Swan View Gazetted August 1895

128 years ago the locality of Swan View was gazetted. Morrison Road, once known as Boundary Road was the northern end of Sir James Stirling's Woodbridge Estate. The land was later purchased by Henry Brockman. The Blackboy Hill and Blackboy Flat sections were later purchased by an estate agent James Morrison but nothing significant happened until 1894 when the government instigated the survey of 51 Greenmount Tunnel suburban blocks which became a subdivision with the name Swan View suggested by the then surveyor F.S. Brockman.

Swan View Station Signal Box 1934

21 lots were sold at auction for three pounds per acre and thereafter were scenes of a miniature land boom. Morrison’s Blackboy Flat section which stretched from Stirling Road to Bushby Street in Midvale was subdivided and sold. Swan View residents were scattered throughout the area and predominately orchardists, vignerons, and poultry farmers. Mr J.H. Bucknell was winning prizes at shows all over the State with birds such as Bantams, Indian Runner Ducks, and Black Orpingtons bred at his property in Swan View. It took until 1905 before there were significant inhabitants for Swan View to rate a mention in the W.A.Postal Directory.

Black Orpington Chickens

Urban development in Swan View did not grow until after the Second World War and the local population didn’t increase enough until 1954 to need a Primary School building.

Prior to this lessons were held in the old hall at Brown Park. At this hall school took place in the daytime and at night there were dances for the soldiers who were camped at Blackboy Hill.

Swan View Senior High School commenced in 1977 The school started with 346 year 8s and 9sThe first year 10class graduate in 1978.

The first Swan View Show was in 1948 and we have some of the original show booklets but are keen to find out more about this local event.