Clarkson, Western Australia
Encyclopedia
Clarkson is an outer northern suburb of Perth
, Western Australia
, located 34 kilometres north of Perth's central business district
. It is part of the City of Wanneroo local government area
. While mostly a residential area, it also functions as a town centre, serving many surrounding areas with a vast amount of amenities and facilities. The suburb is currently the terminus of the Joondalup railway line.
(Marmion Avenue) and to the north by Merriwa
and Ridgewood
(Hester Avenue). The Joondalup railway line divides Clarkson from the Neerabup National Park
in the east. South of Clarkson is Tamala Park
, which is uninhabited.
It is approximately 2 kilometres away from the Indian Ocean
and the coastlines of Claytons Beach and Quinns Beach.
who had held leases of land in the area since the 19th century. Clarkson was originally gazetted as "Mindarie" by the Shire of Wanneroo in 1979, but the two names were transposed in 1985 at the request of Smith Corporation, who went on to develop the Mindarie Keys Marina
three years later.
settler in the area was Bernard Drummond Clarkson, a sheep-farmer
who also held land in Toodyay
. Clarkson first acquired a pastoral lease in 1888 of 13,000 acres in the areas comprising modern-day Mindarie, Clarkson, Quinns Rocks and Merriwa. The leases were known as the Mindarie Pastoral Company, and the lands were primarily used for sheep-herding by subsequent generations of the Clarkson family.
The ruins of the Clarksons' first homestead and home of the Mindarie Pastoral Company are today preserved in Riverlinks Park on Connolly Drive.
Outside of Clarkson's main commercial zone in the south-west, the suburb consists mostly of residential, detached bungalow housing with vast amounts of parkland. There is a strip of two-storey apartment blocks along Ocean Keys Boulevard, immediately opposite the railway station, and another strip of apartments closer to the shopping centre on Ningaloo Bend. The suburb also contains a larger concentration of public housing
than surrounding areas.
area in a partnership between development company Urban Pacific and the Western Australia Government
Department of Housing and Works land development agency Landstart. The project aimed to provide a community-within-a-community with commercial enterprise, fibre-optic to the home internet, and a landscaping package (totaling at $8000AUD) at no extra cost to new home-buyers.
The development of the Somerly estate has made Clarkson one of the largest and most densely-populated suburbs in Perth's northern corridor, with a population now approaching 12,000. It is roughly delineated from the older, established parts of Clarkson by Liberty Drive to the north, Connolly Drive to the west and Polglase Fairway to the south-west.
, the developers, intend for the estate to eventually be re-gazetted as its own suburb.
-born population, comprising 15.4%, although this figure is minor compared to British populations in neighbouring suburbs, such as Mindarie
. Most other major immigrant groups in Clarkson hail from Anglophone
countries, such as New Zealand
and South Africa
.
Clarkson has a very young population, with an average age of 28, a figure drastically lower than all surrounding suburbs, as well as the national average age of 37. Income levels in Clarkson are generally in line with the Australian national average, with an average household income of $1,049 per week, compared to $1,027 per week nationally.
Christianity
is the predominant religious affiliation declared by Clarkson's residents, at 44% of the population, across various denominations. Several churches are scattered throughout the suburb; Whitford Church North Coast Campus, [Church of Christ] who meet in Clarkson Community High School, Clarkson Seventh-day Adventist
Community Church, St. Andrew's Catholic
Church and Ocean Keys Community Church (Lutheran). 28% of the suburb declared no religion.
2.8% of Clarkson's population is composed of Indigenous Australians
, compared to 2.3% nationwide. Only neighbouring Merriwa
reflects this trend; the Aboriginal population is much less significant in the suburbs surrounding Clarkson.
, a mid-size shopping mall with a large number of major retail outlets, including branches of Kmart
, Coles
and Woolworths and several banks. Many more commercial outlets surround the centre, including a large Bunnings Warehouse
, a post office, two service stations and Toyota, Ford and Holden
car dealerships.
A strip of restaurants and take-away outlets are situated directly west of the main Ocean Keys building, including branches of Chicken Treat
, KFC
, Hungry Jack's
, Wokinabox, Subway
, Eagle Boys Pizza, Sushi Noodle World and Masala Indian Restaurant. The Whale+Ale pub and restaurant is also nearby and is the main hub for nightlife in the suburb at weekends, while the Somerly Central Medical Centre provides medical facilities.
There is an abundance of entertainment and leisure facilities around Clarkson. Over ten parks are located throughout the suburb, the two main ones being Anthony Waring Park and Richard Aldersea Park in the centre of the suburb. Anthony Waring Park is the largest by area and features sporting facilities. Many smaller parks around Somerly include playgrounds and free barbecue areas for families. The Clarkson Youth Centre, near Ocean Keys, functions as a community centre and is also part of a wider youth precinct, incorporating a skate park and BMX tracks. Nearby is also the Clarkson Library, one of four public libraries in the Wanneroo area.
Clarkson also accommodates the Clarkson Police Station, which serves all surrounding suburbs from Tamala Park to Butler and Jindalee.. A Western Power
electricity substation
is located off Hester Avenue in the north-east of the suburb, near the Joondalup railway line. Telephone services are provided by the Mindarie & Quinns Rocks telephone exchanges.
primary schools are established in Clarkson, serving different parts of the suburb. Clarkson Primary School is the oldest established school and caters to western Clarkson, while Somerly Primary School serves the Somerly estate in the east. Students also have the option of St. Andrew's Catholic Primary School, a private Catholic school located next to St. Andrew's Catholic Church.
Clarkson also accommodates Clarkson Community High School, a large Year 8-12 state high school established in 1996. As it is the only state high school in the vicinity (other than the 11-12 Mindarie Senior College
), it covers a large catchment area, extending up to Butler and Jindalee in the north. In 2010, Trades North, a TAFE campus specializing in skilled trades
and apprenticeships, was built next to the high school and opened for the 2011 school year. It is part of the West Coast Institute of Training
in Joondalup.
Marmion Avenue
is the main arterial road that links Clarkson to Joondalup and the rest of suburban Perth. Connolly Drive also runs parallel to Marmion Avenue through the middle of Clarkson, approximately a kilometre to the east, and into Kinross
and Currambine
.
Wanneroo Road
is nearby and can be accessed via Hester Avenue, Clarkson's northern boundary road.
There are no other roads into Clarkson and surrounding suburbs, due to the location of Tamala Park to the south, which creates a 2 km bushland
buffer between Clarkson and Joondalup. Plans exist to extend the
Mitchell Freeway
to Clarkson from its current terminus at Burns Beach Road in Currambine
, with exits to the suburb at Neerabup Road and Hester Avenue.
on the Joondalup line was built in 2004 in south-east Clarkson and is currently the terminus of the line.
Path Transit
operate the following bus
routes from Clarkson station, to all surrounding suburbs.
. At the federal level it was formerly part of the Pearce federal division
, but was transferred to Moore
, along with Mindarie and Neerabup, as of 2010.
Clarkson has traditionally been an Australian Labor Party
stronghold since the early 2000s in State elections, in line with many northern Perth suburbs. At federal level, the voting is much less clear-cut, with both major parties gaining consecutive election victories in the suburb since 2001.
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, located 34 kilometres north of Perth's central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
. It is part of the City of Wanneroo local government area
Local Government Areas of Western Australia
The Australian state of Western Australia is divided into 141 local government areas...
. While mostly a residential area, it also functions as a town centre, serving many surrounding areas with a vast amount of amenities and facilities. The suburb is currently the terminus of the Joondalup railway line.
Geography
Clarkson is bounded to the west by MindarieMindarie, Western Australia
Mindarie is an outer coastal suburb of Perth, Western Australia, considered to be northernmost of Perth's affluent beachside suburbs. It is located 36 kilometres north of Perth's central business district via Marmion Avenue and is part of the City of Wanneroo local government area.After being...
(Marmion Avenue) and to the north by Merriwa
Merriwa, Western Australia
Merriwa is an outer suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located 36 kilometres north of Perth's central business district. It is part of the City of Wanneroo local authority...
and Ridgewood
Ridgewood, Western Australia
Ridgewood is an outer suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located 37 kilometres north of Perth's central business district. Is is part of the City of Wanneroo local government area.-Geography:...
(Hester Avenue). The Joondalup railway line divides Clarkson from the Neerabup National Park
Neerabup National Park
Neerabup National Park is a national park in the City of Wanneroo in Western Australia, situated approximately north of Perth.The park is found to the west of Wanneroo Road and is a long thin strip of bushland that is about in length...
in the east. South of Clarkson is Tamala Park
Tamala Park, Western Australia
Tamala Park is an unpopulated locality in Perth, Western Australia. It sits on the border between the City of Wanneroo and the City of Joondalup local authorities, and separates the Clarkson-Butler region from the suburbs of Joondalup.-History:...
, which is uninhabited.
It is approximately 2 kilometres away from the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
and the coastlines of Claytons Beach and Quinns Beach.
Name
The suburb's name refers to the Clarksons, a family of sheep farmersSheep husbandry
Sheep husbandry is a subcategory of animal husbandry specifically dealing with the raising and breeding of domestic sheep. Sheep farming is primarily based on raising lambs for meat, or raising sheep for wool. Sheep may also be raised for milk or to sell to other farmers.-Shelter and...
who had held leases of land in the area since the 19th century. Clarkson was originally gazetted as "Mindarie" by the Shire of Wanneroo in 1979, but the two names were transposed in 1985 at the request of Smith Corporation, who went on to develop the Mindarie Keys Marina
Mindarie, Western Australia
Mindarie is an outer coastal suburb of Perth, Western Australia, considered to be northernmost of Perth's affluent beachside suburbs. It is located 36 kilometres north of Perth's central business district via Marmion Avenue and is part of the City of Wanneroo local government area.After being...
three years later.
Early use
The first permanent EuropeanEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
settler in the area was Bernard Drummond Clarkson, a sheep-farmer
Sheep husbandry
Sheep husbandry is a subcategory of animal husbandry specifically dealing with the raising and breeding of domestic sheep. Sheep farming is primarily based on raising lambs for meat, or raising sheep for wool. Sheep may also be raised for milk or to sell to other farmers.-Shelter and...
who also held land in Toodyay
Toodyay, Western Australia
Toodyay is a town located in the Wheatbelt region in the Avon Valley, 85 km north-east of Perth, Western Australia. Toodyay is connected to Perth via both rail and road.-History:...
. Clarkson first acquired a pastoral lease in 1888 of 13,000 acres in the areas comprising modern-day Mindarie, Clarkson, Quinns Rocks and Merriwa. The leases were known as the Mindarie Pastoral Company, and the lands were primarily used for sheep-herding by subsequent generations of the Clarkson family.
The ruins of the Clarksons' first homestead and home of the Mindarie Pastoral Company are today preserved in Riverlinks Park on Connolly Drive.
Suburban development
The Mindarie Pastoral Company leases were sold off by John Clarkson in 1952. The land subsequently saw no development or settlement until the early-90's, naturally following the completion of the adjacent Mindarie Marina and subsequent residential dwellings in the area. The north-eastern portion of Clarkson around the high school was developed later in 1995. The suburb continued to be built throughout the 2000s, with a steadily growing population.Outside of Clarkson's main commercial zone in the south-west, the suburb consists mostly of residential, detached bungalow housing with vast amounts of parkland. There is a strip of two-storey apartment blocks along Ocean Keys Boulevard, immediately opposite the railway station, and another strip of apartments closer to the shopping centre on Ningaloo Bend. The suburb also contains a larger concentration of public housing
Public housing in Australia
Public housing in Australia is usually provided by departments of state and territory governments. Australian public housing operates within the framework of the Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement, by which funding for public housing is provided by both federal and state governments...
than surrounding areas.
Somerly
Somerly is a new commercial and housing development in south-east Clarkson, principally surrounding the railway station, that was completed in 2008. The 1,800 lot community was built on a 162 hectareHectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
area in a partnership between development company Urban Pacific and the Western Australia Government
Government of Western Australia
The formation of the Government of Western Australia is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1890, although it has been amended many times since then...
Department of Housing and Works land development agency Landstart. The project aimed to provide a community-within-a-community with commercial enterprise, fibre-optic to the home internet, and a landscaping package (totaling at $8000AUD) at no extra cost to new home-buyers.
The development of the Somerly estate has made Clarkson one of the largest and most densely-populated suburbs in Perth's northern corridor, with a population now approaching 12,000. It is roughly delineated from the older, established parts of Clarkson by Liberty Drive to the north, Connolly Drive to the west and Polglase Fairway to the south-west.
Catalina
A new residential estate under the preliminary name of "Catalina" is being planned for development in 2012. The estate's proposed boundaries lay south of Neerabup Road (which is presently bushland blending into Tamala Park) and extend from the Joondalup rail line in the east, to the coast of Mindarie Beach and Claytons Beach to the west. Although the land is part of Clarkson and Mindarie at present, SatterleySatterley
Satterley Property Group is an Australian privately owned real estate land development company based in Perth. It develops residential estates in Western Australia and Victoria.-History:...
, the developers, intend for the estate to eventually be re-gazetted as its own suburb.
Demographics
Clarkson had a population of 7,082 at the ABS 2006 census, an increase of 1,214 persons since the 2001 census. The population of Clarkson is predicted to continue to grow at an exponential rate, peaking at 18,645 in 2026. Only 58.9% of Clarkson's population were born in Australia compared to a nationwide average of 70.9%. The suburb has a significant BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-born population, comprising 15.4%, although this figure is minor compared to British populations in neighbouring suburbs, such as Mindarie
Mindarie, Western Australia
Mindarie is an outer coastal suburb of Perth, Western Australia, considered to be northernmost of Perth's affluent beachside suburbs. It is located 36 kilometres north of Perth's central business district via Marmion Avenue and is part of the City of Wanneroo local government area.After being...
. Most other major immigrant groups in Clarkson hail from Anglophone
English-speaking world
The English-speaking world consists of those countries or regions that use the English language to one degree or another. For more information, please see:Lists:* List of countries by English-speaking population...
countries, such as New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Clarkson has a very young population, with an average age of 28, a figure drastically lower than all surrounding suburbs, as well as the national average age of 37. Income levels in Clarkson are generally in line with the Australian national average, with an average household income of $1,049 per week, compared to $1,027 per week nationally.
Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
is the predominant religious affiliation declared by Clarkson's residents, at 44% of the population, across various denominations. Several churches are scattered throughout the suburb; Whitford Church North Coast Campus, [Church of Christ] who meet in Clarkson Community High School, Clarkson Seventh-day Adventist
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
Community Church, St. Andrew's Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Church and Ocean Keys Community Church (Lutheran). 28% of the suburb declared no religion.
2.8% of Clarkson's population is composed of Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
, compared to 2.3% nationwide. Only neighbouring Merriwa
Merriwa, Western Australia
Merriwa is an outer suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located 36 kilometres north of Perth's central business district. It is part of the City of Wanneroo local authority...
reflects this trend; the Aboriginal population is much less significant in the suburbs surrounding Clarkson.
Amenities and facilities
Compared to surrounding suburbs, Clarkson is a very mixed-use area with an abundance of facilities and a very large shopping and retail district, establishing it as a commercial town centre for the northern suburbs beyond the nearby city of Joondalup. The main road, Ocean Keys Boulevard, is home to the Ocean Keys Shopping CentreOcean Keys
Ocean Keys Shopping Centre is a major shopping centre, located in Clarkson, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia.-Major retailers:*Coles*Woolworths*Kmart* Kmart Tyre & Auto* The Good Guys* Cotton On* EB Games* Red Dot Stores* Specsavers...
, a mid-size shopping mall with a large number of major retail outlets, including branches of Kmart
Kmart Australia
Kmart Australia Limited is a discount department store chain owned by Wesfarmers. It operates 172 stores in Australia and 15 in New Zealand, with its head office located in Mulgrave, Victoria. Wesfarmers uses the Kmart name under licence from Sears Holdings Corporation.-History:Kmart Australia...
, Coles
Coles Supermarkets
Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741...
and Woolworths and several banks. Many more commercial outlets surround the centre, including a large Bunnings Warehouse
Bunnings Warehouse
Bunnings Warehouse is Australia's largest hardware chain with stores in Australia and New Zealand. The chain is owned by Wesfarmers Limited.-History:-Pre 1900s:...
, a post office, two service stations and Toyota, Ford and Holden
Holden
GM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
car dealerships.
A strip of restaurants and take-away outlets are situated directly west of the main Ocean Keys building, including branches of Chicken Treat
Chicken Treat
Chicken Treat is an Australian barbecue chicken fast food restaurant chain that originated in 1974 in Perth, Western Australia and later expanded throughout Australia....
, KFC
KFC
KFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. KFC has been a brand and operating segment, termed a concept of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Tricon Global...
, Hungry Jack's
Hungry Jack's
Hungry Jack's Pty Ltd, often colloquially abbreviated to HJ's, Hungry's or Hungie's, is the exclusive Australian master fast food franchisee of Burger King Corporation. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Competitive Foods Australia, a privately held company owned by Jack Cowin...
, Wokinabox, Subway
Subway (restaurant)
Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...
, Eagle Boys Pizza, Sushi Noodle World and Masala Indian Restaurant. The Whale+Ale pub and restaurant is also nearby and is the main hub for nightlife in the suburb at weekends, while the Somerly Central Medical Centre provides medical facilities.
There is an abundance of entertainment and leisure facilities around Clarkson. Over ten parks are located throughout the suburb, the two main ones being Anthony Waring Park and Richard Aldersea Park in the centre of the suburb. Anthony Waring Park is the largest by area and features sporting facilities. Many smaller parks around Somerly include playgrounds and free barbecue areas for families. The Clarkson Youth Centre, near Ocean Keys, functions as a community centre and is also part of a wider youth precinct, incorporating a skate park and BMX tracks. Nearby is also the Clarkson Library, one of four public libraries in the Wanneroo area.
Clarkson also accommodates the Clarkson Police Station, which serves all surrounding suburbs from Tamala Park to Butler and Jindalee.. A Western Power
Western Power
Western Power Corporation , owned by the Government of Western Australia, was Western Australia's major electricity supplier from 1995 through 2006...
electricity substation
Electrical substation
A substation is a part of an electrical generation, transmission, and distribution system. Substations transform voltage from high to low, or the reverse, or perform any of several other important functions...
is located off Hester Avenue in the north-east of the suburb, near the Joondalup railway line. Telephone services are provided by the Mindarie & Quinns Rocks telephone exchanges.
Education
Two state K-7Education in Australia
Education in Australia is primarily the responsibility of the states and territories. Each state or territory government provides funding and regulates the public and private schools within its governing area. The federal government helps fund the public universities, but is not involved in setting...
primary schools are established in Clarkson, serving different parts of the suburb. Clarkson Primary School is the oldest established school and caters to western Clarkson, while Somerly Primary School serves the Somerly estate in the east. Students also have the option of St. Andrew's Catholic Primary School, a private Catholic school located next to St. Andrew's Catholic Church.
Clarkson also accommodates Clarkson Community High School, a large Year 8-12 state high school established in 1996. As it is the only state high school in the vicinity (other than the 11-12 Mindarie Senior College
Mindarie Senior College
Mindarie Senior College is a state senior high school located in the northern suburb of Mindarie, Perth, Western Australia.Flexible hours offer students the ability to experience learning through placements at University, TAFE, or in the workforce. The college offers a wide choice of courses for...
), it covers a large catchment area, extending up to Butler and Jindalee in the north. In 2010, Trades North, a TAFE campus specializing in skilled trades
Craft
A craft is a branch of a profession that requires some particular kind of skilled work. In historical sense, particularly as pertinent to the Medieval history and earlier, the term is usually applied towards people occupied in small-scale production of goods.-Development from the past until...
and apprenticeships, was built next to the high school and opened for the 2011 school year. It is part of the West Coast Institute of Training
West Coast Institute of Training
West Coast Institute of Training is the TAFE institute servicing the northern suburbs of Perth, Western Australia...
in Joondalup.
Transport
Marmion AvenueMarmion Avenue
Marmion Avenue is a major arterial road in Perth, Western Australia, designated State Route 71.It runs through the northern coastal suburbs of Perth from the end of West Coast Highway in Trigg and Karrinyup, to the outer northern suburb of Yanchep...
is the main arterial road that links Clarkson to Joondalup and the rest of suburban Perth. Connolly Drive also runs parallel to Marmion Avenue through the middle of Clarkson, approximately a kilometre to the east, and into Kinross
Kinross, Western Australia
Kinross is a small suburb in the City of Joondalup located in the northern suburbs of Perth, Australia. Kinross was constructed around 1992-3 in various stages. It is bordered by Neerabup National Park, and is the City of Joondalup's most northerly suburb....
and Currambine
Currambine, Western Australia
Currambine is a northern suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, and is located 30 km north of Perth's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Joondalup. It contains the Currambine Market Place shopping centre and cinema complex.-History:Currambine...
.
Wanneroo RoadWanneroo Road
Wanneroo Road is an important arterial road in Perth, Australia. It is about 75 kilometres long. It links Perth with the City of Wanneroo, and the Towns of Yanchep and Lancelin...
is nearby and can be accessed via Hester Avenue, Clarkson's northern boundary road.
There are no other roads into Clarkson and surrounding suburbs, due to the location of Tamala Park to the south, which creates a 2 km bushland
Bushland
Bushland is any area in Australia that is predominantly indigenous flora and fauna.Bushland is the term commonly used by conservation protection groups and other environmental groups as a blanket term for natural vegetation, which may cover any kind of habitat from open shrubby country with few...
buffer between Clarkson and Joondalup. Plans exist to extend the
Mitchell FreewayMitchell Freeway
Mitchell Freeway is a long freeway in Perth, Western Australia, linking Perth's central business district with its outer northern suburbs. It is allocated Route 2 for its entire length and is named after former state Premier and Governor Sir James Mitchell....
to Clarkson from its current terminus at Burns Beach Road in Currambine
Currambine, Western Australia
Currambine is a northern suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, and is located 30 km north of Perth's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Joondalup. It contains the Currambine Market Place shopping centre and cinema complex.-History:Currambine...
, with exits to the suburb at Neerabup Road and Hester Avenue.
Public transport
Clarkson acts as the public transport hub for all suburbs north of Tamala Park, with bus and rail links to Joondalup and a direct rail link to Perth. The Clarkson railway stationClarkson railway station, Perth
Clarkson is a Transperth bus and train station located north of Perth, Western Australia, in the suburb of Clarkson. It presently serves as the terminus for the Joondalup Line. It is located east of Ocean Keys Shopping Centre....
on the Joondalup line was built in 2004 in south-east Clarkson and is currently the terminus of the line.
Path Transit
Path Transit
Path Transit is a transport company operating 320 buses in Perth, Australia since 1996.It has depots in :* Bayswater* MalagaPath Transit also provides rental of vehicles for private functions.-Vehicles:...
operate the following bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
routes from Clarkson station, to all surrounding suburbs.
- 474 - Clarkson to Joondalup via KinrossKinross, Western AustraliaKinross is a small suburb in the City of Joondalup located in the northern suburbs of Perth, Australia. Kinross was constructed around 1992-3 in various stages. It is bordered by Neerabup National Park, and is the City of Joondalup's most northerly suburb....
and CurrambineCurrambine, Western AustraliaCurrambine is a northern suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, and is located 30 km north of Perth's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Joondalup. It contains the Currambine Market Place shopping centre and cinema complex.-History:Currambine... - 481 - Clarkson to Quinns Rocks (south) via Mindarie
- 482 - Clarkson to Quinns Rocks (north) via Mindarie
- 483 - Clarkson to Butler (west) via Merriwa
- 484 - Clarkson to Butler (east) via Ridgewood
- 490 - Clarkson to Two RocksTwo Rocks, Western AustraliaTwo Rocks is an outer suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located 61 kilometres north of Perth's central business district. It is part of the City of Wanneroo local authority and straddles the northernmost boundaries of the Perth metropolitan area....
via YanchepYanchep, Western AustraliaYanchep is an outer coastal suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located 56 kilometres north of Perth's central business district. It is part of the City of Wanneroo local government area. It was built by entrepreneur Alan Bond in the 1970s for the 1977 America's Cup...
Politics
There is one polling booth in Clarkson, at Clarkson Community High School. Along with its neighbouring suburbs, Clarkson is part of the Mindarie electoral districtElectoral district of Mindarie
The Electoral district of Mindarie is a Legislative Assembly electorate in the state of Western Australia. The district is named for the outer northern Perth suburb of Mindarie which falls within its borders.-History:...
. At the federal level it was formerly part of the Pearce federal division
Division of Pearce
The Division of Pearce is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Western Australia. It is located to the east and north of Perth, taking in the rural areas adjoining the Perth metropolitan area to the south-east, east and north-east, then sweeping around to the Indian Ocean where it...
, but was transferred to Moore
Division of Moore
The Division of Moore is an Australian electoral division in the state of Western Australia. Eligible voters within the Division elect a single representative, known as the member for Moore, to the Australian House of Representatives...
, along with Mindarie and Neerabup, as of 2010.
Clarkson has traditionally been an Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
stronghold since the early 2000s in State elections, in line with many northern Perth suburbs. At federal level, the voting is much less clear-cut, with both major parties gaining consecutive election victories in the suburb since 2001.