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Ballajura railway station

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Coordinates: 31°50′56″S 115°55′16″E / 31.849°S 115.921°E / -31.849; 115.921
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Ballajura
A train station platform with shelter
Station platform
General information
LocationBeechboro Road North, Whiteman
Western Australia
Australia
Coordinates31°50′56″S 115°55′16″E / 31.849°S 115.921°E / -31.849; 115.921
Owned byPublic Transport Authority
Operated byPublic Transport Authority
Line(s)     Ellenbrook line
Platforms1 island platform with 2 platform edges
Tracks2
Bus stands12
ConnectionsBus
Construction
Parking1,100 bays
Bicycle facilitiesYes
AccessibleYes
ArchitectWoods Bagot
Other information
Fare zone2
History
Opening8 December 2024 (8 December 2024)
Services
Preceding station Transperth Transperth Following station
Noranda
towards Perth
 Ellenbrook line Whiteman Park
towards Ellenbrook
Location
Map
Location of Ballajura station

Ballajura railway station is a suburban railway station on the Ellenbrook line in Perth, Western Australia. The station is located east of Tonkin Highway, north of Marshall Road, and west of Beechboro Road North, within the rural area of Whiteman, and near the residential areas of Ballajura, Beechboro, and Bennett Springs.

Ballajura station consists of an island platform with entrances to the north and south via a bridge. The contract for the construction of the Ellenbrook line was awarded to Laing O'Rourke in October 2020 and construction began in 2022. By July 2024, construction on the station was complete. The Ellenbrook line opened on 8 December 2024.

There are to be five trains per hour stopping at Ballajura station during peak, reducing to four trains per hour outside peak. A journey to Perth station is expected to take 21 minutes. Feeder bus routes will serve the surrounding area.

Description

[edit]
The entrance to the station from a large covered footbridge
Concourse level before the fare gates
A covered station concourse with lifts to the platform below
Concourse level after the fare gates

Ballajura station is in Whiteman, a north-western suburb of Perth, Western Australia, just outside the eastern boundary of Ballajura. The station is within the area bounded by Tonkin Highway to the west, Marshall Road to the south, and Beechboro Road North to the east and north. The station is on the Ellenbrook line, which is owned by the Public Transport Authority, a state government agency. It is part of the Transperth system.[1] The adjacent stations are Whiteman Park station to the east and Noranda station to the south. The station is within fare zone two.[2]

Ballajura station has a 150-metre long (490 ft) island platform, long enough for a B-series or C-series train. The platform is linked to the north and south by a concourse bridge, which is connected to ground level by lifts and stairs, with provisions for escalators to be built in the future.[1] The platform was initially planned to be in a cutting below ground level with the entrance at the concourse level,[3] but this was changed so that the platform is at ground level.[1] Ballajura station was designed to architecturally fit in with the other four stations on the Ellenbrook branch, using the same design language, particularly with the roof geometry and materials used.[1] At the southern entrance is a 12-stand bus interchange and a car park with 1,100 bays. Road access to the station is via Beechboro Road South. Other facilities include a bike shelter, kiosk, and toilets. The station is fully wheelchair accessible.[1][2]

As of the time of construction, the Ballajura station site is vacant rural land, with the nearest residential and industrial areas on the other side of Tonkin Highway and/or Marshall Road.[1] The land is state owned, and is planned to be redeveloped by the Western Australian Planning Commission.[3] The Ballajura Station Precinct Structure Plan is being created to determine how the area will develop, with a draft plan expected to be released in 2024.[4] So far, the only development in the area has been a film studio,[5][6][7] which started construction in January 2024.[8][9][10]

To the west of the station, on the other side of Tonkin Highway, is the residential area of Ballajura,[1] which will be connected to the station by a footbridge across the highway.[2] To the south and south-east, on the other side of Marshall Road, are the residential areas of Beechboro and Bennett Springs. To the south-west, on the other side of Marshall Road and Tonkin Highway, is the industrial area of Malaga. To the east is Whiteman Park, a nature reserve and tourism destination.[1]

A pair of sculptures representing people as described below
Sculptures by Peter Farmer and Jason Hirst

There are three pieces of public art at Ballajura station. Near the entrances are two pairs of sculptures by Peter Farmer and Jason Hirst representing how the Indigenous Noongar people travelled together in search of food and water sources. On the concourse is a perforated screen artwork by Marcia McGuire. On the screens on the station's façade are an artwork based on banksia trees, by Mark Datodi.[11]

History

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During planning and construction, Ballajura station was known as Malaga station[12][13] and the Ellenbrook line was known as the Morley–Ellenbrook line.[14] Constructing the Ellenbrook line by 2023 as part of the Metronet project was committed to by the Labor Party before it won the 2017 state election.[15][16][17] The route of the Ellenbrook line was officially confirmed in August 2019. It had the line running in the median strip of Tonkin Highway north from Bayswater, exiting north of Marshall Road to travel east, with Ballajura station located in the land bounded by Tonkin Highway, Marshall Road, and Beechboro Road North.[18][19][20] The A$753 million main construction contract for the Morley–Ellenbrook line was awarded to the MELconnx Consortium, consisting of Laing O'Rourke, in October 2020.[21][22][23]

Early works for Ballajura station were underway by August 2021, starting with the set up of site compounds.[24] The first concept designs for the station were revealed in September 2021.[25][26] The station was designed by lead architects Woods Bagot.[1][26] Construction was planned to commence in September 2022.[27] Initially, no footbridge to connect Ballajura station to its namesake suburb was planned, but in November 2022, it was announced that a footbridge would be constructed by the Tonkin Gap Alliance, the same alliance that was doing the enabling works for the Morley–Ellenbrook line along Tonkin Highway. The footbridge was a result of a community survey undertaken by Metronet in 2021.[28][29][30] By November 2022, construction on Ballajura station's foundations was underway, and piling for the Beechboro Road North bridge was complete.[28] The footbridge's design was revealed to the public in July 2023, as an arch bridge with a span of 90 metres (300 ft).[31][32] In mid-2023, the roof on the upper level of Ballajura station was being installed.[32] By March 2024, the station was nearly 75 percent complete, with structural works finished and lift installation beginning.[33]

Construction on the station and footbridge had finished by July 2024, when it was announced that the station would be named Ballajura instead of Malaga.[12][13] The station and the rest of the line were officially opened on Sunday, 8 December 2024 by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Premier Roger Cook and Transport Minister Rita Saffioti, with community events held at each of the five new stations.[34][35][36]

Services

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A bus interchange with full length shelter
Bus interchange

Ballajura station serves the Ellenbrook line services, which will run between Ellenbrook station and Perth station.[3] These services will be part of the Transperth network and will be operated by the Public Transport Authority. It is planned for there to be five trains per hour in each direction stopping at Ballajura station during peak, reducing to four trains per hour outside of peak. A journey to Perth station is expected to take 21 minutes. It is projected that Ballajura station will have 3,084 daily boardings by 2031.[3][37]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i MELconnx. "Malaga Station Development Approval Report" (PDF). WA.gov.au. Government of Western Australia. pp. 6, 10, 14, 21. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Malaga Station Fact Sheet" (PDF). Metronet. July 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d "Morley-Ellenbrook Line Project Definition Plan" (PDF). Metronet. June 2020. pp. 2, 39–41. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  4. ^ "Malaga Station Precinct Structure Plan" (PDF). Metronet. November 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  5. ^ Law, Peter (9 November 2022). "Mark McGowan confirms new location for WA's $100 million Hollywood-style film studio". The West Australian. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  6. ^ "WA film and TV studio a step closer, with location announced". 6PR. 9 November 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  7. ^ Hastie, Hamish (9 November 2022). "Perth film studio financials to be released but Landgate building sale secrecy continues". WAtoday. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  8. ^ Hastie, Hamish; Burton, Jesinta (17 January 2024). "Perth film studio build begins as costs escalate 135 per cent". WAtoday. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  9. ^ Dietsch, Jake (17 January 2024). "Construction of world-class film studio in Malaga begins nearly three years after the project was announced". The West Australian. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  10. ^ McGinn, Jack (17 January 2024). "Spotlight on cost as studio build begins". Business News. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  11. ^ "Morley–Ellenbrook Line Public Art" (PDF). Metronet. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  12. ^ a b Caporn, Dylan (30 July 2024). "Metronet: Track works finished as Government reveals Ballajura name change". The West Australian. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Joint Media Statement – Major milestones for METRONET Morley-Ellenbrook line". Media Statements. 30 July 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  14. ^ Cook, Roger; Saffioti, Rita (7 October 2024). "All aboard: opening date set for METRONET Ellenbrook Line" (Press release). Government of Western Australia. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  15. ^ Kagi, Jacob (29 July 2016). "Analysis: Battlelines drawn on Perth transport ahead of WA election". ABC News. Archived from the original on 7 September 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  16. ^ Young, Emma (15 December 2016). "WA in for 'congestion election': details emerge on Metronet transport plan". WAtoday. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  17. ^ O'Connor, Andrew (6 February 2017). "WA Election: $2.5bn cost of Metronet will not increase net debt, says Labor". ABC News. Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  18. ^ "Full steam ahead for the METRONET rail line to Ellenbrook". Media Statements. 4 August 2019. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  19. ^ "Ellenbrook rail line in sight for residents, as WA Government unveils route". ABC News. 4 August 2019. Archived from the original on 7 September 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  20. ^ "Morley-Ellenbrook Line alignment confirmed" (PDF). Metronet. August 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 September 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  21. ^ "Joint media statement – Main construction contract awarded for highly anticipated METRONET Morley-Ellenbrook Line". Media Statements. 18 October 2020. Archived from the original on 26 January 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  22. ^ Beyer, Mark (19 October 2020). "Ellenbrook rail budget hits $1.3bn". Business News. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  23. ^ Traill, Michael (19 October 2020). "State Government inks $700m deal for Metronet's Morley-Ellenbrook rail line with Laing O'Rourke". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 26 January 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  24. ^ "Morley-Noranda-Malaga CRG 3 – Minutes" (PDF). Metronet. 31 August 2021. p. 2. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  25. ^ "Malaga Station to make a statement in the future town centre". Metronet. 4 September 2021. Archived from the original on 26 March 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  26. ^ a b "Design unveiled for WA 'station in a park'". Architecture Australia. 14 September 2021. Archived from the original on 14 September 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  27. ^ "Morley-Noranda-Malaga CRG 5 – Minutes" (PDF). Metronet. 31 May 2022. p. 2. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  28. ^ a b "New footbridge to deliver access to METRONET Malaga Station". Media Statements. 28 November 2022. Archived from the original on 6 May 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  29. ^ "Stepping it up near Malaga Station". Metronet. 28 November 2022. Archived from the original on 5 April 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  30. ^ "Better access for new METRONET Malaga Station". Roads & Infrastructure Magazine. 30 November 2022. Archived from the original on 6 May 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  31. ^ "Walk or ride to the future METRONET Malaga Station". Metronet. 28 July 2023. Archived from the original on 16 March 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  32. ^ a b "New footbridge design released as METRONET Malaga Station construction ramps up". Media Statements. 28 July 2023. Archived from the original on 6 May 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  33. ^ "Morley-Ellenbrook Line construction update". Metronet. 1 March 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  34. ^ Page, Jessica (8 December 2024). "Ellenbrook Metronet: Anthony Albanese, Roger Cook and Rita Saffioti declare rail line worth the wait". The West Australian. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  35. ^ Hastie, Hamish (8 December 2024). "Ellenbrook line opens 16 years after it was first promised". WAtoday. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  36. ^ Withers, Courtney (8 December 2024). "Residents welcome opening of Ellenbrook rail line in Perth's north-east amid concerns over bus routes". ABC News. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  37. ^ "Joint media statement – Perth's newest METRONET train station designs unveiled". Media Statements. 21 June 2020. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
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