Discover Bentley: Culture, History and Leisure

Bentley brings together the Curtin University campus and a rich cultural and local history. The Bentley campus is located in Bentley; meanwhile, art, cultural interpretation, architectural history and park recreation offer a range of interests. This gives you several possible focal points for planning your trip: you can visit a cultural institution, explore local history or make time for play and exercise. This way, you can discover Bentley according to your travel group’s interests, without limiting your stay to a single theme.

Art and cultural interpretation

The John Curtin Gallery is open to all visitors; if your visit falls on a public holiday, check the latest visitor information in advance. The JCPML reading room requires different planning: it is open Monday to Friday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, or by appointment; check these hours before travelling. This means the preparations differ: for the Gallery, it is worth checking public holiday hours, while the reading room visit depends on its opening hours or an appointment.

The Living Knowledge Stream Guidelines explain how the stories of Indigenous Songlines are conveyed through Curtin’s built environment. This offers a cultural perspective on the connection between stories and the designed environment, distinct from a visit to a reading room or gallery.

Local history and architecture

In the late 19th century, the area was locally known as Bentley’s Hill and was named after John Bentley, the superintendent of a convict labour camp used to improve Albany Road. This origin roots the name of today’s locality in a specific local history.

The history of leisure also has a historical connection: in 1956, Western Australia’s first drive-in cinema, the Highway Drive-In, was located in Bentley. The South Bentley Child Health Centre adds an architectural feature to the area’s history. Its unusual and unique design makes the building a rare, largely intact example of the Late Twentieth Century Organic architectural style.

Leisure and trip planning

Chapman Park brings another side of Bentley into your trip planning. The park has a play area, a tennis court and a basketball court. For families, the play area is a useful point of reference; the two courts offer additional leisure options. This means a park visit can accommodate both a play break and sporting interests.

Two bus stops are located near Curtin University’s Kent Street entrance. If you plan to use this information for your journey, check the latest stop details before travelling, as arrangements may change.

If you plan to visit the JCPML reading room, take its weekday opening hours or an appointment into account. Then check how the location of a particular hotel fits with your planned stops and whether the bus stops at the Kent Street entrance are relevant to your journey.

Discover more destinations: Lesmurdie, Mahogany Creek, Ardross, Joondalup, Millendon, West Swan, Connolly, Caversham

For the broader travel overview: Perth.