Rockingham, Western Australia

Rockingham Perth, Western Australia
Mangles Bay at Rockingham. In the background, a shiploading facility for wheat, at Kwinana.
Rockingham
Coordinates	32°16′52″S 115°43′37″E / 32.281°S 115.727°E / -32.281; 115.727Coordinates: 32°16′52″S 115°43′37″E / 32.281°S 115.727°E / -32.281; 115.727
Population	108,022 (2011 census)
• Density	7,348/km2 (19,030/sq mi)
Established	1847
Postcode(s)	6168
Area	14.7 km2 (5.7 sq mi)
Location	47 km (29 mi) SSW of Perth 28 km (17 mi) S of Fremantle 31 km (19 mi) N of Mandurah 38 km (24 mi) WSW of Armadale 10 km (6 mi) SW of Kwinana
LGA(s)	City of Rockingham
State electorate(s)	Rockingham
Federal Division(s)	Brand
Localities around Rockingham: Garden Island East Rockingham Peron Rockingham Hillman Shoalwater Safety Bay Cooloongup

Rockingham is a city 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. It is the second largest city in Western Australia, behind the state's capital, Perth.

Rockingham received its name from the sailing ship Rockingham, one of the three vessels bought by Thomas Peel 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.