Hugging the south end of Cockburn Sound, Rockingham is a beachside suburb near Perth. The area was originally home to the Noongar people and holds close ties to the Royal Australian Navy. Rockingham is named after a sailing ship that was chartered by Thomas Peel to carry settlers to Western Australia. In 1830, it was blown ashore and sunk here.
Things to do in Rockingham
Backing Rockingham Beach is the Naval Memorial Reserve, which features monuments dedicated to the Royal Australian Navy and commemorative plaques detailing its role in global conflicts. In addition to a submarine fin from the HMAS Orion, you can get up close to a gun turret from the HMAS Derwent, a destroyer escort that served from 1964 to 1994.
At the southern end of Rockingham Beach is Palm Beach, which features a memorial plinth commemorating the escape of six Irish convicts from Fremantle Prison in 1876. It depicts six wild geese in flight, reflecting the convicts’ perilous journey by boat to an American whaler, the “Catalpa”. The memorial is symbolic of all those seeking freedom.
In the far west of Rockingham is Lake Richmond, which is surrounded by bushland and provides an important habitat for waterbirds. Its shallow waters are home to internationally significant thrombolites, dome-shaped structures built by microorganisms believed to be around six million years old. You can stretch your legs on the Anne Mueller Environmental Walk while keeping your eyes peeled for pelicans, black swans and white-faced herons.
Getting around Rockingham
Rockingham is around 30 minutes’ drive from the centre of Perth and 45 minutes from Perth International Airport, which has flights to destinations across the globe. Regular trains connect to the Rockingham railway station and buses travel throughout the suburb. Renting a car is the most convenient way of getting around Rockingham.