Yanchep Beach Road Explained

Type:road
Road Name:Yanchep Beach Road
State:wa
Length:6
Direction A:East
Direction B:West
End A: Wanneroo Road, Indian Ocean Drive (State Route 60)
End B:Two Rocks Road, Brazier Road
Est:1970s
Through:Yanchep
Exits:Marmion Avenue

Yanchep Beach Road is an east-west road in outer northern Perth; it provides access to the outermost northern coastal suburbs of Yanchep and Two Rocks from Wanneroo Road as it leaves the Perth metropolitan area. The road is mostly a single carriageway with one lane in each direction, and commences in the Yanchep National Park near Lake Yonderup. It was built in the early 1970s to service land owned by the Bond Corporation and became a vital route during the operation of Atlantis Marine Park between 1981 and 1990. It has decreased in importance following the opening of the Marmion Avenue extension to Yanchep in 2008.

Intersections

The first 2 km are located within the Yanchep National Park, which contains sites of Aboriginal significance, caves, picnic facilities and a small museum, and the first turnoff provides access to Loch McNess in the park. After crossing the proposed alignment of Mitchell Freeway and passing an old general store, it skirts an 18-hole golf course, Sun City Country Club, before intersecting with St Andrews Drive, which provides access to the residential area adjoining the golf course. A small industrial estate is located just outside Yanchep.

Yanchep Beach Road enters Yanchep at a large roundabout with Marmion Avenue, which until 2008 was simply a 300-metre-long suburban road. The road then forms the northern boundary of the settlement for 1 km, terminating at Two Rocks Road, which continues on to Club Capricorn and Two Rocks.

The eastern end of the road does not quite join with the Old Yanchep Road which is aligned with the original entrance to the park slightly further north.

History

People have travelled to the coast along the route since at least the 1920s. The Wanneroo Road Board in the 1930s endeavoured to improve what was basically a sand track.[1] [2]

The historic Vaz's Store, located midway along Yanchep Beach Road, has serviced the needs of travellers along the road since that time. It has been in continual use, and currently has a petrol station in front of the heritage listed shop building.[3]

Notes and References

  1. News: YANCHEP BEACH ROAD. . . Perth . 26 May 1934 . 4 January 2014 . 14 . National Library of Australia.
  2. News: Yanchep Beach Road. . . Perth . 27 November 1938 . 4 January 2014 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  3. Web site: Vaz's Store (site). City of Wanneroo. State Heritage Office, Heritage Council, Government of Western Australia. 3 January 2014. 9 September 2013.