Centre and St John of God Health Care.

Transport

The Town of Cambridge is served by the Mitchell Freeway and the Perth-Fremantle railway line.

Town of Cambridge

economic profile