Suburb Profile - Balga
The name "Balga" was adopted in 1954 and derived from an Aboriginal word for the indigenous grass tree Xanthorrhoea, commonly known as the "Black Boy". Before large scale development of Balga began in the late 1950's, the area was used primarily for market gardens and poultry farms. The laying out of streets in Balga commenced in 1959 and the majority of housing was constructed between 1964 and 1973. The area is largely characterised by single storey residential dwellings with lot sizes averaging 700m2. The brick and tile construction materials of most dwellings in Balga reflect the period during which development occurred. Though most residences are detached, there are some more recent examples of grouped dwellings and flats throughout Balga.
Balga contains numerous parks and recreational reserves. The largest of these is Brian Burke Reserve, which contains an aquatic centre, recreational centre, tennis courts, cricket club and soccer club. Numerous other small parks and reserves, such as Heritage Park and Celebration Park, are distributed across the suburb. Balga contains two local shopping centres: Fieldgate Square is situated on the western boundary of the suburb, while Westminster Plaza is centrally located. Education requirements in Balga are served by a number of primary schools as well as Balga Senior High School and a TAFE campus.