Suburb spotlight – Morley

The garden city

Just a stone’s throw from the CBD, Morley is quickly becoming one of the most exciting suburbs in Perth’s north.

In fact, it is close to nearly everything. A mere 8km from the city, another 8km to the airport, and right next to Tonkin Highway and Reid Highway linking the suburb in all directions, as well as Ashfield Industrial Precinct.

The City of Bayswater has been placing an increased focus on Morley in recent years, with plans in motion to redevelop the suburb into something new, modern and exciting.

Morley is a part of The Western Australian Planning Commission’s Directions 2031 and Beyond Strategy, with the area identified as a strategic city centre.

The Morley City Centre Masterplan notes the area’s potential to emerge as a strategic city centre that is lively, prosperous and beautiful.

The plan provides the framework for an attractive city centre that will increase business and employment, while also making the suburb more attractive for residents with enhanced housing choices, greener streets and walkable landscapes.

“The area of Morley is roughly 10sq km,” City of Bayswater Central Ward Councillor Sally Palmer said.

“We have a very diverse population, a good cultural cross section, which is really exciting – they say the average age is 37 years.

“One of the greatest things about Morley – and this is why it is such a great community – is we have 14 per cent of the population who are volunteers in some way or another in the suburb.”

The area is focusing on a few priorities going forward, but what is apparent to even those not from the suburb is its commitment to green spaces.

“Through our ethos of a garden city, verge planting has been an exciting thing in Morley,” Ms Palmer said.

“People are now allowed to plant on their verges without the red tape.

“Within Morley there are about 40 reserves, in the middle of a 10sq km radius, that would be more than most cities in the world.

“It is absolutely prime land for family living and for growth.”

Another key factor is designing the suburb around walkability.

“Within walking distance from Galleria Shopping Centre is Coventry Village, and walking distance from there is the Morley Sports and Recreation Centre – it is a really exciting walking activity area,” Ms Palmer said.

While the suburb has well-connected bus services with the Morley Bus Station, the new Morley-Ellenbrook Metronet line will only increase the connectivity of the suburb internally, as well as to the surrounding suburbs.

The new railway station on Tonkin Highway will finally give the suburb a train station that many have been asking for, and with Infrastructure Australia adding the Morley-Ellenbrook line to its Infrastructure Priority List, it seems more change is on the horizon for this garden city.

From humble beginnings to a household name

Around since the 60s in one form or another, Charlie’s Fresh Food Market has been serving the growing and diversifying community of Morley for decades.

Originally a small milk bar, about 65sqm with wooden floorboards and shelves filled to the brim with Italian delicacies – and called C&R Tricoli – the storefront has slowly expanded over the decades into the shopping centre it is today.

“The shop’s name is called Charlie’s because my dad’s name is Carmelo Tricoli, but mostly back then all of the Australians called him Charlie,” Mel Tricoli said.

Mr Tricoli and his brother Sam have taken over the reins at the shop, and while it has grown in size and concept, the store has been virtually on the same corner since its inception.

“It is a second-generation business now,” Mr Tricoli said. “My dad is in his 80s, but still works with us a couple of days a week. Myself and my older brother manage and run the business.

“Predominantly we had a really strong Italian following in the 60s and 70s, which then grew out to a more European base.

“Our demographic is now more of a mixture, it is not just purely aimed at the Italian market – the foods we carry are well received by everyone.

“We have second and third generation customers coming through, so the people in their 80s that knew me as a young child will ask how my parents are, and they might be with their children or their grandchildren.”

From its small beginnings, Charlie’s Fresh Food Market is now a one-stop centre popular with not just locals, but the wider community.

And it is this community that has been a contributing factor as to why they have stuck around all these years.

While Morley has changed quite a bit since the 60s, with shopping centres, highway extensions and the like changing it into a bustling suburb, for plenty of local residents, Charlie’s is the place for them.

“We have known people who have come into the store every day for the past 30 years, and for us it is more than just running a business – it has almost become part of our family.”

Proximity and affordability key to Morley’s success

For those who want everything in reaching distance, Morley might be suburb for you, according to Ray White Whiteman and Associates Principal David Whiteman.

On top of growing up near the suburb, Mr Whiteman has 30 years of real estate experience under his belt in the region.

“In terms of proximity to the Perth CBD, Morley is just a few suburbs away. It is really close to Perth,” he said.

“In addition to this, with the new Tonkin Highway roadworks, it is probably only a 10-minute drive from Morley to Perth airport, if that.”

A multi-award winning agent, Mr Whiteman has become the go-to agent in the area and said because of its close proximity, Morley was popular with fly-in, fly-out workers and others who used the airport often, alongside plenty of families.

And for those living in the area, many were likely enticed by the affordability.

“It is really central and it is really affordable – good value for money,” Mr Whiteman said.

“In Morley you can get a really beautiful home in the high $500,000s and $600,000s, the affordability card shines brightly.”

Mr Whiteman said while the suburb was affordable, housing prices had been somewhat insulated as the suburb remained well sought-after.

“Because of the geography of where it sits, Morley has always been somewhat insulated,” he said.

“That is not to say it has not been hit over the past five years like every other suburb has, but not to the same extent, because it has the infrastructure and those important things that people need.

“It has done really well over the past little while and it remains sought-after.”

Mr Whiteman said the infrastructure present in the suburb, from the shopping centres and markets to the expansive reserves, was a key factor in people’s enjoyment of the suburb.

“I grew up in a suburb just over from Morley, I played cricket and basketball at the Morley Sports and Recreation Centre and so forth, those sorts of things really make people feel comfortable to stay in an area,” he said

“Morley is really well looked after and catered for in terms of shopping, business and amenities, and the city centre is quite considerable.”

Mr Whiteman also said the suburb had a good mix of housing, from more densely populated areas to bigger and more family-orientated blocks.