lewandkate

Hi,
Hope some you nice people can help. We fly over 6weeks today
Have been looking at real estate in and around the Kwinana area. Can anyone tell me what the schools are like? which areas are nicer i.e Leda, Calista etc?

Thanks
Kate

nickyjohnt

Not sure about surrounding suburbs but Kwinana is quite industrialized, refineries and a lot of factories, Lots of nice areas about 20 kms further south. Sorry cannot be more helpful.

John

Bix

Think it's a major shipping spot for bulk ores.

GinaUK

Will you or your husband be working at Kwinana? If you've got jobs there, I can understand you would want to live close by. But if you have a choice in the matter, live as faaaaar away from it as you can.

It is a HUGE BP refinery, in fact, it is Australia's largest oil refinery. It covers a large area - goes on for miles and miles. There are big issues with pollution, and stories about people having illnesses - and the powers that be saying it has nothing to do with the plant.

Perth's desalination plant is also at Kwinana.

And if that's not enough there is also a plant that produces moten iron ore, i.e. a smelting plant belching out all kinds of "stuff" into the atmosphere. An HIsmelt newletter proudly proclaims that they produce 800,000 tonnes of iron a year. No doubt that's great for them - but not so great if you live nearby and breathe in all the smoke/fumes/pollutants etc.

In 2006, *they* also started building a Power station there (for generating electricity) - not sure if that's been finished yet.

The above are just some of the bigger "things" at Kwinana. There are also many smaller companies operating there.

Over all, if you have a choice, you may not want to live there and bring children to that kind of heavy industrial environment.

Gina

Amazulu

Not the best area that's for sure although there are some nice areas nearby. Kwinana is very industrialised and a lot of the suburbs are considered to be rough.

cedar cottage

Hi Kate, there are a couple of areas in Kwinana that are hilly and full of trees. Kwinana High school has had an excellent reputation for almost all of the 14 years I have been in the area. Not to sure about now as they have had changes of Principles. If someone is working in the Kwinana Industrial area, I would suggest Rockingham or Mandurah. Baldivis is also a good option a good school there as well. If the kids are high school age and are into football the Safety Bay High School has an excellent Soccer programme. We are in Rockingham and love it. My 14 year old daughter is at the football academy at Safety Bay and she loves it. Hope this helps. Suzette. Whatever you decide ask as much as you can before you commit to ANYTHING.

lewandkate

Thanks for the replies
We don't know much about the area so its hard til we get there. Also we dont want to be as far down as Mandurah.
We thought of Kwinana as its got lots of run down houses that need refurbishment (which OH will do) Hopefully make us a few bob.

Kate and Lew

sunbather

The industrial part is actually right on the coast and is a good 10-15 minutes drive away from Kwinana housing and schools etc. There are no problems locally as far as the pollution is concerned, most the the waste is blown further up the coast.

The surrounding areas are more traditional and have larger blocks and established gardens with old native trees, rather than the new legoland sprawls that are around other areas. Depends really if you want to be living amongst a load of poms, or if you would rather integrate into the true Australian community.

lewandkate

Thanks Sunbather,
We dont want to live in legoland, we would prefer an older style house and to live alongside aussies not brits, as if that was the case we wouldn't be leaving Essex!
What areas are better in Kwinana Leda, calista or parmelia? Just to give us an idea what to look at when we get there

Kate

cedar cottage

Calista is the older area. The prices there have jumped nearly 50% in the last 12 months. Large blocks, older houses. It is true about the muck, it all blows over freo and perth. Suzette.

markaren

I dont think your find to many run down propertys now, and its not a very good area really, I would look at rockingham baldivas, or Mandurah houses have really shot up now and even run down they cost a lot, so you cant make that much money on them, and if its really cheap there will be a reason for it, sometimes no amount of work will make it worth it, your just have problems selling it on.

BullcreekBob

G'day

If I were moving to Perth now with not much money and I wanted to make some money in this real estate market, I would buy in Kwinana. Sure it still has a few problems but it's a very good long term proposition. Possibly the best growth of any on Perth's outlying towns.

Ignore the posts from people who are getting the Kwinana industrial strip mixed up with the township of Kwinana, they are just demonstrating their lack of knowledge of the area.

Go for it !!!!

Cheers
Bob in Bull Creek

lewandkate

Thanks Bob,
Atlast a not so negative vibe! I think we will definately give it ago a see if there is money to be made in the area. We are taking very little money over with us as we rent our house out at the moment.

We also like Bull Creek and South Lake but as you know there more expensive.

Thanks Again Bob

Kate

sunbather

Still loads of old places around all those suburbs you mention. Some of them it could well even be worth buying it so you have the block and then knock down and rebuild.

The area generally has a bad name with SOR residents, but the majority of crimes that are reported in the local newspaper are generally around Rockingham, Port Kennedy, or Warnbro.

They are in the middle of knocking down Kwinana high school, rebuilding it and renaming it Gilmore College. Each year there are children who leave there who are amongst the top students in the state. I know, because my oldest nephew was one and received a Uni grant and lunch with the Premier for his efforts. His younger brother is headed in teh same direction.

I am going to question my sister later on about which suburb is the best. She has lived here for 20 years and has properties in 3 of the suburbs you mention. We live round here too but have only been here a year. I love coming home to my garden with trees, parrots and lizards and hving a chat with my Aussie neighbours. Well ok we only know next door, but that's a start

Three Legs

Great growth area particularly with the new rail line hooking up.

Anywhere SOR within a 15 minute drive of the new stations would be a good investment.

However, SOR ain't for us ... It's a POM thang