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Rockingham Gateway Your complete guide to Rockingham W.A

Rockingham Western Australia ( Part2 )

History of Rockingham Western Australia

Constituted as the Rockingham Road Board 21 May 1897

Renamed Shire of Rockingham 1 July 1961

Proclaimed City of Rockingham 12 November 1988

Future Developments

Completion of The Freeway extension to Rockingham

Lark Hill Regional Sport and Recreation Complex

Lark Hill Horse Racing Development and Academy

$15 million Warnbro Aquatic Centre

Rockingham City Centre Development

Rockingham Waterfront Village – Urban Renewal

Rockingham Strategic Regional Centre Development

Rockingham City Shopping Centre Upgrade

Murdoch University – Campus West expansion

Rockingham Hotel Resort Development

Marriott Ramada Resort development

Wanliss Street Jetty and Commercial Development

Dixon Road (Main road through light industrial area) duplication

Warnbro Sound Avenue extension to Singleton

Mangles Bay Marina

Rapid Transit Rail system

$3 million Marketing and Promotion plan of the City.

Extensive Arterial Roads Streetscaping program

Note: all the above projects are confirmed/ proposed to commence (some will be completed) within the next 5 years. Estimated value of projects being privately funded is almost $600 million.

DEVELOPMENT

The City of Rockingham is 47km south of Perth and covers an area of about 261sq km. It has an estimated population of 79,500 (as at 2002) and a total of 28,231 dwellings. The population has trebled in the past 20 years and by 2016 it is expected to reach 123,000 - representing approximately 60 per cent of the southwest metropolitan region's population.

Though the relaxed lifestyle and natural features of Rockingham remain unchanged the city has undergone a transformation.

About $18.5 million has been invested by Rockingham City Council and the State Government into redeveloping the city's centre.

A traditional town centre is being created by the ongoing construction of a series of civic buildings and a pedestrian-friendly business and retail sector in the heart of the city. The estimated cost of final development of the city centre is about $60 million.

The region's lifestyle alternatives have been expanded with the recent completion of the $15 million Warnbro Aquatic and Recreational Centre in Warnbro Sound Ave -- the Aqua Jetty.

However, the most important development to reshape the face of Rockingham has been the extension of the Kwinana Freeway through to Safety Bay Rd. The Kwinana Freeway and proposed rail transit line, due to arrive in 2006, will combine to make Rockingham a viable residential area for city commuters.Travelling time to and from the Perth CBD has been reduced to 35 minutes.

The Rockingham City Council, in line with State Government policy, has initiated a series of five-year development projects to encourage capital growth. These include:

*An extensive upgrade of the Rockingham City Shopping Centre

*The Waterfront village - Urban Renewal Plan: To utilise vacant crown land north of Patterson Rd and south of Kent St for a mixture of high and medium-density residentail development

*The Rockingham Hotel Resort development and the Marriott Ramada Resort development

*The Wanliss St Jetty and Commercial Development - a boardwalk-style site for cafes and eateries

*The duplication of Dixon Rd and the extension of Warnbro Sound Ave through to Singleton

*Construction of the Mangles Bay Marina adjacent to the Garden Island Causeway - a north-facing complex styled after the popular Hillarys Marina

*The ongoing construction of the Lark Hill Regional Sport and Recreation Complex and the adjoining Lark Hill Horse Racing Academy . The recreation complex will be a multifunctional, regional facility, while the Horse Racing Academy is predicted to become one of the major horseracing venues in WA. The academy will cater for the region's developing throroughbred breeding industry.

One of the most important features of Rockingham,both demographically and economically, is Fleet Base West, the naval base on Garden Island . The base employs about 2500 people and is home to half the Royal Australian Navy's surface combat fleet. Australia 's Collins class submarines also have their home at Garden Island . Each year the navy injects more than $150 million into the regional economy through wages, maintenance and supplies. The naval presence in Rockingham will intensify, with the navy increasing the percentage of its defence forces based in WA from 62 per cent to 70 per cent in 2004 through the relocation of ships to Garden Island.

The continuing construction of the Australian Marine Complex is also a major drawcard for naval activity within the region. The complex is set to become the largest centre for marine industry in Australia . The $200 million fabrication complex is located along Cockburn Sound, 16km north of the Rockingham city centre. When completed, it will incorporate an 80ha industrial estate for fabrication, 40ha for generic facilities and have the capability to fabricate, assemble and load marine vessels weighing up to 15,000 tonnes. The complex will rely heavily on Rockingham for professional and technical personnel.

The city council believes the Murdoch University Rockingham Campus will enable Rockingham to meet the professional demands of such a developing industry. The campus is predominantly engineering based and its presence is sure to attract further business investment to the area. Students at the campus benefit not only from a world-class education but also from Rockingham's lifestyle opportunities.

With Thanks

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