Ellenbrook

Ellenbrook WA

Twenty years ago, Ellenbrook was a sand quarry on Perth’s north-eastern fringe.  Today, its a community of 30,000 people and Australia’s most awarded urban development project, including the 2015 International FIABCI Award for World’s Best Master-planned Community.

A committed vision

The vision for Ellenbrook was always to be more than a satellite suburb. To be in fact a modern and fully self-contained new town.  

Realising this vision has transformed the 1,200ha site into a new community of 10,500 homes in eight walkable villages supporting a vibrant town centre. Its also ensured its place as a leader of industry innovation pioneering new initiatives in neigbhourhood design, housing, community development, placemaking and environmental conservation. 

Staying true to its founding vision, has underpinned Ellenbrook’s enduring commercial success, consistently outperforming its rivals as one of Australia’s fastest selling residential projects.  Perhaps even more telling are the high levels of resident satisfaction, with 20% of sales credited to existing residents purchasing their second and third homes in the project.   

Design for success

Ellenbrook’s outstanding success is due to many factors, but three in particular stand out – walkability, community and collaboration. 

Walkability: Each village has its own centre that can be reached on foot from any home in less than 10 minutes. The network of connected streets, pathways and green links, means Ellenbrook residents can choose walking and cycling as a real alternative to driving.

Community: Ellenbrook recreates traditional ideas of community living by catering for all family types and income levels.  Early investment in community infrastructure has meant that the provision of key facilities and services has kept pace with Ellenbrook’s rapidly growing community.

Collaboration: From the very beginning the planning for Ellenbrook was undertaken in a spirit of true cooperation  with LWP, the project team and government agencies. The ability to share ideas and work collaboratively to deliver the vision has made Ellenbrook the diverse, affordable and award-winning town it is today. 

Award winning
Ellenbrook is Australia’s most awarded new town, with over 30 state and national awards, including the 2015 World Prix d’Excellence FIABCI Award from the International Real Estate Federation for the World’s Best Masterplanned Community.

Delivering an ambitious vision
As lead master-planner, RobertsDay in collaboration with LWP, government, consultants and the community, have successfully delivered the project vision and the many achievements that led to the FIABCI award.  

Innovation and adaptability
During the project’s 20 year history, Roberts Day has introduced many creative planning, design and place solutions that have allowed Ellenbrook to continuously evolve and adapt to meet global challenges and changes in technology, community lifestyle and housing preferences.

A town with its own identity
Ellenbrook has grown into a self-sufficient town with its own unique identity, fostered through the neigbhourhood structuring and a cohesive design approach to the landscape and built form.


Client: LWP Property Group Services: Structure planning, urban design, implementation, project management Site area: 1200ha Number of dwellings: 10,500 Dwellings Status: Nearing completion


Urban design and planning: RobertsDay Traffic and transport: Sinclair Knight Merz Engineering: Cossill and Webley Environmental: RPS Group Australia Landscape: Plan E, Tract, Peter Cala and Associates, Tony Blackwell and Associates Architecture: Sharni Howe Architects, Simon Youngleson Architects, COX Architects Public art: Philippa O’Brien Surveyors: Whelans