Rockingham (Western Australia)

Rockingham is an Australian city, which lies about 50 kilometers south of Perth. With nearly 70,000 inhabitants, it is the third largest city in Western Australia.

Geography

Rockingham is located on the Mangles Bay, a bay on the coast of the Indian Ocean. Offshore, Garden Iceland, an island that is connected by a causeway to the mainland. Northeast bordering the Kwinana industrial city to the place. Mandurah, an approximately equal-sized city, located to the south.

History

The town was first mentioned in 1847 and 1897, the city was right. Through the export of eucalyptus and sandalwood the place gained importance at that time. The establishment of the Fleet Base West at Garden of Iceland, the main base of the Royal Australian Navy on the west coast, and growing shipbuilding industry continued to strengthen the importance of seafaring.

1876 ​​Rockingham was the scene of a spectacular liberation of prisoners, in the six Fenians, Irish freedom fighters broke out of prison Fremantle, fled to Rockingham and there reached the U.S. ship Catalpa with a small dinghy. The Catalpa had been almost a year from the U.S. to Australia on the way to accommodate the prisoners. The prisoners managed to successfully escape. A sculpture by the sea shore reminded today of the Fenians.

Economy

Today the city is - together with Mandurah - one of the fastest growing places in Australia.

The region could also become established as a tourist destination. Thus, it is possible to observe in the adjacent Shoalwater Islands Marine Park dolphins, seals, pelicans and penguins. In addition, the coast is good for wind and kite surfing suitable.

Traffic

Rockingham is located on the Mandurah Line, a railway line, which connects Perth Mandurah. The route and thus also the station was opened on 23 December 2007. With the Perth railway can be reached within half an hour.