The Eight Villages of Ellenbrook
Since 1994, Ellenbrook has grown from a bold vision into a vibrant reality. Today it is a place where businesses thrive, schools flourish and a diverse community has grown, one village at a time.
Ellenbrook is named after Lady Ellen Stirling (nee Mangles), the wife of Perth’s first Lieutenant Governor, Sir James Stirling. The nearby creek of Ellen Brook was also named after Lady Ellen by Captain Stirling. The town has been designed to reflect Ellen’s style – vibrant, welcoming, engaging, spirited and playful.
Ellenbrook has been master-planned as a town of eight self-supporting villages surrounding a modern town centre. Each village offers its own individual style, yet sits harmoniously alongside the others in a way that is uniquely ‘Ellenbrook’.
Woodlake
One of the key attributes of Ellenbrook is the provision of an enhanced natural environment. The area where Woodlake now exists was a sand quarry before it was transformed into Ellenbrook’s first village.
The local surrounding community was consulted prior to development and were asked what type of development they would like to see in the area. Two options were presented and the community selected a smaller, more naturally shaped body of water as the main feature of the village.
Over 10,000 trees have been planted at Woodlake during development, with the aim of returning the landscape to a state similar to what it might have been prior to the sand quarry.
Street names in the village are all native Australian plants and birds, reflecting the ‘return to nature’ theme of the village.
The Bridges
Theming for The Bridges draws design inspiration from the Mediterranean. In keeping with this theme many of the plants used in the public open spaces are native to this part of the world. The central feature of the village is two Italian–styled bridges that cross Lake Fresca.
All streets in the village are named after towns along the Mediterranean coastline, mainly in France and Italy.
Coolamon
The theming for this village is contemporary Australian – ‘Coolamon’ is an Aboriginal word meaning ‘vessel’.
A coolamon is a carrying implement used for holding food, water and even babies.
Coolamon was the first village in Ellenbrook where the majority of the lots were developed on an east–west or north-south axis to take advantage of solar energy efficiencies.
The streets in Coolamon are all named after pastoral leases in Western Australia and Queensland.
Morgan Fields
Morgan Fields is located south of Gnangara Road and sits within a semi-rural area of five-acre allotments historically associated with agistment of horses.
In keeping with this theme, the village was named after the hardworking American horse, the Morgan.
On the western and southern boundaries, half-acre lots were developed to provide a suitable transition between the five-acre rural lots and the more urban, traditional (500 – 750sqm) and cottage (300 – 450sqm) lots at the centre of the village. All street names continue an equestrian theme.
Charlotte's Vineyard
The theming for this village draws inspiration from the Swan Valley and the charm of Guildford, both of which were settled early in the history of Western Australia. The village is named after Charlotte Davis. Charlotte is claimed to have been a member of the first white family to establish the Swan River Colony. She was just two years old and was carried ashore by a sailor.
In keeping with the historical references all street names in Charlotte’s Vineyard are taken from the book “On the Swan” by Michael Bourke, which documents the early days of the Swan District.
Malvern Springs
The theme for Malvern Springs is based around the concept of healthy living for both nature and residents. The village name comes from both the town of Greater Malvern and the Malvern Hills on the Welsh border. Greater Malvern is a former ‘spa town’ where Victorians ‘took the waters’ for their health. These natural mineral water springs inspired the name Malvern Springs.
Street names within Malvern Springs reflect a sustainable design approach with each street named after wetlands or waterways of either national or international significance.
Lexia
The name Lexia comes from the nearby wetlands as well as the Lexia grape, reflecting both the natural setting: the wetlands and greater setting of the village: the Swan Valley.
The village is linked to the nearby Lexia wetlands by a series of natural trails and each street is named after Australian parks and reserves.
Annie's Landing
Annie’s Landing is Ellenbrook’s eighth and final village.
It takes its name from Anne (Annie) Frances Elizabeth Hamersley; the wife of William Brockman, a pastoralist and stockbreeder who, together with Ensign Dale, discovered the Avon Valley in July 1830.
The design of the village draws inspiration from the beautiful Avon Valley, with street names reflecting this theme.
The final ever blocks are now selling in Annie's Landing.