Yanchep is bounded to the north-west by Two Rocks and to the south by the rural localities of Eglinton, Carabooda and Pinjar. The non-metropolitan Shires of Gingin and Chittering surround Yanchep's northern and eastern boundaries. West of Yanchep is the Indian Ocean. Its boundaries as a suburb are extremely large, covering over and taking up almost the entire northern and north-eastern portion of the City of Wanneroo. Despite this, Yanchep's urban concentration is almost entirely located in a small enclave around Yanchep Beach Road, near the coast.
History
The lands comprising Yanchep were initially used as a sheep station, up until 1970 when Alan Bond bought approximately of land in the area. Bond Corporation presented designs for "Yanchep Sun City" - a future satellite city of over 200,000 residents. The area's first houses were built in 1972, and the marina at nearby Two Rocks was built as part of the same project two years later. However, sales of homes in the area had already slowed down by 1974. In 1977, the project was bought out by Tokyu Corporation after Bond Corporation began experiencing financial difficulties. Spud Shed started as a farm in the area in 1965. In the Western Australian State Government's "Directions 2031" urban expansion plan, Yanchep was once again highlighted as a future satellite city and major metropolitan centre. The Smorgon family is developing the north coastal area Capricorn Beach as a planned development. On 11 December 2019, a fire that started in Yanchep burnt through about 14,000ha across Two Rocks and into the Shire of Gingin over several days. Approximately 6,000 homes were saved, with only one lost. Original Yanchep Petrol Station, owned by local Yanchep residents was destroyed in the fire, bringing devastation to the town. The once-thriving small business was referred to as an "icon" of old Yanchep.
Demographics
Yanchep had a population of 2,482 at the 2006 Australian census, a marginal increase of 450 persons since the 2001 census. The population is predicted to continue growing gradually, hitting 20,702 in 2031. 61.4% were born in Australia, just below the national average of 70.9%. Like many other northern suburbs of Perth, a significant British minority is present, comprising 17.2%. The population share an average age of 38, in line with the national average of 37. Income levels in Yanchep are noticeably below the Australian national average, with a median household income of $828 per week compared to $1,027 per week nationally. In 2011, 46.5% of Yanchep residents declared a denomination of Christianity as their religious affiliation, with Anglicanism being the most populous at 24.5%. However, the highest response was 30.6% who declared no religion. This compared with the 2006 results where 45.7% of Yanchep residents declared a denomination of Christianity as their religious affiliation, with Anglicanism being the most populous at 23.1% and 27.6% declared no religion. The Australian Bureau of Statistics has identified Yanchep - Two Rocks as a significant urban area. As at June 2018 this area had an estimated urban population of 13,775, having grown rapidly at an average annual rate of 10.37% year-on-year for the preceding five years.
Amenities and facilities
As a suburb, Yanchep has a brand new shopping centre with a large Woolworths, various specialty shops such as a newsagency, butcher, bakery, hair salon, travel agency, cafe, massage and nail salons and fast food outlets. A garden centre, vet and various other businesses are also located in the industrial area a few hundred metres from the shopping centre. Residents can also rely on Butler, Clarkson and Joondalup, 15–30 km south, for more shops and public services. Yanchep is a popular tourist destination. With the Yanchep lagoon, Yanchep Inn in the National Park. Yanchep National Park includes guided tours of Crystal Cave, bush walks, koala displays, and the Loch McNess lake. During the 1980s the area was home to popular tourist attractions including Atlantis Marine Park and the Sun City Marina. While there is no hospital at Yanchep, the area has a medical facility, and also has one large dedicated aged care facility with 160 high care beds available, reducing the need for travel for local families.
Education
There are currently three schools in Yanchep: Yanchep Beach Primary School, Yanchep Lagoon Primary School and Yanchep Secondary College. From 1975 to 2014, Yanchep District High School was the only school in Yanchep. It opened for Kindergarten to Year 7 students in 1975, later expanding to Year 10 in 1981. The school served Yanchep, Two Rocks, Carabooda and Woodridge. In 2014, Yanchep Beach Primary School opened, catering for students from kindergarten to Year 6. It is an independent public school. In 2018, Yanchep Secondary College opened for students from Year 7 to 11, expanding to Year 12 the following year, replacing Yanchep District High School as the local secondary school, and giving Year 11's and 12's living in Yanchep and Two Rocks the option of attending school nearby. Before Yanchep Secondary College opened, Year 11's and 12's had to travel to Mindarie Senior College or Butler College to access schooling. Yanchep District High School became a K-6 school and was renamed to Yanchep Lagoon Primary School. A third primary school is planned to open in Yanchep in 2021.
Transport
Yanchep Beach Road, one of the suburb's main distributor roads, links to Marmion Avenue and Wanneroo Road, two north-south arterial roads that link Yanchep to the rest of metropolitan Perth. Marmion Avenue was extended to Yanchep in 2008; Wanneroo Road was the only route to Yanchep from Perth prior to the extension. Two bus routes serve Yanchep, running from Two Rocks to Butler railway station, 10 kilometres to the south in Butler. It is the nearest public transport hub to Yanchep, providing further bus and rail links to the regional city of Joondalup, as well as Perth's central business district.
- Butler to Two Rocks via Yanchep
- Butler to Yanchep
There are plans to extend the Joondalup Line by to Yanchep via Alkimos and Eglinton. In the 2017 WA state budget, $441 million was allocated to build the extension, with construction. When the extension opens, a journey time of 49 minutes is envisioned from Yanchep to the CBD, with up to 13,500 people expected to use the line every day.
Politics
Like many other northern Perth suburbs, Yanchep's population generally supports the Liberal Party at the federal level, but the Labor Party at the state level. There was considerable support for One Nation in that party's early days, and The Greens now have significant backing.
