Shelley, about 25 km south of Landsdale
Shelley sits on the south bank of the Canning River, about 25 km south of IBP Paving's base in Landsdale. It is well outside our usual northern area, so we take work here by arrangement and start by asking for the job details: the area involved, the surface there now, access and a few photos. From that we can say whether we can do it and when. We expect most Shelley work to be driveways, paths and drainage, and each job is backed by over 20 years in paving and a lifetime workmanship warranty.
From part of Riverton to a suburb of its own
Shelley was part of Riverton until the mid 1960s, when it became a separate suburb. The records we use do not give a precise building era, but the housing is likely to be mature, probably with many homes of the 1960s and 1970s generation. Paving of that age has usually done its time.
The usual job at homes of this age is a full replacement: an old concrete or brick drive broken out and a new paved driveway laid on a compacted limestone base. Where only a section has dropped, a sunken paving repair saves the rest. Older brick paving that is sound but stained can often be brought back with cleaning and sealing. Older homes may also have soakwells that are small by today's sizing rules, and a new driveway is a good time to check and upgrade them.
The City of Canning drainage plan
The City of Canning requires an approved stormwater drainage plan for every development, and it says most developments in the City suit on site disposal through soakwells. Which storm you design for depends on whether the lot has an overland flow path.
An overland flow path means 300 mm of clearance from road level to lot level. With one, the lot is designed for a 1 in 20 year average recurrence interval, using 0.0150 multiplied by the impervious area, or by the whole lot area where the lot is under 300 square metres. Without one, the lot must cope with a 1 in 100 year event, designed by a certified engineer.
Source: City of Canning, Information Sheet, Stormwater Drainage (October 2020).
On a Shelley house with 190 square metres of roof and 70 square metres of driveway and paths, 260 square metres times 0.0150 gives 3.9 cubic metres of soakwell for a lot with an overland flow path. Lots sitting low against the street, without that 300 mm, need an engineer's design, and that may include grated drains and piped drainage as well as soakwells. Our Perth soakwell requirements page compares Canning's approach with other councils.
Crossover and verge approvals in Canning
A Shelley crossover may be brick paved, grey concrete or exposed aggregate; liquid limestone is not accepted. Approval must come before construction and is lodged at least 10 business days ahead, and building without it can bring a fine of up to $5,000. When the inspector visits, they may ask for pavers to be lifted at three spots to check the sub-base, so we build the base as if it will be dug up. For 2026/27 the application fee is $594.00, and the City contributes up to $599.90 toward a first crossover built to its requirements.
Hard surface on the verge needs the City's written approval first. Paving is capped at 33 percent of the verge, footpath and crossover included, and none is approved within 2 metres of an existing tree trunk. Artificial turf and loose gravel are not approved. The City plants, prunes and maintains every street tree.
Source: City of Canning, Crossover Information Sheet (August 2022), Crossovers web page and Council Policy ET.529 Streetscape Management, Verge Landscape Treatments.
Bassendean sand and the Canning River shore
Most of Shelley is likely to sit on Bassendean sand, the free draining grey sand that suits soakwells. The northern edge is different. The suburb is bounded by the Canning River, and on the foreshore flats the water table is typically shallower, with groundwater within about 250 metres of the estuary likely to carry a saltwater wedge. On those low lots we check the ground before setting a soakwell depth and use wider, shallower units where needed. The coast is roughly 13 km away, so salt wind is unlikely to affect paver choice.
Shelley Hub, Rossmoyne and nearby suburbs
The suburb's name is believed to refer to the shells found along the Canning River shore, and Shelley Hub on Tribute Street West is its local centre. We take enquiries from Salter Point on the same basis. Neighbouring suburbs with their own pages are Rossmoyne, Riverton, Willetton and Bull Creek, with Como further north. See areas we service for the full list.
