Forrestfield

Forrestfield is a suburb of the City of Kalamunda in Western Australia.

Forrestfield is a suburb of the City of Kalamunda in Western Australia. It lies 15 kilometres to the south-east of Perth at the base of the Darling Scarp and the southern border of Perth Airport.

The suburb is split by Roe Highway into a southern residential area and a northern industrial area. The suburb is adjacent to Wattle Grove, Cloverdale and Kalamunda.

Settlement of the area dates from the late 1800s. Population was minimal until the early 1900s, with growth during the interwar period. Significant development did not occur until the post-war years, with rapid growth from the 1950s into the 1970s. The population has been relatively stable since the early 1990s, a result of some new dwellings being added to the area, but a decline in the average number of persons living in each dwelling.

There is authority to suggest it is named after John Forrest, Western Australia's first Premier, or his brother Alexander. However, local folklore suggests that the name comes from Charles Hale, who settled in the area in 1902 and planted crops amongst the native forest bushland, hence Forrestfield. In 1921 a Forrestfield Progress Association was formed, and the name was shown on plans in 1944.