History

Prior to European settlement, the Beeliar subgroup of the indigenous Noongar people obtained food and drinking water from the river edges and open grassy areas. The sandbar at Point Walter was used as one of the few river crossing between the mouth of the river and The Narrows. The area around Point Walter was known as Dyoondalup in the local language, meaning "place of white sand", and featured in local creation myths. The area along the East Fremantle and Bicton foreshores, extending into Blackwall Reach, was called Quaada gabee[what language is this?], meaning "beautiful water", and included a number of freshwater springs.

The Swan River Colony was declared by Charles Fremantle in April 1829, however, Bicton was not settled until 1830, when four land grants were given to John Hole Duffield, who had arrived on the Warrior in March 1830, Alfred Waylen, Joseph Cooper and William Hapgood. The area was named after the village of Bicton in East Devon, where Duffield had previously had an estate. Duffield planted the colony's first commercially-operating vineyard, comprising 5,700 vines, in 1845. His son, James Hole Duffield, and another worker, John Luff, died on 30 March 1860 after they were buried alive in what the Perth Gazette called "a lamentable accident" while attempting to sink a well on Duffield's property.

The Bicton Racecourse was established in 1904 on land leased by the Higham family after the closure of the South Fremantle Racecourse. The course was closed in 1917 after the passing of the WA Racing Restrictions Act. The former racecourse was subdivided into suburban blocks in 1919, and the Castle Hill area, close to Point Walter, was subdivided in 1921 by Gold Estates.Further development occurred after the conclusion of the Second World War.






Facilities



The Melville Water Polo Club and Bicton Swimming Club are based at Bicton Pool overlooking the river, which was established as a baths in 1926 by the swimming club.

Two teams competing in the Australian National Water Polo League, the Fremantle Mariners (men's), and the Fremantle Marlins (women's), play their home games at the pool. The Tom Hoad Cup, an international water polo tournament, has been held yearly since 2003 at the pool. A cricket club, the Bicton Junior Cricket Club, was originally formed for school- and church-run competitions around 1923. The club is currently based at Troy Park in Attadale but still plays occasional games at Bicton Primary School.

Three shopping facilities are located in the suburb, as well as a strip mall extending along most of Canning Highway. Two churches – St. Christophers Anglican Church and Bicton Presbyterian Church – are located within the borders of Bicton, while the Bicton Uniting Church is located in the neighbouring suburb of Palmyra. Three aged care facilities – Carinya of Bicton, Braemar Lodge and Craigview Grove are located in Bicton.  The Bicton-Palmyra subchapter of the Returned and Services League (RSL) is located on Foss Street.