UWA is expanding its student accommodation with a new major development at the Nedlands site. The 14-storey building will deliver 847 beds across 671 apartments.

Designed to support a vibrant student experience, the residence will include communal study areas, recreational spaces, landscaped outdoor zones, and a ground-floor café. The project reflects UWA’s long-term vision for a connected, inclusive and sustainable campus.

Construction activity began in September 2025, with the first students set to move in by Semester 1, 2028.

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Development applications for the new ferry terminals have been submitted, and community consultation has recently concluded.

The UWA Student Guild has long championed the expansion of Perth’s ferry network to include UWA as a key stop to benefit students. A Matilda Bay Ferry Station was included in the 2020 UWA Masterplan as an ‘opportunity for water transport’. However, the Guild has cautioned that the exact location must ensure the ferry expansion does not come at the cost of the safety and accessibility of the river for the thousands of current and future users, including UWA students.

The City of Perth has voted against the against the proposed Metronet ferry terminal at Matilda Bay. Their concerns focus on the terminal’s size, environmental impact, disruption to watercraft activities, and the large infrastructure required for charging ferries.

Safety on Swan, a coalition of not-for-profit, volunteer-run community groups, including the UWA Boat Club, while supporting the State Government’s initiative to expand Perth’s ferry network, has expressed concern about the disruption to rowing and the risk to young rowers and sailors. They have suggested that alternative locations, such as the jetty at JoJo’s at the end of the Nedlands Jetty, could better support a connected ferry network, faster cross-river travel, and potential foreshore development.

The Nedlands Park Hotel, Jetty and Baths were key selling points when the Nedlands Park Tramway Estate was first advertised as a ‘riverside resort and residential locality’ in 1908. Tearooms were built and, thanks to the tram along Broadway, in the summer of 1910, 11,000 people were reported to have used the Baths, which were closed in the mid 1970s. The length of the jetty was dictated by the need to cross a shallow shoal area of the river to reach navigable depths enabling ferries to use it. After WWI numerous carnivals were held on the foreshore, with a ferries often chartered to take revellers from the Barrack St jetty to the Nedlands Jetty and return each evening.

A private ferry service to the Nedlands Jetty was established in 1994, with the support of UWA, on the assumption that it would be used by students. This initiative failed due to lack of patronage.

There is concern that use of the Nedlands Jetty for a regular ferry service will have environmental implications for Pelican Point. It is a crucial waterbird habitat particularly for migratory waterbirds. Declared a bird sanctuary in 1936, today it is one of three areas (with Alfred Cove and Milya South Perth) that are part of the Swan Estuary Marine Park, established in 1999. At Pelican Point, its shallow waters to the south are marked by several spit posts.

Are you passionate about Western Australia’s rich history? UWA’s Centre for Western Australian History needs volunteers to help promote and raise awareness of our work.

You could help showcase the Centre and its unique contributions to the study of Western Australia’s past by:

• Highlighting our award-winning journal Studies in Western Australian History through social media posts, academic conferences, and educational outreach programs, to bring deep and insightful historical research to a wide audience.
• Assisting in crafting engaging quarterly newsletters featuring stories, research highlights, and upcoming Centre activities to keep current supporters informed and attract new ones
• Keeping the Centre’s website updated with news, research breakthroughs, event announcements, and opportunities to get involved, ensuring it appeals to academics and the public alike.
• Supporting outreach efforts to connect with individuals and organisations eager to learn more or seek expert historians.

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact:
Associate Professor Bobbie Oliver, Director, Centre for WA History
Email: [email protected]