City of Rockingham

The City of Rockingham is a local government area in the far southern suburbs of the Western Australian capital city of Perth.

This article is about a local government authority. For the suburb, see Rockingham, Western Australia.

City of Rockingham
Western Australia
The City of Rockingham within the Perth Metropolitan Area
City of Rockingham Coat of Arms
Population
 • Density486.64/km2 (1,260.38/sq mi)
Established1897
Area257.1 km2 (99.3 sq mi)
MayorBarry Sammels
Council seatRockingham
RegionSouth Metropolitan Perth
State electorate(s)Rockingham, Warnbro, Kwinana, Darling Range
Federal Division(s)Brand
WebsiteCity of Rockingham
LGAs around City of Rockingham:
Kwinana Serpentine-Jarrahdale
City of Rockingham Serpentine-Jarrahdale
Mandurah Murray

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 Thomas Peel at Woodman Point. The area at the time fell within the responsibility of the Fremantle District Road Board. The name "Clarence" was declined by the Department of Lands and Surveys,[3]:pp83–85 and the Rockingham Road District was gazetted on 4 February 1897.[4]

The agricultural hall on the corner of Flinders Lane and Kent Street in Rockingham was used for the Roads Board's administration until an office was constructed for the Roads Board on the corner of Office Road and Mandurah Road in East Rockingham in 1905. In 1929 the Board resolved to relocate the administration to Rockingham Beach and the various buildings, including the Agricultural Hall and the vacated Rockingham Beach Primary School building on Kent Street, were used as the Board's offices.[3]

A new office was constructed for the Roads Board in 1946 on the corner of Flinders Lane and Kent Street.[3]

In February 1954 the Kwinana Road District was formed from the northern portion of the Rockingham Road District.

On 1 July 1961, the Road District became the Shire of Rockingham following enactment of the Local Government Act 1960.[5][6] In 1971, the Shire relocated to new offices on Council Avenue on land donated by developers Rockingham Park Pty Ltd 2 km southeast of the traditional centre of Rockingham Beach, which was to become the new major centre of Rockingham and Kwinana. The Rockingham City Shopping Centre opened in the new centre in 1971. Despite the move to the new "city centre," the community apparently considered Rockingham Beach to be the rightful civic heart of Rockingham, as evidenced by the Shire's decision to construct Flinders Hall on Flinders Lane, despite the new Council offices being constructed in the same year.[3]:pp287–288

The Rockingham council chambers

On 12 November 1988 the Council attained City status.[5][6] In 1994, the City relocated to new Council chambers and civic centre on Civic Boulevard.[7]

In 2008, the Council adopted a plan for the Rockingham Strategic Regional (or Primary) Centre which incorporated both the traditional centre at Rockingham Beach and the "City Centre" of the 1970s into a larger, encompassing centre. The plan seeks to increase the residential population within this new city centre envelope from 12,000 to 36,000 through the provision of transit-oriented development, which would in turn support the operation of light rail between the Rockingham Train Station and Rockingham Beach.[8]

Wards

The city has been divided into four wards. The mayor is elected from among the councillors.

  • Rockingham Ward (3 councillors)
  • Safety Bay Ward (3 councillors)
  • Baldivis Ward (2 councillors)
  • Coastal Ward (2 councillors)

Suburbs

Population
Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1911 161—    
1921 477+11.47%
1933 1,014+6.49%
1947 1,780+4.10%
1954 2,656+5.88%
1961 2,583−0.40%
1966 4,383+11.16%
1971 11,608+21.51%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1976 17,224+8.21%
1981 24,740+7.51%
1986 31,595+5.01%
1991 41,749+5.73%
1996 57,980+6.79%
2001 70,008+3.84%
2006 84,307+3.79%
2011 104,105+4.31%

In 1954, Kwinana was excised from Rockingham.

Media

Rockingham is serviced by two local newspapers: The Sound Telegraph is delivered every Wednesday, and the Weekend Courier on Fridays.

Rockingham's local radio station is 104.1 Rock FM. The internet radio station broadcasts 24 hours a day on its website, and on the Stickam social networking service.

Conservation

Rockingham Lakes Regional Park, at 4,270 hectares, occupies approximately 16 percent of the area of the City of Rockingham. The park, established in 1997, consists of areas of land that have been identified as having outstanding conservation, landscape and recreation values.[9]

Heritage-listed places
Main article: List of State Register of Heritage Places in the City of Rockingham

As of 2020, 113 places are heritage-listed in the City of Rockingham,[10] of which seven are on the State Register of Heritage Places, among them Cape Peron K Battery Complex, the Bell Cottage ruin and Lake Richmond.[11]

Sport & Recreation

Rockingham is home to the Rockingham Rams[12] in the Peel Football League; Rockingham City FC[13] in the Football West State League; Rockingham Rugby Union club in the RugbyWA competition; Rockingham Flames in the State Basketball League; and the Rockingham Coastal Sharks in the Western Australia Rugby League.

Sister cities

The City of Rockingham has two active affiliations to which it is a signatory, being:

  • City of Akō, located in the Hyōgo Prefecture of Japan – A "sister city" relationship based on opportunities for residents and groups to exchange diverse cultural aspects, particularly during official and community visits. "Ako Lane", located next to the Council building, is a tribute to this relationship.
  • Kota Kinabalu, the capital city of the Malaysian state Sabah – A "friendship city" agreement in conjunction with the objectives of the South West Group to support potential bilateral trade between firms in the two regions.[14]

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Rockingham (C)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  2. "3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2017-18". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2019. Estimated resident population (ERP) at 30 June 2018.
  3. Draper, Richard Rockingham – The Visions Unfold. City of Rockingham. 1997. ISBN 0-9599249-2-2
  4. "Rockingham Roads Board District (per 5980/96)". Western Australia Government Gazette. 4 February 1897. p. 1897:244.
  5. "Local Government Act 1960. Shire of Rockingham (City Status) Order 1988". Western Australia Government Gazette. 10 June 1988. p. 1988:1934.
  6. WA Electoral Commission, Municipality Boundary Amendments Register (release 3.0), 31 May 2007.
  7. Rockingham Municipal Heritage Inventory Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Palassis Architects, April 2008 p.22
  8. Rockingham Strategic Regional Centre Archived 8 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  9. Rockingham Lakes Regional Park Management Plan 2010 (PDF) (Report). Conservation Commission of Western Australia, Department of Environment and Conservation & City of Rockingham. 2010. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  10. "City of Rockingham Heritage Places". inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  11. "City of Rockingham State Register of Heritage Places". inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  12. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2011.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. Rockingham City FC Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  14. Archived 29 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine City of Rockingham Global Friendship Policy, adopted by Council at its ordinary meeting held on 28 September 2010

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