Ellenbrook waited about 30 years for a train. It finally arrived in December 2024, and the suburb now has nearly two years of the Ellenbrook Line behind it. So this is a good moment to check where Ellenbrook development stands in 2026. Below, the article covers how the line is performing, what’s planned around the station, which new estates are coming, and what still has no money or date attached.
This article was produced and reviewed by the Australia Develops editorial team. See our Editorial Policy for sourcing standards and methodology.
Where Ellenbrook sits and how many people live there
Ellenbrook is in the City of Swan, in Perth’s north-east. At the 2021 Census, the suburb had 24,668 residents and 8,901 private dwellings. Its median age was just 32. The original Ellenbrook estate has eight villages around a town centre. Today its developer says it is approaching its final land releases.
The wider council is growing fast too. The City of Swan puts its 2024 population at 179,207. It expects the population to reach about 300,000 by 2050. On the same page, the council names Ellenbrook, Brabham, Ballajura and Bennett Springs as the growth suburbs along the rail line. Then it flags North Ellenbrook and Bullsbrook as the next areas for housing.
The Ellenbrook Line: what was built
The line runs about 21 km from Bayswater Station to Ellenbrook’s town centre. It follows Tonkin Highway and then Drumpellier Drive. Along the way it adds new stations at Morley, Noranda, Ballajura, Whiteman Park and Ellenbrook. The state’s project page lists the budget at $1.65 billion. It also quotes a 30-minute trip from Ellenbrook to the CBD, which is about half the old bus journey.
Services started on 8 December 2024. METRONET says more than 40,000 people turned up to the opening celebrations that day. Ellenbrook Station has about 500 parking bays and a 12-stand bus interchange. Whiteman Park Station, by contrast, has 900 bays because it serves a bigger drive-in catchment.
Ellenbrook development and the patronage question
This is where the story gets more mixed. The 2020 project definition plan forecast about 11,700 weekday boardings on opening day. It then expected 18,000 by 2031. But four months in, a Public Transport Authority spokesperson put the real figure at about 5,500 average weekday boardings. That’s less than half the opening forecast.
The PTA said the numbers would grow as Ellenbrook keeps developing. That’s a fair point, because a new line rarely hits its forecast in year one. Still, No newer line-level figure published by the PTA was found. So treat any 2026 number you see quoted without a source with caution.
Rider satisfaction looks far better. In August 2025, the state reported 96 per cent satisfaction on the Ellenbrook Line. That was the highest of any Perth train line. Yet the shared track between Bayswater and Perth remains a bottleneck, and network delays have become more frequent since the line opened.
Ellenbrook development around the station
The land next to Ellenbrook Station now sits under its own planning rules. The Ellenbrook Station Precinct Improvement Scheme No. 1 came into effect on 24 May 2024. It covers about 5.9 hectares and replaces the regional and council schemes for that land. So the Western Australian Planning Commission, not the council, decides development applications there.
The first big project is at Lot 29 The Parkway, right across from the station. DevelopmentWA lists 197 apartments over three storeys. Of those, 157 will be affordable rentals and 40 will be social housing. PACT Construction is the builder. The state funds design and construction, while the federal Housing Australia Future Fund covers operating costs for 25 years.
The timing is still a moving target. A 2025 state assessment estimated the cost at $137.34 million. It also expected construction to start by mid-2026 and finish in mid-2028. DevelopmentWA now says mid-to-late 2026. On top of that, amended plans went back out for comment in early 2026. So a construction start is worth watching for before counting on a 2028 finish.
The town centre also gained a new community building this year. The $7.5 million Ellenbrook Community Centre on Cashman Avenue opened on 4 February 2026. Funding came from the state, the Commonwealth, Lotterywest and the City of Swan. It now houses the Men’s Shed, the RSL and several multicultural groups.
Whiteman Park Station and Brabham
Whiteman Park is the station with the most new housing around it. It drew 820 boardings on its first weekday, and the 2031 forecast is 3,795 a day. That’s the second highest on the line after Ellenbrook.
Next door is Brabham, a joint project between the Department of Communities, Peet and the Perron Group. The sources disagree on its size, though. METRONET’s earlier announcement said 2,600 lots and about 3,000 homes. But Peet’s April 2026 brochure says about 2,750 homes on 220 hectares. It also says over 1,300 people already live in the Parade neighbourhood. A future primary school and high school appear on Peet’s plan for the Vantage neighbourhood. Still, the brochure gives no opening dates for either.
New Ellenbrook development to the north
The next wave is North Ellenbrook, between Ellenbrook and Bullsbrook. The planning commission first approved the North Ellenbrook (East) plan in August 2022. That plan allows for about 5,500 dwellings, four primary schools and a high school. Then in 2026, the state consulted on an amendment adding 18.1 hectares of habitat reserves. It also proposed a grade-separated rail crossing at Maralla Road.
For the western side, the local paper reported the district structure plan’s approval in May 2026. It cites 5,000 to 6,500 homes over 20 years, with first development from late 2027. Separately, a draft amendment for 163 hectares proposes another 2,200 to 2,500 dwellings. Together with Bullsbrook rezoning, this is why the City of Swan expects to almost double in size by 2050.
All those homes need a highway connection. Main Roads lists a new Tonkin Highway interchange between Maralla and Warbrook roads. BMD Constructions has the contract, with works from late 2026 and completion in late 2028. The $100 million budget splits $50 million federal, $25 million state and $25 million private. Back in 2022, though, the state promised a 2024-25 start. So it has already slipped about two years.
What’s still missing / not confirmed
- Bennett Springs East station. The state says a station “is planned” there, and a 102-hectare improvement scheme went out for comment in late 2025. But no construction budget or opening date was found.
- Current patronage. The last official line-wide figure found dates from early 2025. Without a newer one, nobody can say whether the line is catching up to forecast.
- The station apartments. Funding is in place, but the start date has already moved from mid-2026 to mid-to-late 2026.
- North Ellenbrook schools and shops. They exist on structure plans only, with no Education Department dates.
- Extra track capacity. No funded fix exists yet for the shared section into Perth.
How Ellenbrook development compares with Alkimos
Perth’s other big northern growth area is Alkimos, out on the northern coastal rail corridor. Alkimos is still building its town centre from scratch. Ellenbrook, by contrast, already has a shopping centre, two colleges and a library within 500 metres of the platform. And to the south-east, Byford makes a useful third comparison for buyers weighing up Perth’s fringe.
Editorial take: Ellenbrook is the safer of Perth’s new rail suburbs, because the town centre already works and the train simply joined it. The weak point is patronage. Half the forecast riders is a warning that most residents still drive. For that reason, buying near the station makes sense for the amenity visible today, not for a precinct uplift. That next stage of Ellenbrook development still depends on 197 apartments that haven’t broken ground.
Buying your first home here? Then check how the 5% deposit scheme price caps apply in WA before you commit.
Related guide: Alkimos Aquatic Centre 2026: What’s Confirmed at Koomool Drive
This article is general information based on WA Government, METRONET, DevelopmentWA, Main Roads WA, City of Swan and ABS sources available at publication. It isn’t financial advice. Plans, budgets and timelines can change, so check current details with the relevant agency before you buy.
