Bell and Churchill Parks

Statement of Significance

• The place has aesthetic value as an attractive urban park, in a prominent location along Rockingham Beach, and features over 100 trees planted in wide avenues.
• The place has historic value for its association with the beautification of the Rockingham Beach foreshore, begun in the 1920s.
• The place has social value for the community who have used the public park lining the popular beachfront for many decades.

Physical Description

Grassy foreshore park with a number of picnic pavilions, interpretation and historic artefacts. The park is populated with mature trees and provides access to both the beach via steps and the main café strip along Rockingham Beach Road. Churchill Park forms part of the green edge to the foreshore through this part of Rockingham and interconnects with Bell Park to the north east of the parking area. The two parks extend from Railway Terrace to the south west to Wanliss Street to the north east. Additional parkland then extends along the foreshore to Victoria Street.
Churchill Park is home to the Jarrah Logs, which were felled in the surrounding districts and transported to Rockingham by rail ready for export around the turn of the turn of the 19th century and now form part of the interpretation of the timber industry and its contribution to economy of Rockingham.
Bell Park is a continuation of the foreshore parks along Rockingham Beach Road with an avenue of Peppermint trees, children play equipment and picnic areas.

History

From early in the 20th century Rockingham developed as a holiday resort. This expanded during the 1920s when a rapid increase in motor transport placed Rockingham within easy reach of ‘day trippers’ from the City. Fortuitously for Rockingham’ s development as a leisure resort, the Rockingham Hotel was just outside the thirty mile limit from Perth, which was the liquor licensing boundary, outside of which more liberal regulations applied. This situation led to the expansion of small businesses in the town, with shops, tearooms, an amusement arcade, tennis courts, a bowling green and a dance hall built to cater for an influx of motorists, bus travellers and boaters.
In 1915, a beautification programme was implemented on the beachfront, with trees planted by James Bell along Marine Terrace. It was in the area between Marine Terrace and the sea that campers pitched tents, as they did at Safety Bay and Kwinana. More trees and grass was planted in the area in the 1940s. It was not until the 1950s, however, that this beachside reserve was established as permanent park land. In 1957, Churchill Park was made an ‘A’ Class Reserve.
The name Bell Park was chosen to honour James Bell who instigated the planting or trees in the park. The origin of the name 'Churchill Park' is in recognition of former Prime Minister of Great Britain, Sir Winston Churchill.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High Degree
Authenticity: High Degree

Condition

Excellent

Uses

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.