Like the name Perth, the suburb of Applecross borrows its name from the region in Scotland. Many of the streets in the suburb have Scottish names. The suburb of Applecross was originally assigned to Lionel Lukin on 28 May 1830. The land was finally acquired by Sir Alexander Percival Matheson in February 1896. Matheson, a Scot, formed the Western Australian Investment Company Limited and instigated the subdivision of the area, giving it the name of Applecross after a small fishing village on the north-western coast of Scotland.
A distinguishing feature of the suburb are the jacaranda trees which line its streets and which flower in the late spring (see photo below). In keeping with this theme, Applecross is home to an annual Jacaranda festival in late November.
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Image:Kings Park and Perth CBD, taken from Applecross, April 2006.JPG|Views from Heathcote - the old hospital site that is now a public park
Image:Old Majestic Hotel site, Applecross, Western Australia, April 2006.JPG|The old Majestic site
Image:Waylen bay heathcote.jpg|Waylen Bay Near The Strand
Image:South of Perth Yacht Club, April 2006.JPG|South of Perth Yacht Club
Image:Applecross-jacaranda.jpg|Jacarandas in bloom in Applecross
Image:Applecross-Jetty.jpg|The view of Perth CBD across the Swan River from the Applecross fishing jetty
Image:Raffles 003.jpg|The art-deco Raffles Hotel
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