Rockingham, Western Australia
Encyclopedia
Rockingham is a suburb and primary centre in Western Australia
south-west of the Perth
city centre and south of Fremantle
. It has a beachside location at Mangles Bay, the southern extremity of Cockburn Sound
. To its north stretches the maritime and resource-industry installations of Kwinana
and Henderson
. Offshore to the north-west is Australia's largest naval fleet and submarine base, Garden Island
, connected to the mainland by an all-weather causeway. To the west and south lies the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park
.
to carry settlers to Western Australia (the others being the Gilmore and the Hooghly), arriving in May 1830. The Rockingham was blown ashore and eventually abandoned after failed attempts to refloat her. She eventually broke up, having sunk in shallow waters. Settlers supposedly camped near the wreck used the name "Rockingham Town" as their address.
The region had been inhabited for several thousand years by tribes of the Noongar
people whose leader at that time was Galyute.
Rockingham was first surveyed and lots offered for sale in 1847. However, few lots were sold until the development of a railway and jetty in 1872 to transport jarrah timber and sandalwood
from Jarrahdale
overseas. Rockingham prospered until the construction of the Inner Harbour
of Fremantle
in 1897, which caused Rockingham as a timber port to steadily decline.
Now, as a satellite city in Perth's southwest, together with Mandurah, it is among Australia's fastest-growing residential districts. The maritime tradition has been strengthened by steady growth of the Royal Australian Navy
's main fleet base HMAS Stirling
and by the development of major shipbuilding and marine support services at nearby Henderson
.
Since the nineteenth century, abundant sightseeing and recreational attributes have been the basis of a tourism industry. Visitors can launch small boats or board ferries to view dolphins, seals, pelicans and penguins in the adjacent Marine Park
. The coast at nearby Safety Bay
is ideal for windsurfing
and kitesurfing
. Generous free barbecues and picnic facilities are provided on the seafront, supplementing a choice of hotels and restaurants. Rockingham Shopping Centre is the regional centre which attracts significant non-local business, having a licence to trade on Sundays during public and school holidays.
On 7 May 2009, a boundary realignment of Cooloongup
and Hillman
approved by the Minister for Lands incoporated the Rockingham Train Station
into Rockingham.
, from Rockingham Beach and Palm Beach.
, Spearwood
) running at 15-minute intervals Monday-Friday and the 825 (via. Coogee
). All three of these routes service the Primary Centre (including the Rockingham Shopping Centre via dedicated bus lanes.
National Highway 1
(Patterson Road and Ennis Avenue) connects Rockingham with Perth, Fremantle and Mandurah by road.
Perth Bicycle Network route SW38 links Rockingham Beach with Waikiki Beach in Safety Bay
.
, Safety Bay and Waikiki
primary schools. Public secondary schools are Rockingham Senior High School and Safety Bay Senior High School. Private schools in the district include the Roman Catholic Star of the Sea Primary School, Rockingham Montessori School, Maranatha Christian College (Baptist), and Kolbe Catholic College.
The Rockingham campus of Murdoch University
, located on Dixon Road, comprises buildings for engineering studies, arts and commerce, administration and a library which is also accessible to the local community, being one of the largest public libraries in the state. It is linked with the Rockingham Information and Library Services group which includes Warnbro Community Library and Safety Bay Public Library. The campus can be accessed by bus services from Fremantle
via Kwinana
, and from the Rockingham train station
on the Mandurah line.
; and the older Rockingham Beach "high-street" shops. The former includes several fast-food outlets, a petrol station, the Rockingham City shopping mall
, medical practices, restaurants and two multi-screen cinema complexes. Many of the older beachside shops have either switched to catering for tourism and recreational visitors, or have been redeveloped in a blend of high-rise residential units and associated services such as restaurants. Other shopping centres, located at nearby Waikiki
, Warnbro and Port Kennedy add to available variety and choice.
Residents also benefit from the proximity of large light-industrial
, warehouse
and showroom
developments, including major vehicle dealers, all types of trade and professional services, discount electrical appliances, building and landscaping materials, household and mechanical maintenance services. A further abundance of similar competitive services is available in the adjoining suburbs mentioned above. The district's classification as a special tourist venue enables many of Rockingham's retailers to operate on designated Sundays and holidays when many other metropolitan traders are prohibited under state law from doing so. In addition, two Bunnings Warehouse
s trade for 14 hours each weekday and 12 hours on every Saturday and Sunday.
On 9 September 2005, a memorial was unveiled at Rockingham beach to commemorate the Catalpa rescue
, the famous escape of six Irish Fenian convicts from Fremantle Prison
on 17–18 April 1876. After journeying south from Fremantle by horse-drawn cart, the escapees were rowed from Rockingham beach to the Catalpa, an American whaler. The perilous flight succeeded in the face of an overnight storm and naval interception at dawn. The memorial is a statue depicting six wild geese
in flight, the design of which was initiated by an Irish-Australian Perth citizen, the late Francis Conlan, whose name is also recorded on the memorial.
, a 4.5 inch gun turret of HMAS Derwent (DE 49) and a submarine fin from HMAS Orion
, added in 2009.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
south-west of the Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
city centre and south of Fremantle
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
. It has a beachside location at Mangles Bay, the southern extremity of Cockburn Sound
Cockburn Sound
Cockburn Sound is an inlet of the Indian Ocean on the coast of Western Australia. It extends from the south of the mouth of the Swan River at Fremantle for about 25 km to Cape Peron near Rockingham and is located at...
. To its north stretches the maritime and resource-industry installations of Kwinana
Kwinana, Western Australia
The Town of Kwinana is a Local Government Area of Western Australia. It covers an area of approximately 118 square kilometres in metropolitan Perth, and lies about 38 km south of Perth's central business district, via the Kwinana Freeway...
and Henderson
Henderson, Western Australia
Henderson is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Cockburn.-History:The suburb of Henderson comprises land resumed by the Commonwealth Government in 1915 for defence purposes. A large naval base was planned by Admiral Sir Reginald Henderson, and the was area sometimes...
. Offshore to the north-west is Australia's largest naval fleet and submarine base, Garden Island
Garden Island (Western Australia)
Garden Island is a slender island about ten kilometres long and one and a half kilometres wide, lying about off the Western Australian coast, to which it is now linked by a man-made causeway....
, connected to the mainland by an all-weather causeway. To the west and south lies the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park
Shoalwater Islands Marine Park
Shoalwater Islands Marine Park is located in Western Australia and stretches from the northern point of the Garden Island Causeway to the southern point of Becher Point, an area of 6540 ha.It is located offshore from the suburban locality of Shoalwater....
.
History
It got its name from the sailing ship Rockingham one of the three vessels bought by Thomas PeelThomas Peel
Mr. Peel, he moans, took him from England to Swan River, West Australia, means of subsistence and of production to the amount of £50,000. Mr. Peel had the foresight to bring with him, besides, 300 persons of the working-class, men, women, and children. Once arrived at his destination, "Mr. Peel was...
to carry settlers to Western Australia (the others being the Gilmore and the Hooghly), arriving in May 1830. The Rockingham was blown ashore and eventually abandoned after failed attempts to refloat her. She eventually broke up, having sunk in shallow waters. Settlers supposedly camped near the wreck used the name "Rockingham Town" as their address.
The region had been inhabited for several thousand years by tribes of the Noongar
Noongar
The Noongar are an indigenous Australian people who live in the south-west corner of Western Australia from Geraldton on the west coast to Esperance on the south coast...
people whose leader at that time was Galyute.
Rockingham was first surveyed and lots offered for sale in 1847. However, few lots were sold until the development of a railway and jetty in 1872 to transport jarrah timber and sandalwood
Santalum spicatum
Santalum spicatum, a species known as Australian sandalwood, is a tree native to semi-arid areas at the edge of Southwest Australia. It is traded as sandalwood and its valuable oil has been used as an aromatic, a medicine and a food source. S...
from Jarrahdale
Jarrahdale, Western Australia
Jarrahdale is a small historic town located 50 km south-east of Perth, Western Australia in the Darling Range. Jarrahdale is a descriptive name, derived from its situation in some of Western Australia's best Jarrah forest...
overseas. Rockingham prospered until the construction of the Inner Harbour
Fremantle Harbour
Fremantle Harbour is Western Australia's largest and busiest general cargo port and an important historical site. The inner harbour handles a large volume of sea containers, vehicle imports and livestock exports, cruise shipping and naval visits, and operates 24 hours a day.The harbour is also...
of Fremantle
Fremantle
Freemantle is a suburb of Southampton in England.Fremantle or Freemantle may also refer to:- Places :* Fremantle, the port city to the capital Perth, Western Australia...
in 1897, which caused Rockingham as a timber port to steadily decline.
Now, as a satellite city in Perth's southwest, together with Mandurah, it is among Australia's fastest-growing residential districts. The maritime tradition has been strengthened by steady growth of the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
's main fleet base HMAS Stirling
HMAS Stirling
HMAS Stirling is the Royal Australian Navy's primary base on the west coast of Australia. It is located on Garden Island in the state of Western Australia, near the city of Perth...
and by the development of major shipbuilding and marine support services at nearby Henderson
Henderson, Western Australia
Henderson is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Cockburn.-History:The suburb of Henderson comprises land resumed by the Commonwealth Government in 1915 for defence purposes. A large naval base was planned by Admiral Sir Reginald Henderson, and the was area sometimes...
.
Since the nineteenth century, abundant sightseeing and recreational attributes have been the basis of a tourism industry. Visitors can launch small boats or board ferries to view dolphins, seals, pelicans and penguins in the adjacent Marine Park
Shoalwater Islands Marine Park
Shoalwater Islands Marine Park is located in Western Australia and stretches from the northern point of the Garden Island Causeway to the southern point of Becher Point, an area of 6540 ha.It is located offshore from the suburban locality of Shoalwater....
. The coast at nearby Safety Bay
Safety Bay, Western Australia
Safety Bay is an outer southern suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, located on the coast within the City of Rockingham.-History:...
is ideal for windsurfing
Windsurfing
Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...
and kitesurfing
Kitesurfing
Kitesurfing or Kiteboarding is an adventure surface water sport that has been described as combining wakeboarding, windsurfing, surfing, paragliding, and gymnastics into one extreme sport. Kitesurfing harnesses the power of the wind to propel a rider across the water on a small surfboard or a...
. Generous free barbecues and picnic facilities are provided on the seafront, supplementing a choice of hotels and restaurants. Rockingham Shopping Centre is the regional centre which attracts significant non-local business, having a licence to trade on Sundays during public and school holidays.
On 7 May 2009, a boundary realignment of Cooloongup
Cooloongup, Western Australia
Cooloongup is an outer southern suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, located within the City of Rockingham. It is principally a suburb of residential dwellings.-History:...
and Hillman
Hillman, Western Australia
Hillman is an outer southern suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, located within the City of Rockingham. It is principally a suburb of residential dwellings, and is the location of Hillman Primary School....
approved by the Minister for Lands incoporated the Rockingham Train Station
Rockingham railway station, Perth
Rockingham Station is a bus and railway interchange located in the Rockingham suburb of Cooloongup, Western Australia. Situated near the intersection of Rae Road and Ennis Avenue in Cooloongup, east of Rockingham Shopping Centre, it is served by the interurban Mandurah line, with services to both...
into Rockingham.
Geography
Rockingham is topographically flat, has sandy soils and coastal vegetation. It has a northern aspect to Cockburn SoundCockburn Sound
Cockburn Sound is an inlet of the Indian Ocean on the coast of Western Australia. It extends from the south of the mouth of the Swan River at Fremantle for about 25 km to Cape Peron near Rockingham and is located at...
, from Rockingham Beach and Palm Beach.
Transport
Rockingham is serviced by the Rockingham Train Station on the Mandurah Line. The "Rockingham Shuttle Bus 555" is a frequent service which connects the train station with the Rockingham Beach foreshore. Frequent services connect Rockingham with Fremantle via the bus service 920 (via KwinanaKwinana, Western Australia
The Town of Kwinana is a Local Government Area of Western Australia. It covers an area of approximately 118 square kilometres in metropolitan Perth, and lies about 38 km south of Perth's central business district, via the Kwinana Freeway...
, Spearwood
Spearwood, Western Australia
Spearwood is a southern suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Cockburn. It was named by colonial settlers who noticed the native tea trees, scientific name Melaleuca lanceolata Chipolata, being used for spears by the Yugul Aboriginal people.-History:Settlement appears to...
) running at 15-minute intervals Monday-Friday and the 825 (via. Coogee
Coogee, Western Australia
Coogee is a southern coastal suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Cockburn.-History:The suburb takes its name from the lake, Lake Coogee, in the area, which translates to "Body of water" in the native Aboriginal Nyoongar language. Originally this lake was named Lake...
). All three of these routes service the Primary Centre (including the Rockingham Shopping Centre via dedicated bus lanes.
National Highway 1
Highway 1 (Australia)
Australia's Highway 1 is a network of highways that circumnavigate the Australian continent, joining all mainland state capitals. At a total length of approximately it is the longest national highway in the world, longer than the Trans-Siberian Highway and the Trans-Canada Highway...
(Patterson Road and Ennis Avenue) connects Rockingham with Perth, Fremantle and Mandurah by road.
Perth Bicycle Network route SW38 links Rockingham Beach with Waikiki Beach in Safety Bay
Safety Bay, Western Australia
Safety Bay is an outer southern suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, located on the coast within the City of Rockingham.-History:...
.
Education
Rockingham Beach Primary School was founded in 1895 and is supplemented by Bungaree, Charthouse, East Waikiki, HillmanHillman, Western Australia
Hillman is an outer southern suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, located within the City of Rockingham. It is principally a suburb of residential dwellings, and is the location of Hillman Primary School....
, Safety Bay and Waikiki
Waikiki, Western Australia
Waikiki is an outer southern suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia. It adjoins and is closely associated with Safety Bay in the City of Rockingham. A prime landmark is the Waikiki Village shopping centre on Read Street, the main road linking Rockingham with Warnbro and Port Kennedy....
primary schools. Public secondary schools are Rockingham Senior High School and Safety Bay Senior High School. Private schools in the district include the Roman Catholic Star of the Sea Primary School, Rockingham Montessori School, Maranatha Christian College (Baptist), and Kolbe Catholic College.
The Rockingham campus of Murdoch University
Murdoch University
Murdoch University is a public university based in Perth, Australia. It began operations as the state's second university in 1973, and accepted its first students in 1975...
, located on Dixon Road, comprises buildings for engineering studies, arts and commerce, administration and a library which is also accessible to the local community, being one of the largest public libraries in the state. It is linked with the Rockingham Information and Library Services group which includes Warnbro Community Library and Safety Bay Public Library. The campus can be accessed by bus services from Fremantle
Fremantle
Freemantle is a suburb of Southampton in England.Fremantle or Freemantle may also refer to:- Places :* Fremantle, the port city to the capital Perth, Western Australia...
via Kwinana
Kwinana
Kwinana may refer to:*Town of Kwinana, a Local Government Area in Western Australia*Kwinana Beach, Western Australia, a suburb in Western Australia*Kwinana Freeway, a major road in Western Australia...
, and from the Rockingham train station
Rockingham railway station, Perth
Rockingham Station is a bus and railway interchange located in the Rockingham suburb of Cooloongup, Western Australia. Situated near the intersection of Rae Road and Ennis Avenue in Cooloongup, east of Rockingham Shopping Centre, it is served by the interurban Mandurah line, with services to both...
on the Mandurah line.
Retail shopping outlets
Rockingham is served by two substantial shopping districts, an extensive precinct near the local-government officesCity of Rockingham
The City of Rockingham is a Local Government Area in the far southern suburbs of the Western Australian capital city of Perth.-History:In 1896, residents of Rockingham petitioned to establish a road board, which they proposed be called "Clarence" which was the name of the failed settlement of...
; and the older Rockingham Beach "high-street" shops. The former includes several fast-food outlets, a petrol station, the Rockingham City shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
, medical practices, restaurants and two multi-screen cinema complexes. Many of the older beachside shops have either switched to catering for tourism and recreational visitors, or have been redeveloped in a blend of high-rise residential units and associated services such as restaurants. Other shopping centres, located at nearby Waikiki
Waikiki, Western Australia
Waikiki is an outer southern suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia. It adjoins and is closely associated with Safety Bay in the City of Rockingham. A prime landmark is the Waikiki Village shopping centre on Read Street, the main road linking Rockingham with Warnbro and Port Kennedy....
, Warnbro and Port Kennedy add to available variety and choice.
Residents also benefit from the proximity of large light-industrial
Light industry
Light industry is usually less capital intensive than heavy industry, and is more consumer-oriented than business-oriented...
, warehouse
Warehouse
A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
and showroom
Showroom
The word showroom has two distinct meanings including:-Marketing location:A showroom is a large space used to display products for sale, such as automobiles, furniture, appliances, carpet or apparel. The World's most famous locations for a showroom are the Champs Elysees in Paris or the 5th Avenue...
developments, including major vehicle dealers, all types of trade and professional services, discount electrical appliances, building and landscaping materials, household and mechanical maintenance services. A further abundance of similar competitive services is available in the adjoining suburbs mentioned above. The district's classification as a special tourist venue enables many of Rockingham's retailers to operate on designated Sundays and holidays when many other metropolitan traders are prohibited under state law from doing so. In addition, two Bunnings Warehouse
Bunnings Warehouse
Bunnings Warehouse is Australia's largest hardware chain with stores in Australia and New Zealand. The chain is owned by Wesfarmers Limited.-History:-Pre 1900s:...
s trade for 14 hours each weekday and 12 hours on every Saturday and Sunday.
Catalpa memorial
Catalpa rescue
The Catalpa rescue was the escape, in 1876, of six Irish Fenian prisoners from what was then the British penal colony of Western Australia.-Fenians and plans to escape:...
, the famous escape of six Irish Fenian convicts from Fremantle Prison
Fremantle Prison
Fremantle Prison is a former Australian prison located in The Terrace, Fremantle, in Western Australia. The site includes the prison, gatehouse, perimeter walls, cottages, tunnels, and prisoner art...
on 17–18 April 1876. After journeying south from Fremantle by horse-drawn cart, the escapees were rowed from Rockingham beach to the Catalpa, an American whaler. The perilous flight succeeded in the face of an overnight storm and naval interception at dawn. The memorial is a statue depicting six wild geese
The Wild Goose
The Wild Goose: A Collection of Ocean Waifs was a hand-written newspaper created in late 1867 by Fenian prisoners aboard the Hougoumont, the last ship to transport convicts to Australia....
in flight, the design of which was initiated by an Irish-Australian Perth citizen, the late Francis Conlan, whose name is also recorded on the memorial.
Naval Memorial Park
To the north of Rockingham lies the Rockingham Naval Memorial Park, opposite HMAS Stirling. It contains a number of commemorative plaquesCommemorative plaque
A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other vertical surface, and bearing text in memory of an important figure or event...
, a 4.5 inch gun turret of HMAS Derwent (DE 49) and a submarine fin from HMAS Orion
HMAS Orion
HMAS Orion was an Oberon class submarine of the Royal Australian Navy .-Design and construction:The Oberon class was based heavily on the preceding Porpoise class of submarines, with changes made to improve the vessels' hull integrity, sensor systems, and stealth capabilities. Eight submarines...
, added in 2009.