Birtwistle Local Studies Library
In 1988 it was proudly announced that the State’s first water sports centre, including an international rowing course, would be built at Wright’s Lake and the parklands around it.
A 1996 proposal for the development of 122 hectares of low-lying State Government owned land on the Gosnells border near what was known as Wright’s Lake, called for the construction of a two-kilometre aquatic facility incorporating a rowing course using the natural drainage line of Wungong Brook.
Initial funding was provided by the Metropolitan Regional Improvement Fund and 10 hectares of the land was rezoned for housing lots, the sale of which would finance further development. The master plan for the area was endorsed by Armadale Council in July 2000 and the chosen name ‘Champion Lakes Recreational Park’ submitted for public comment before being ratified by the Geographic Names Committee.
Once the Tonkin Highway extension was built in 2005, the site became much more accessible.
Prior to the 2001 State election, both sides of politics had promised that the Tonkin Highway extension would be a priority and Main Roads commenced work on the southern section in 2003, finishing the link to Thomas Road, Oakford, in December 2005.
The Tonkin Road extension work allowed for excavation of the international rowing course and the one million cubic metres of fill it generated was used towards construction of the highway. The City of Armadale also donated some land to Main Roads, undertook some additional roadworks and the construction of a cycle-way as Council’s contribution to building the highway.
The go-ahead to incorporate Wright Lake, which was one of the few recorded Aboriginal sites in the district, into the Champion Lakes aquatic development was approved in August 2002 by Armadale’s Indigenous consultative group and ratified by the Minister for Indigenous Affairs. A conditional of approval was that an Aboriginal interpretative centre be incorporated into the complex.
It was therefore with some indignation that the Armadale Council reacted almost a year later on learning that the Nyungar Circle of Elders, who were reregistered Native Title claimants for the Swan Coastal Plain, had publicly declared that the lake held a great deal of significance as home to the Spiritual Dreaming of the Rainbow Serpent, Waugal, and that disturbing it would “be a big blow to Aboriginal culture”.
The Circle of Elders accused the Gallop Government of ignoring their concerns and had lodged a stop-work application with the Federal Minister for the Environment and Heritage.
In January 2004, the Federal Environment and Heritage
Minister, David Kemp, dismissed claims by the Circle of Elders, ruling that there was no justification for a stop-work order.
Water from the Jandakot aquifer began to flow into the basin of the Champion Lakes water sports complex, Western Australia’s only purpose-built rowing course, in May 2005. Road construction and drainage works were completed by February 2007.
Nyoongar links to this area have been recognised in the construction of the Aboriginal Interpretative Centre on the corner of Lake Road and Henley Drive at the entry to the Champion Lakes centre. The centre is designed to showcase Indigenous heritage and culture and features art works by Nyoongar artists. Plans for the Interpretative Centre were developed in consultation with the City’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Committee (ATSIAC) which also advises the Council on issues of interest to Indigenous residents of the district.
The Champion Lakes Regatta Centre, an internal facility for rowing, kayaking and dragon racing, celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2024.