Location

The City of Armadale is located in Perth's south-east suburbs, about 28 kilometres from the Perth CBD. The City of Armadale is bounded by the City of Gosnells and the City of Kalamunda in the north, the Shires of York and Beverley in the east, the Shire of Wandering and Serpentine Jarrahdale Shire in the south and the City of Cockburn in the west.

Included Areas

The City of Armadale includes the suburbs and localities of Armadale, Ashendon, Bedfordale, Brookdale, Camillo, Champion Lakes, Forrestdale, Harrisdale, Haynes, Hilbert, Karragullen, Kelmscott, Lesley, Mount Nasura, Mount Richon, Piara Waters, Roleystone, Seville Grove and Wungong.

Land Use

The City of Armadale is a residential, semi-rural and rural area. The main urban areas are in and around the suburb of Armadale, including the foothills of Kelmscott, Mount Nasura, Mount Richon, Seville Grove and Westfield. The City encompasses a total land area of 545 square kilometres, including many parks, reserves and state forests.

Name Origin

The City of Armadale is thought to be named after a place in Scotland.

Indigenous Meaning

The original inhabitants of the Armadale area were the Noongar Aboriginal people.

Settlement

European settlement dates from 1830 when the township of Kelmscott was established. Land was used mainly for timber-cutting, orcharding, dairying, market gardening and brick-making. The township of Armadale was established in the 1850s. Growth took place in the 1890s and early 1900s, particularly in Armadale and Kelmscott, spurred by the construction of the south western railway (Perth to Bunbury) in 1893. Expansion continued in the interwar period, accompanied by the construction of dams in the 1920s and 1930s. Significant development occurred during the immediate post-war period, aided by immigration and the construction of public housing. Rapid growth took place during the late 1960s and 1970s, with the population increasing from about 6,000 in 1956 to about 35,000 in 1979. Growth continued during the 1980s, with the population rising to about 44,000 in 1986. The population increased slightly during the 1990s, rising to nearly 50,000 in 2001. The population was relatively stable between 2001 and 2006, and then increased substantially to about 61,000 in 2011. Growth is expected to continue, largely from residential developments in the suburbs of Brookdale, Champion Lakes, Harrisdale, Piara Waters and Seville Grove.

Major Features

Major features of the City include Armadale City Centre, Kelmscott Town Centre, Canning Reservoir, Churchman Brook Reservoir, Wungong Reservoir, Korung National Park, Midgegooroo National Park, Banyowla Regional Park, Jandakot Regional Park, Wungong Regional Park, Champion Lakes Regatta Centre, Minnawarra Park, Forrestdale Lake, Armadale Aquatic Centre, Armadale Arena, Armadale Reptile & Wildlife Centre, Armadale Golf Course, Araluen Golf Resort, Araluen Botanic Park, Armadale Health Service (Armadale Kelmscott Memorial Hospita) and South Metropolitan TAFE (Armadale Campus).

Transport

The City of Armadale is served by the Albany Highway, the Brookton Highway, the Tonkin Highway and the Armadale railway line.