Roller shutters and blinds in Shoalwater

Burglary in Shoalwater has been little changed over the past five years. WA Police recorded 21 burglaries in 2021 and 18 in 2025. Before that the yearly numbers were higher, with 48 in 2017.

The 2025 rate was 4.1 per 1,000 residents, about level with the metropolitan Perth rate of 4.0. The suburb figure covers homes and businesses together, since police publish a single burglary count for each suburb.

A rate close to the metro figure is no cause for alarm, and no reason to skip the basics either. Lock doors and windows, keep valuables out of sight from windows, and think about what covers the glass. A roller shutter is a physical barrier on windows and doors, and it makes forced entry slower and noisier.

Separate houses made up 76.6% of Shoalwater's occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, about level with the Greater Perth figure of 77.8%. The rest is a real mix: 16.2% flats or apartments, and 6.6% semi-detached homes and townhouses. Over a third of homes, 35.5%, were owned outright.

Owners of apartments and townhouses should start with the strata company. WA's default by-laws require its written consent to keep anything visible from outside the lot that is not in keeping with the rest of the building. Bring colour and style details to the strata meeting so other owners can see how the shutter will look from outside.

On a house, residential roller shutters suit bedrooms and glass doors, whether they face the street or the water. Courtyards and balconies can be closed in with Ziptrak or Slidetrack blinds, and we also make cafe and motorised blinds.

For apartments and townhouses, strata approval is the first hurdle. Beyond the written consent rule for visible changes, the default by-laws require 14 days written notice to the strata company before an owner alters the structure of a lot. Landgate notes that strata approval comes on top of any development and building approvals that may also be needed.

Houses are simpler. The City of Rockingham's development applications page says a single house, including patio additions, does not require development approval on residential zoned land. The state conditions still apply: the R-Codes must apply, the work must meet the deemed-to-comply provisions, and the place must not be heritage protected. Places on the City's Heritage List fall under Local Planning Policy 3.3.21, which says awnings must not affect how a heritage place presents to the street.

Shoalwater's age profile makes the WA Seniors Card Safety and Security Rebate worth a look. It covers security window screens or window shutters, with a single claim of up to $400.