Hester Park - Bird life & black swans!

So we took the dog again today for a run down at the lovely Hester Park, and stopped this time to get some pics of the river! For any kayak enthusiasts, you will know this is a perfect launching spot with some beautiful scenery along the waterways. Even in this hot weather- the water was at good depth and the bird life very active!

In the past we have seen muscovy, mallard and other native ducks and geese. Often there are heron and kookaburras around if you are there at the right time of day. The properties on the eastern side are very lucky and often have the bird life wandering up out of the water on to the grassy banks.

After watching the ducks for a short while, we were spoiled to spot some Black Swans paddling peacefully amongst the other bird life. 

What an absolute treasure.
Forever 6108!

Hester Park

Today I wanted to blog on an often misunderstood area of Thornlie (or perhaps Langford) - that is, our Hester Park!

Cornering Spencer and Nicholson road, just down from the Nicholson Rd Bridge, it is a spacious and open park that consists of two large ovals, a river (yes a river!) and some lovely bushland.

I often walk our dog down here as it is quiet and secluded...which often attracts unsavoury behaviour. But this I believe is just a consequence of the neglect and lack of local governments interest and investment in the park, a view shared by Bill Johnston in early 2013.
Hester Park; A Site of Neglect

When visit here, I am overwhelmed by the beauty and tranquility of the place, despite its excessive litter and dry landscape. The river is just beautiful, and the fresh air and trees are refreshing and aesthetic.

Contrasting with this is the lack of facilities (public toilets for one), the carpark riddled with potholes and just the sense of derelict decay.

As Thornlie folk, we must treasure this area and appreciate its assets. Should it be developed into housing, we would lose a special and historical area that holds so much value to wildlife and dog walkers alike.

I'd like us all to make the time to use and value this asset, for even in its current state, the sun still shines on this beautiful place. 

Forever 6108!

Spencer Village; How we love thee!

Ahhh, now on to one of my favourite things about Thornlie! Yep- you guessed it, the delicious, the thrifty, the aromatic...... Spencer Village!

Hands down, it must be one of the best places to eat in Perth. If you like your asian food- there is no finer dining hall than Spencer!

Located on Spencer Road opposite the Thornlie train station, it is an absolute gem for the culinary enthusiasts with no fear of the spicy eastern flavours! With fresh meals, lots of cheap dishes and variety to boot- you really cant go wrong! If the atmosphere is any indication, you will be buzzing from the excitement and the crowds of people out on a Thursday.

Tonight we started with the 'must have' pork buns from Fook Kee. At only $1.60 for the small or $4.00 for the large, they are an affordable and highly desirable treat! Unfortunately my picture was too late for the glory of the fresh fluffy warm bun, gorgeously cracking and fresh from the steamer. The sweet bread and the delicious pork filling make for an absolute delight! Whilst waiting for our buns, I stood with some chinese girls. We looked at eachother and laughed with excitement but never spoke a word!

The husband was recommended a chicken egg noodle soup from Miss Saigon (hands down my favourite stall, but I reserve the right to change my mind!) The dish comes either dry or with soup with optional chilli strength. I'm told the broth is 'the best in town' - so soup version it was tonight! At $9.50 its more than enough to fill a hungry man!

I got a little bit greedy and went for another share plate.... this one is a malayan curry sauce with roti from Izyan. They do a delicious selection of Malaysian Kosher dishes and while I was extremely tempted to go for the Nasi Lemak- I decided on something new!

 Ahh, now for my "new dish"... the Har Mee prawn noodle dish again from Izyan! While I was initially tempted by the coriander in the display pictures, I was mildly disappointed that there was none on the plate. But really- who's complaining? The first thing I noticed was that I could actually taste the noodles- thats a change from the overpowering sauces I've doused my noodles with at home. Delicious and fragrant with some fresh chopped chilli- I was not disappointed :)

When all plates are empty, and we were sipping the last of our iced tea, there wasn't much left to say. The smiles on our faces said it well enough.

We'll be back again soon- sooner than we know!

Forever 6108!

Thornlie Square; no ordinary shopping complex!

Today I'm looking into the history and development of the local shops, Thornlie Square.

Original Signage, 1970s

To us modern day Thornlie folk, its just another place to grab your milk and bread with a few novelty stores. Its an easy place ot grab some take away or pop into the IGA which is open until 11pm. There is a gym and a TAB not far away, a bottle shop, a newsagent, a patisserie and a chemist. Coles and IGA have all the grocery essentials and you can easily get a haircut or do your washing at the laundromat.

Frontage in the late 1990s-Early 2000s

I was very lucky to find some photos from 1972 on the State Library of WA's trove heritage database. The photos are retrieved from a brochure designed to advertise the new mall, which according to the City Of Gosnells 'History Of Suburb Names' document was the first air conditioned mall in the state!  

Back in the early 1970s, it was a new shopping development opened before Garden City. Women were excited about the prospects of fashion and textiles available in the suburbs.

Boutique Flair, 1972

With the Crestwood estate being at the forefront of contemporary resident friendly estate design in the 1970's, the two went hand in hand to give Thornlie a suave feeling of opulence. 

Childrens amusement ride 1970s

While the IGA and Coles have come a long way to modernise the shopping experience, there is still a small bakery, Goreys Butchers, the fruit and vegetable shop as well as asian grocers selling a huge range of imported groceries. This is a huge indication on the changing demographic of Thornlie and the multicultural suburb that it has become.

Grocery store(s) 1970s

There Thornlie Square is still very much a family friendly shopping complex with 'The Nearest Cafe', a skate park nearby and small stalls that pop up in the halls selling novelty items and crafts. Occasionally local artitsts and fundraisers will hold a stall for specified causes and it creates an atmosphere where you stop and browse rather than dash in for the shopping.

Thornlie Square 2010's

When you next pop down to pick up that pizza or a late night grocery run, spare a thought for the 40 year history of the "local shops" - seems they've been "the local" for the generations before us!

Forever 6108!

State Library of WA

http://innopac.slwa.wa.gov.au/record=b2418538#

City of Gosnells
www.gosnells.wa.gov.au/

Behind the Blog; Whats its all about?

I thought I'd write this week about.......me!

I wanted to share with you all why it is so important for me to write this blog. Afterall- don't we all have a suburb? Arent these just everyday topics?

Well yes in fact- they are! And thats the very reason I love to do it!

I bought my first home in Thornlie with my husband in August 2012. Like any first home buyers- this was a momentous occasion for us. Our own home!

But it was more than just a home that we bought that day. We bought a street, a set of neighbours, a community of people. We bought a culture, a local servo, a train station and a local park (or three!).

The past (nearly) 12 months has been such an amazing time, meeting people, trying the local restaurants and learning the quirks of our neighborhood! This is something we all experience every day of our lives... but how often do we stop and take it all in?

I have learned to be truelly grateful of the town I call home. I find inspiration from the beauty of the suburb, enjoyment and warmth from the people. I find myself being fascinated to see how the town has changed and how it continues to change!

Thornlie Square - Circa 1970s

Thornlie Square - Modern Day

This is what I hope to share with you.

I am not associated with any business or organisation. There is no commercial motive. I make no money from doing this, and do so only for the love of it.

What I'd like to do by writing this blog, is share with anyone and everyone, the wonderful things about the town of Thornlie. What makes it special- what makes it a unique and magical place to live. I'd like to share the culture and the people, the businesses and the history, so that we can all spend a few moments every now and then appreciating the place we call home.

So thats a little bit about me, and I'll be bringing you a little bit about Thornlie again very soon :)

Forever 6108!

Thornlie Real Estate; Whats the deal?

A quick look at reiwa.com.au or domain.com.au and you will notice that the housing prices in Thornlie aren’t as cheap as they used to be. Only 12 months ago my husband and I were looking to buy in the area and there were many offerings in the cheaper pricing range (under $400k) than there are today.

After buying our home, we found that many of our neighbors were long term Thornlie dwellers and we were so pleased with the presentation of houses in our area. This got me thinking – what is it about Thornlie that has so many people setting themselves up here for life?

I spoke to local real estate agent Nathan Frisina who has been selling homes in Thornlie and the surrounding suburbs for the past 10 years. I asked him why it is exactly that people are interested in buying in the area and why they seem to stay so long.

"Thornlie is an affordable suburb with good infrastructure, shops and parks and is only 18km from the city. It is one of Perth’s largest suburbs and offers a variety of homes from $330,000 - $700,000."

When I asked about the increase in home values, Nathan explained
"Properties in the Thornlie area have increased quite dramatically in the past 12 months. The main reason for the increase in house prices in is that first home buyers have flooded back into the market.

With high rental prices and low interest rates this has encouraged first time buyers to enter the market. The population growth in WA in the past couple of years is also starting to have a positive effect on

house prices."

This is great news for home owners in the area to know that our suburb is recognized for the value it offers. Thornlie is only 20 minutes from the City of Perth with easy access to Roe Hwy, has its own train station and loads of parks and river reserves for recreation.

I went out to photograph the following streetscapes to illustrate the different appearances in the estates. I found many homes were well presented and each estate had its own style. 

Range View Way, Thornlie. Homes here are circa 1950-1960. One of the first residential streets in the Thornlie Area.

Towncentre Drive, Forrest Lakes Estate Thornlie, established in the 1990s and still growing. There is a new development area with house and land packages being built....now!

The gorgeous private Crestwood Estate, Thornlie which was established in the 1970s. All homes back onto parklands that are maintained and managed by the estate. There is also a community pool and centre for use of residents.

Discovery Drive, Castle Glen Estate, Thornlie which was established in the 1980s.

Nathan had the following advice for people looking to buy into the area soon.

"With properties selling so quickly in the area I would recommend contacting some local agents and ask to be put on their mailing lists for newly listed properties as many homes are selling before hitting the internet."

We certainly feel lucky to have bought when we did, and while we have no intention of selling any time soon, it is encouraging to know that the area is valued for the diversity and services it offers. What cannot be captured in pictures is the lush greenery and the charm of the homes, each offering a different flavour of lifestyle. It honours the progression of the suburb and is almost a living history of the area. How lucky we are to live in such a special place!

Forever 6108!

Good Samaritans Stores; Thornlie and Gosnells

In my travels this week, I noticed that not only had the Thornlie Good Samaritan store in Thornlie Square closed down, but also the Cannington store on Albany Hwy.

Being a huge op shopping enthusiast, I was very surprised to see these two stores had closed down in the local area. When I asked a family member who is employed by GSI why this was, he made suggestion that it was due to the lack of community support making the stores no longer viable.

What a shame! We are all so familiar with the yellow and black logo, and of course the Sammy Seal mascot, but apparently there have not been sufficient sales to support the continuation of the stores in the Thornlie and Cannington locations. This seemed to be supported by comments in the 2011-2012 annual report which stated;

"GSI continued to experience major business challenges during the year with the general retail sector dealing with world-wide economic downturn."

GSI Annual Report 2011-2012

There is good news though fellow thrifty folks- the Gosnells store is magnificent and has a huge selection of clothing, furniture and homewares (located at 2288 Albany Hwy). There is parking behind the store and loads of interesting items to browse.

For those who do not know about the Canning Vale store- there is a small outlet run direct from the GSI warehouse on Bannister road that sells everything for one dollar! Yep you read that right- everything is $1. They even have half price days where all items are 50c.

Most stores are so affordable anyway, but this is a great place to drop in and get a bargain.

While everyone loves a bargain- its the work that goes on behind the scenes that really makes the Good Samaritans worthy of all of our support- providing employment opportunities for disabled and handicapped individuals, the free home collection for donations and maintaining the bins around our suburbs. 

There are some wonderful people that work hard to bring these opportunities to those less privileged in our community, so next time you pass a Sammy's store...why not poke your head in and have a look around? It may just make your day!

Forever 6108!

Good Samaritan Industries (UnitingCare)