Stirling

This page contains information on the history of the suburb of Stirling, including residential growth and community development.

History

The suburb of Stirling was named after Admiral Sir James Stirling, who explored and colonised the Swan River and was the first Governor of Western Australia. Stirling was originally an extension of the Osborne Park market garden area, with the fertile swampy land used for rural purposes. The locality remained part of Osborne Park until 1976, when it was officially gazetted as Stirling.

Subdivision commenced in 1978 and continued throughout the 1980s and 1990s, with small pockets of land still being built upon today. Stirling is now almost completely developed and contains several regional facilities.

The Stirling Regional Centre includes the Stirling Civic Gardens subdivision, City of Stirling civic complex and crosses the Mitchell Freeway to include the Stirling train station and reaches as far as the Innaloo shopping and commercial precinct on Scarborough Beach Road. The future development of the Stirling Regional Centre will also add to the strategic importance of the area.

Residential development

Residential development occurred rapidly in Stirling after the subdivision of land. Single detached dwellings on relatively large lots dominate the suburb. The majority of houses are of modern brick construction. The design of many houses reflects Southern European influences and there is also a high proportion of 2-storey residences. There are some older homes adjacent to Osborne Park Hospital that date from the 1970s.

Community development

The Stirling Village shopping centre contains a supermarket and numerous specialty shops to provide for retail and commercial needs within the suburb. There are also a number of smaller stores scattered throughout Stirling that serve daily grocery requirements.

The many parks and reserves in the suburb cater for active and passive recreation and contain facilities ranging from sports fields to children's play equipment and lawn bowls.