Part of a series of posts by Neil Cownie on The Future of Swanbourne Village

The Dawson’s Garden Centre within the Swanbourne Village forms an integral part of the success of the local commercial centre. The garden centre draws people from outside the immediate locality, thereby benefiting the other local businesses through convenience and increased exposure to potential customers.

The garden centre also provides a ‘green centre’ to the village though its landscaped boundary and the openness that it provides. It would be a great loss to the Swanbourne Village community and local businesses if the garden centre was removed from the vicinity to make way for the proposed new traffic bridge.

If there is conflict between the final location of a new bridge and the Dawson’s Garden Centre, then there is an alternative location for the garden centre within the village. To the south west corner of the bridge is a railway owned portion of land that is currently open space. Part of this same area is also currently used as over flow parking for the railway station. This would make an ideal alternative location for the garden centre within the central area of the village.

The question then becomes one of cost. Will it be viable for Dawson’s to relocate and who will be responsible for the cost for the move and setting up new facilities?

Did you know that the existing site of the garden centre was previously a Shell petrol station? Once Shell ceased to use the site as a petrol station the Dawson took over the lease to develop the now very popular garden centre.

Dawson’s has a long history, from their website:

“Dawson’s as we know it had it’s humble beginnings in 1903, when a partnership was formed between George Russell Dawson and Edward James Harrison. Dawson and Harrison, established their first production nursery in Belmont and plants were originally delivered by horse and cart to businesses and residences around Perth.

Ten years later, Dawson and Harrison, were looking to expand their enterprise and in 1914, purchased the land on which the present Forrestfield Garden Centre stands. One of the difficulties faced by Dawson’s in the early days was the lack of reliable roads servicing the Forrestfield site. This made the journey into Perth a slow and difficult one. As much of the land was prone to winter flooding, winter journeys were particularly arduous, as Bill Dawson recalled “We had to go through a series of swamps there and the water would come up to the footboards of the car, but it was always alright.”

In the early years, Dawson and Harrison, had a series of stores in the city, the first of which was situated in Central Arcade, opposite the GPO, in what is now Forrest Place. In those days shopping was very centralised, with most people visiting the C.B.D for their major shopping needs.

During the second world war, Dawson’s joined the war effort, by growing extensive vegetable crops for vegetable seed production. To encourage gardeners to grow more vegetables to supplement war time diets, Bill Dawson, wrote “My Victory Garden”, a comprehensive manual for home vegetable production.

George Dawson’s sons, Bill and George, made lasting contributions to WA and Australian horticulture. George Dawson, helped establish the Nurserymen’s Association of WA, serving as the first Secretary and later as National President of the Association.

Ian Dawson provided some photos of the Swanbourne Garden Centre from the 1980’s. Ian also provided the following timeline history of the garden centre site:

  • September 1970. Shell renew their lease on property for a further 20 years.
  • Early 1980’s Perth- Fremantle line closed due to lack of customers.
  • Early 1980’s Shell close the service station, remove tanks and are prepared to sit on site rather than let an independent acquire it.
  • February 1984. Dawson’s approach Shell to sublease site and operate it as a garden centre. Shell only interested if rezoned from “special use service station to garden centre”.
  • November 1984. Town of Cottesloe and MRPA approval for development and rezoning obtained.
  • May 1985. Garden Centre opened for business.
  • December 1988. Government announced electrification of rail system and reopening of Perth – Fremantle line.
  • March 2003. Eastern carpark developed and added to lease. Was always planned to be a PTA park and ride under the electrified system but never developed by the Government.
  • May 2018 MRWA release schemes showing replacement bridge options to the Swanbourne Village precinct straight through the middle of the Dawson’s Garden Centre.

Go back to the The Future of Swanbourne Village

The Bridging Communities Series