Transport collection

The Nyungar Mooro people walked the tracks, or bidi, for thousands of years before European settlement - across many kilometres of Country following the six seasons. Some of these tracks later became the roads that were to transport horses, carts and the early cars.

European visitors to the Western Australian coastline 400 years ago include the Dutch, who were using the Roaring 40's winds to reach Batavia, now Jakarta, in the former Dutch colony of the East Indies to trade spices. The French were later visitors, on scientific expeditions to map and chart while making studies of fauna and flora. The Americans came chasing whales and seals on the West Australian coastline making long journeys from Nantucket. The English arrived in Western Australia by sea in 1826 and the Swan River Colony began to grow. Henry Trigg emigrated in 1829 aboard the Lotus and took up a large land grant. The suburb of Trigg is named for him. Edward Hamersley arrived in 1836, and he set up a horse breeding business, capitalising on the economics of the transportation of the era, building houses around the North Beach area.

By 1871 the City of Stirling formed part of a 647-square-kilometre area governed by the Perth Road Board. At that time, the total population across Western Australia accounted for just 25,000 people. The area managed by the Perth Road Board was either rural or completely undeveloped and included land areas that would later become the cities of Wanneroo, Bayswater, and Belmont. During its first 20 years, the Perth Road Board focused on constructing and repairing roads and bridges. A makeshift road made from wooden planks connected isolated coastal rural areas to Scarborough and Innaloo. That plank road was an early version of Scarborough Beach Road.

Early residents faced extremely harsh conditions and suffered considerable hardship in their efforts to develop and farm the Western Australian bushland. At this time, the long-gone Balcatta Hotel on Wanneroo Road would offer respite for travellers returning from the challenging north-west stock route. The goldrush brought an influx of investment and opportunity, and the Tramways Act of 1885 led to the Perth Electric Tramways company developing networks from Hay Street to Osborne Park, extending as new land was released. Beaufort Street through Mount Lawley was a major artery, with trams later being replaced by trolley buses in the 1950's.

In July 1961, the Local Government Act 1960 was passed, with road boards becoming shires and uniform legislation put in place to govern cities, towns, and shires. That same year, the Perth Road Board became the Shire of Perth with a population of approximately 84,000 people. A decade later, the Shire of Perth was renamed the City of Stirling in 1971, with its population almost doubled to 160,000 people. The changes to become a city, coincided with the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the original Perth Road Board.

The Transport Collection contains images and objects that reflect the changing technologies leading to improvements in travel around the City of Stirling. It is also a reflection on the distances that are travelled in this large City, and the journeys that many people have taken from across the world to arrive here in the City of Stirling and make it their home.

The Mount Flora Regional Museum has a unique display of objects and items from the Scarborough Bus Company.

The original Scarbough Bus can be seen if you visit Whiteman Park and the Bus Preservation Society of Western Australia.

International D35B (SBS15) - BPSWA (INC)

The plank road remnants are historically significant to the City of Stirling, with main thoroughfares such as Balcatta Road and Scarbough Beach Road being constructed of timber. There is an excellent book available for sale in the Mt Flora Regional Museum or for loan at the City of Stirling Libraries on the topic.

Along the plank road : through Njookenbooroo to Scarborough Beach.

The Balcatta Road wood blocks were removed to make way for the modern asphalt in the 1950's and they were placed on display in the grounds of the Old Mill, South Perth, instigated by Sir Lance Brisbane.