Mandurah, Western Australia
Encyclopedia
Mandurah is the second-largest city in Western Australia
and is located approximately 72 kilometres (45 mi) south of the state capital, Perth
.
The city attracts a large number of tourists, including many international visitors. The city centre foreshore is home to a variety of wildlife including dolphins, pelican
s, shags, and an abundance of marine life including the blue manna crab
which has become synonymous with the area. The city is also known for its protected waterways, beaches and boating and fishing activities.
to a major regional city in just over a decade, in a similar vein to the Gold Coast
in Eastern Australia, in recent times forming a conurbation
with nearby Rockingham
and the capital Perth
along the coast.
Mandurah has also become a popular lifestyle alternative for Perth retirees and its connection with the Perth CBD has been strengthened with the opening of the Perth-Mandurah railway line in December 2007 and a direct road connection to the Kwinana Freeway built by late 2010. A housing affordability survey of 227 cities in 2008 ranked it the least affordable city in Australia.
. The city lies in and around this freshwater system which in turn feeds into the Indian Ocean. The city and its suburbs have many kilometres of ocean coastline most of which is sandy beaches. Mandurah also has a number of suburbs built around artificially created canal systems that extend from the Peel Inlet, such as Halls Head
, Dudley Park
and Wannanup
.
In terms of geology, much of Mandurah lies on the dune systems which dominate South Western WA's coastline, progressively grading towards the Swan Coastal Plain as one travels inland. The area has infertile soils due to the dunes being rather sandy, having poor water retention qualities. Limestone outcrops are found to the north of the city especially along the Mandurah Line. Mandurah is the closest city to Yalgorup National Park
which is home to modern thrombolites as well as an array of flora and fauna.
, although a couple of suburbs east of the Serpentine River
are governed by the Shire of Murray
.
Mandurah is typically considered a marginal area for both major parties at both state and federal politics. Northern Mandurah lies in the safe Labor
seat of Brand
, held by Gary Gray
, while southern and central Mandurah lies in the more marginal Canning
, held by the Liberal Party
's Don Randall
. State politics also highlight a significant divide, with northern Mandurah located in the safe Labor seat of Mandurah
held by David Templeman
, while southern Mandurah located in the safe Liberal seat of Dawesville
, held by Deputy Premier Kim Hames
.
. The current weather station opened in 2001 and is situated right on the coastline, causing data recorded to appear warmer during winter nights and cooler in summer days compared to surrounding areas.
Mandurah also receives a moderate though highly seasonal rainfall of about 850mm a year, however recent trends have seen this once reliable rainfall drop significantly. In addition, most of the winter rains are usually accompanied by severe winds and storms capable of causing widespread damage, making Mandurah one of the windiest cities in Australia. These conditions are perfect for tornado
formation, which Mandurah's climate is remarkable for producing one of the highest densities of tornadoes in the world.
The Noongar
(or Bibbulmun) people, who inhabited the South West
of Western Australia, named the area Mandjar ('meeting place'). After European settlement the name changed, possibly due to mispronunciation, to Mandurah.
In December 1829, Thomas Peel
arrived in Western Australia from the United Kingdom with workmen, equipment and stores on the ship Gilmore. He had financed the trip in exchange for a grant of land in the Swan River Colony
. Unfortunately for him, the contract stipulated that he was to arrive by no later than 1 November 1829 and, as such, his original land grant was forfeited. Undaunted, Peel built a small settlement named Clarence south of the Swan River colony at what is known today as Woodman Point. Many problems with the settlement along with Peel's own ill-health led him to lead the remaining Clarence settlers to the area known today as Mandurah. Thomas Peel died in 1865 but Mandurah continued to grow, albeit very slowly, over the years leading to the 20th Century.
Since its founding, Mandurah was administered under the Murray Road Board until 1949, when the Mandurah Road Board was established. However, dissension within the board during the 1950s saw it suspended while Commissioner Richard Rushton oversaw the town's affairs. On 26 April 1960, the Mandurah Road Board was reconstituted, and on 1 July 1961, in accordance with the Local Government Act 1960, the Shire of Mandurah was founded.
With a mining boom in nearby Pinjarra
, Jarrahdale
and Wagerup
and an industrial boom in Kwinana
combined with an idyllic lifestyle by the coast saw Mandurah grow rapidly, and on 1 July 1987 was upgraded to the Town of Mandurah. Just three years later on 14 April 1990. Mandurah became the fifth non-metropolitan settlement in Western Australia to become a city
.
) with a festival held in early March known as Crabfest.
Like neighbouring settlements Bunbury
and Rockingham
dolphins and whales frequent the city annually and dolphin and whale watching are a popular pastime. In December, the canal areas in Mandurah becomes well-known for their Christmas lights and special boat cruises are often promoted as a result.
Two zoos lie within the outskirts of the city, as well as a miniature village, a tourist railway and a national park.
, Greenfields
, Halls Head
and Falcon
.
and Wagerup
with the Huntly Mine at Pinjarra the largest in the world. Mandurah is also just one hour away from the Boddington Gold Mine
, which has recently become Australia's largest producing gold mine.
Highway 1
bisects the city of Mandurah as Mandurah Road towards Fremantle
and Old Coast Road
towards Bunbury
. Meanwhile Pinjarra
and Gordon/Lakes Roads serve as major east-west corridors for the northern part of the city. The Kwinana Freeway
and Forrest Highway also provides a rural bypass for the city. The recently opened Mandjoogoordap Drive
(formerly the Mandurah Entrance Road) also provides a direct link from the Kwinana Freeway.
The Mandurah Estuary Bridge was constructed in 1985 to 1986, and was the first incrementally launched box girder bridge
in Australia. The Dawesville Channel
(also known as the Dawesville Cut), a large man-made channel
, was opened in April 1994. The channel was created to allow saline seawater from the Indian Ocean to flush into the Peel Inlet to reduce the incidence of algal bloom
s which had plagued the estuary for many years.
Public transport in Mandurah is covered by Transperth
due to its proximity to Perth itself, with eleven bus routes servicing the city while the Mandurah railway line, opened in December 2007, links Mandurah to Perth via Mandurah railway station with a travel time of approximately 50 minutes. Mandurah is also a stop on Transwa
bus services between Perth and the South West.
), Seven
, Nine
, Ten and SBS
, (branded as SBS One). Additional digital-only channels available include One HD, ABC2
, ABC3
, ABC News 24
, SBS Two, 7Two
, 7mate
, GEM HD and GO!
. In April 2010 a new community station, West TV
, began transmission (in digital format only).
Since it lies close to two TV boundaries, Mandurah also receives the GWN
, WIN
and Ten West
stations that service regional and remote Western Australia. Digital services of all three stations will be aired in Mandurah by 2011.
Two local newspapers service the city, the weekly Mandurah Coastal Times and the Mandurah Mail Link.
Mandurah also receives all the Perth radio stations in addition to 1116 kHz 6MM (AM) and the FM stations of Class (96.5FM) and Coast FM (97.3FM).
is used to filter the areas sewage water providing safe, quality irrigation water for local parks, gardens and ovals. Mandurah is also linked to Perth's water supply.
in the West Australian Football League
, Mandurah City
in the Football West State League and the Pirates Rugby Union club in the RugbyWA
competition. Greyhound racing
is held weekly at the Greyhounds WA Mandurah venue. Mandurah also hosts an SBL (State Basketball League) team called Mandurah Magic.
Mandurah boasts many golf courses in the area including the Mandurah Country Club, Meadow Springs Golf Club, Secret Harbour. Mandurah is a private, tree lined course. Meadow Springs is a public course inhabited by kangaroos. Secret Harbour is a public links course near the beach. One club, The Cut, was voted the best golf course in Western Australia
Mandurah is famous for its beaches along the coast. There are many family friendly beaches such as Doddis Beach, Blue Bay and Mandurah Beach. There are also many surf beaches around Wannanup
and Dawesville such as Avalon, 4th Groyne, Pyramids and The Wedge.
by The Triffids
.
Electro pop duo Tim and Jean
hail from Mandurah.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
and is located approximately 72 kilometres (45 mi) south of the state capital, Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
.
The city attracts a large number of tourists, including many international visitors. The city centre foreshore is home to a variety of wildlife including dolphins, pelican
Pelican
A pelican, derived from the Greek word πελεκυς pelekys is a large water bird with a large throat pouch, belonging to the bird family Pelecanidae....
s, shags, and an abundance of marine life including the blue manna crab
Portunus pelagicus
Portunus pelagicus, also known as the flower crab, blue crab, blue swimmer crab, blue manna crab or sand crab, is a large crab found in the intertidal estuaries of the Indian and Pacific Oceans and the Middle-Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The name "flower crab" is used in east Asian...
which has become synonymous with the area. The city is also known for its protected waterways, beaches and boating and fishing activities.
Geography
Mandurah has grown from isolated holiday communities along the shores of the Peel-Harvey EstuaryPeel-Harvey Estuary
The Peel Harvey Estuary is a natural estuary which lies roughly parallel to the coast of Western Australia and south of the town of Mandurah. The strip of land between the Indian Ocean and the estuary carries the Old Coast Road and to the east is the Forrest Highway which is the main thoroughfare...
to a major regional city in just over a decade, in a similar vein to the Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
in Eastern Australia, in recent times forming a conurbation
Conurbation
A conurbation is a region comprising a number of cities, large towns, and other urban areas that, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed area...
with nearby Rockingham
Rockingham, Western Australia
Rockingham is a suburb 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...
and the capital Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
along the coast.
Mandurah has also become a popular lifestyle alternative for Perth retirees and its connection with the Perth CBD has been strengthened with the opening of the Perth-Mandurah railway line in December 2007 and a direct road connection to the Kwinana Freeway built by late 2010. A housing affordability survey of 227 cities in 2008 ranked it the least affordable city in Australia.
Geology
The waters of the Peel Inlet and Harvey Estuary (one of Australia's larger inlet systems) form the centre of Mandurah. The estuary is approximately twice the size of Sydney HarbourPort Jackson
Port Jackson, containing Sydney Harbour, is the natural harbour of Sydney, Australia. It is known for its beauty, and in particular, as the location of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge...
. The city lies in and around this freshwater system which in turn feeds into the Indian Ocean. The city and its suburbs have many kilometres of ocean coastline most of which is sandy beaches. Mandurah also has a number of suburbs built around artificially created canal systems that extend from the Peel Inlet, such as Halls Head
Halls Head, Western Australia
Halls Head is a coastal suburb of Mandurah, immediately west of Mandurah's central area. It is largely residential and contains several canal estates developed since the 1980s....
, Dudley Park
Dudley Park, Western Australia
Dudley Park is a suburb of Mandurah, located immediately south of Mandurah's central area....
and Wannanup
Wannanup, Western Australia
Wannanup is a residential suburb in Western Australia, located southwest of Mandurah and south-southwest of the state capital, Perth. It is surrounded on three sides by water — the Indian Ocean to the west, the Harvey Estuary to the east and the Dawesville Channel to the south — and is home to...
.
In terms of geology, much of Mandurah lies on the dune systems which dominate South Western WA's coastline, progressively grading towards the Swan Coastal Plain as one travels inland. The area has infertile soils due to the dunes being rather sandy, having poor water retention qualities. Limestone outcrops are found to the north of the city especially along the Mandurah Line. Mandurah is the closest city to Yalgorup National Park
Yalgorup National Park
Yalgorup National Park is a national park in Western Australia , 105 km south of Perth, and directly south of MandurahThe park is located on the western edge of the Swan Coastal Plain and contains a chain of about ten lakes, the name rises from the two Noongar words Yalgor meaning lake and up...
which is home to modern thrombolites as well as an array of flora and fauna.
Political
Most of the city is governed by the City of MandurahCity of Mandurah
The City of Mandurah is a Local Government Area of Western Australia. It covers an area of approximately 174 km² in the Peel region of Western Australia just beyond the southern boundary of metropolitan Perth, and lies about 75 km south of the Perth central business district.It is bordered by the...
, although a couple of suburbs east of the Serpentine River
Serpentine River (Western Australia)
The Serpentine River is a river in the South West region of Western Australia.The river rises in the Darling Scarp below Bowerling Hill and flows westward crossing Albany Highway North of North Bannister. The river continues North West through the Youarling State Forest then the Serpentine National...
are governed by the Shire of Murray
Shire of Murray
The Shire of Murray is a Local Government Area of Western Australia. It covers an area of just beyond metropolitan Perth, the capital of Western Australia. It lies about 80 km south of the Perth central business district. The Shire of Murray had a population of 11,969 as at the 2006...
.
Mandurah is typically considered a marginal area for both major parties at both state and federal politics. Northern Mandurah lies in the safe Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
seat of Brand
Division of Brand
The Division of Brand is an Australian electoral division in the state of Western Australia. The division was named after Sir David Brand, a former state premier, and is a safe Labor seat held by Gary Gray who first won the seat at the 2007 federal election...
, held by Gary Gray
Gary Gray (Australian politician)
Gary Gray AO , Australian politician, is the Australian Labor Party representative for the Division of Brand in Western Australia in the Australian House of Representatives. Gray is currently the Special Minister of State and the Special Minister of State for the Public Service and Integrity.Gary...
, while southern and central Mandurah lies in the more marginal Canning
Division of Canning
The Division of Canning is an Australian Electoral Division in Western Australia. The division was created in 1949 and is named for Alfred Canning, the Western Australian government surveyor who surveyed the Canning Stock Route...
, held by the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
's Don Randall
Don Randall
Donald James Randall , Australian politician, is a Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives. He represented the Division of Swan, Western Australia, 1996–98, and has represented the Division of Canning, Western Australia, since November 2001. He was born in Merredin, Western...
. State politics also highlight a significant divide, with northern Mandurah located in the safe Labor seat of Mandurah
Electoral district of Mandurah
-External links:* ABC Election Profiles: * WAEC District Maps:...
held by David Templeman
David Templeman
David Alan Templeman was born 21 November 1965 in Northam Western Australia. He has been a Labor member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of Mandurah after winning the seat in the 2001 election defeating Roger Keith Nicholls.In 1994, he was elected to the...
, while southern Mandurah located in the safe Liberal seat of Dawesville
Electoral district of Dawesville
The Electoral district of Dawesville is a Legislative Assembly electorate in the state of Western Australia. Dawesville is named for the southwestern Mandurah suburb of Dawesville which falls within its borders.-History:...
, held by Deputy Premier Kim Hames
Kim Hames
Dr. Kim Desmond Hames, MBBS, JP, MLA is a Western Australian politician and Deputy Premier of Western Australia under Colin Barnett...
.
Climate
Sharing a similar climate to Perth, Mandurah has a typical Mediterranean climate (Köppen classification Csa) with warm summers and cool winters. During summer (December to February), the average maximum temperature is 27 °C (80 °F) with an average minimum temperature of 19 °C (66 °F). At its extreme it can get very hot, often having a couple of days exceed 40 °C (104 °F) in the later half of summer. In winter (June to August), the average maximum temperature is 15 °C (59 °F) with an average minimum temperature of 9 °C (48 °F). Mandurah's proximity to the ocean moderates diurnal temperatures somewhat, with temperatures a few kilometres inland often 4 or 5 degrees warmer during summer days (or cooler during winter nights). Frosts are very rare as a result, but do occur annually around suburbs such as GreenfieldsGreenfields, Western Australia
Greenfields is a suburb of Mandurah, located east of Mandurah's central area. It includes several aged care residences and a large recreation oval and centre....
. The current weather station opened in 2001 and is situated right on the coastline, causing data recorded to appear warmer during winter nights and cooler in summer days compared to surrounding areas.
Mandurah also receives a moderate though highly seasonal rainfall of about 850mm a year, however recent trends have seen this once reliable rainfall drop significantly. In addition, most of the winter rains are usually accompanied by severe winds and storms capable of causing widespread damage, making Mandurah one of the windiest cities in Australia. These conditions are perfect for tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
formation, which Mandurah's climate is remarkable for producing one of the highest densities of tornadoes in the world.
History
Noongar
The Noongar are an indigenous Australian people who live in the south-west corner of Western Australia from Geraldton on the west coast to Esperance on the south coast...
(or Bibbulmun) people, who inhabited the South West
Southwest, Western Australia
The Southwest is a loosely defined area in the southwest corner of Western Australia. Various regionalisations have provided formal definitions of the area, but these do not coincide.* For the drainage division, see Southwest corner of Western Australia...
of Western Australia, named the area Mandjar ('meeting place'). After European settlement the name changed, possibly due to mispronunciation, to Mandurah.
In December 1829, Thomas Peel
Thomas Peel
Mr. Peel, he moans, took him from England to Swan River, West Australia, means of subsistence and of production to the amount of £50,000. Mr. Peel had the foresight to bring with him, besides, 300 persons of the working-class, men, women, and children. Once arrived at his destination, "Mr. Peel was...
arrived in Western Australia from the United Kingdom with workmen, equipment and stores on the ship Gilmore. He had financed the trip in exchange for a grant of land in the Swan River Colony
Swan River Colony
The Swan River Colony was a British settlement established in 1829 on the Swan River, in Western Australia. The name was a pars pro toto for Western Australia. In 1832, the colony was officially renamed Western Australia, when the colony's founding Lieutenant-Governor, Captain James Stirling,...
. Unfortunately for him, the contract stipulated that he was to arrive by no later than 1 November 1829 and, as such, his original land grant was forfeited. Undaunted, Peel built a small settlement named Clarence south of the Swan River colony at what is known today as Woodman Point. Many problems with the settlement along with Peel's own ill-health led him to lead the remaining Clarence settlers to the area known today as Mandurah. Thomas Peel died in 1865 but Mandurah continued to grow, albeit very slowly, over the years leading to the 20th Century.
Since its founding, Mandurah was administered under the Murray Road Board until 1949, when the Mandurah Road Board was established. However, dissension within the board during the 1950s saw it suspended while Commissioner Richard Rushton oversaw the town's affairs. On 26 April 1960, the Mandurah Road Board was reconstituted, and on 1 July 1961, in accordance with the Local Government Act 1960, the Shire of Mandurah was founded.
With a mining boom in nearby Pinjarra
Pinjarra, Western Australia
Pinjarra is a town in the Peel region of Western Australia along the South Western Highway, from the state capital, Perth and south-east of the coastal city of Mandurah. Its local government area is the Shire of Murray. At the 2006 census, Pinjarra had a population of 3,279.Pinjarra is an area...
, Jarrahdale
Jarrahdale, Western Australia
Jarrahdale is a small historic town located 50 km south-east of Perth, Western Australia in the Darling Range. Jarrahdale is a descriptive name, derived from its situation in some of Western Australia's best Jarrah forest...
and Wagerup
Wagerup, Western Australia
Wagerup is a town located in the Peel region of Western Australia just off the South Western Highway, between Waroona and Harvey.-History:...
and an industrial boom in Kwinana
Kwinana
Kwinana may refer to:*Town of Kwinana, a Local Government Area in Western Australia*Kwinana Beach, Western Australia, a suburb in Western Australia*Kwinana Freeway, a major road in Western Australia...
combined with an idyllic lifestyle by the coast saw Mandurah grow rapidly, and on 1 July 1987 was upgraded to the Town of Mandurah. Just three years later on 14 April 1990. Mandurah became the fifth non-metropolitan settlement in Western Australia to become a city
City of Mandurah
The City of Mandurah is a Local Government Area of Western Australia. It covers an area of approximately 174 km² in the Peel region of Western Australia just beyond the southern boundary of metropolitan Perth, and lies about 75 km south of the Perth central business district.It is bordered by the...
.
Economy and employment
Much of Mandurah's economy is based on tourism, retail and manufacturing/construction, and to a lesser extent on mining and agriculture.Tourism
Mandurah is considered to be the unofficial gateway to the South West and possesses a variety of tourist attractions, especially based around the water. It is a major fishing and crabbing area in Western Australia, with the city well-known for the Blue Manna Crab (Portunus pelagicusPortunus pelagicus
Portunus pelagicus, also known as the flower crab, blue crab, blue swimmer crab, blue manna crab or sand crab, is a large crab found in the intertidal estuaries of the Indian and Pacific Oceans and the Middle-Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The name "flower crab" is used in east Asian...
) with a festival held in early March known as Crabfest.
Like neighbouring settlements Bunbury
Bunbury, Western Australia
The port city of Bunbury is the third largest city in Western Australia after the State Capital Perth and Mandurah. It is situated south of Perth's central business district...
and Rockingham
Rockingham, Western Australia
Rockingham is a suburb 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...
dolphins and whales frequent the city annually and dolphin and whale watching are a popular pastime. In December, the canal areas in Mandurah becomes well-known for their Christmas lights and special boat cruises are often promoted as a result.
Two zoos lie within the outskirts of the city, as well as a miniature village, a tourist railway and a national park.
Retail
Mandurah has seven day trading during the summer, as well as during school and public holiday periods. Mandurah has five distinct shopping areas, including Centro Mandurah (formerly known as the Mandurah Forum) located at the intersection of Pinjarra and Mandurah Roads. The Bridge Quarter (or The Foreshore) located in the CBD and Dolphin Quay/Mandurah Ocean Marina built at the intersection of Mandjar Bay and the Peel Inlet. There are also smaller retail areas in Meadow SpringsMeadow Springs, Western Australia
Meadow Springs is a suburb of Mandurah, immediately northeast of Mandurah's central area. Alongside some of Mandurah's most recent land estates, it contains a large golf course, Catholic primary school, Anglican co-educational school, and a war veterans' estate.-Shopping:Meadow Springs also...
, Greenfields
Greenfields, Western Australia
Greenfields is a suburb of Mandurah, located east of Mandurah's central area. It includes several aged care residences and a large recreation oval and centre....
, Halls Head
Halls Head, Western Australia
Halls Head is a coastal suburb of Mandurah, immediately west of Mandurah's central area. It is largely residential and contains several canal estates developed since the 1980s....
and Falcon
Falcon, Western Australia
Falcon is a southern suburb of Mandurah, located southwest of Mandurah's central area on the Indian Ocean.-Geography:Falcon is one of four Mandurah suburbs that lie on an island bound by the Mandurah Estuary to the north, the Peel-Harvey Estuary to the east, the Dawesville Channel to the south and...
.
Mining
Although not a mining settlement, Mandurah has a number of mines within two hours of the city. This includes bauxite mining and alumina refining at PinjarraPinjarra, Western Australia
Pinjarra is a town in the Peel region of Western Australia along the South Western Highway, from the state capital, Perth and south-east of the coastal city of Mandurah. Its local government area is the Shire of Murray. At the 2006 census, Pinjarra had a population of 3,279.Pinjarra is an area...
and Wagerup
Wagerup, Western Australia
Wagerup is a town located in the Peel region of Western Australia just off the South Western Highway, between Waroona and Harvey.-History:...
with the Huntly Mine at Pinjarra the largest in the world. Mandurah is also just one hour away from the Boddington Gold Mine
Boddington Gold Mine
The Boddington Gold Mine is a gold and copper mine located 17 km northwest of Boddington, Western Australia.Officially reopened on 3 February 2010, the mine is expected to become Australia's largest gold mine once it reaches full production.-History:...
, which has recently become Australia's largest producing gold mine.
Transport
Highway 1 (Australia)
Australia's Highway 1 is a network of highways that circumnavigate the Australian continent, joining all mainland state capitals. At a total length of approximately it is the longest national highway in the world, longer than the Trans-Siberian Highway and the Trans-Canada Highway...
bisects the city of Mandurah as Mandurah Road towards Fremantle
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
and Old Coast Road
Old Coast Road
Old Coast Road is a Western Australian highway linking Mandurah, WA's second-largest city located 75 km south of Perth, with Bunbury, WA's third-largest city. It is signed as Route 1 for most of its length and is long.-Overview:...
towards Bunbury
Bunbury, Western Australia
The port city of Bunbury is the third largest city in Western Australia after the State Capital Perth and Mandurah. It is situated south of Perth's central business district...
. Meanwhile Pinjarra
Pinjarra Road
Pinjarra Road is a major west-east road connecting the two major centres of the Peel Region, Mandurah and Pinjarra. Mostly a dual carriageway, it also forms the termini of both the Kwinana Freeway and Forrest Highway.-Major intersections:...
and Gordon/Lakes Roads serve as major east-west corridors for the northern part of the city. The Kwinana Freeway
Kwinana Freeway
The Kwinana Freeway is a major arterial road in Perth, Western Australia, linking Perth with the southern suburbs and then further on towards Mandurah, a distance of . It has a speed limit of , except in central Perth and south of Lakes Road . Like all Western Australian freeways, the minimum...
and Forrest Highway also provides a rural bypass for the city. The recently opened Mandjoogoordap Drive
Mandjoogoordap Drive
Mandjoogoordap Drive, meaning "meeting place of the heart" in the indigenous Noongar language, is a dual carriageway road which links the Western Australian city of Mandurah to the Kwinana Freeway. It was officially opened on the 7th October 2010...
(formerly the Mandurah Entrance Road) also provides a direct link from the Kwinana Freeway.
The Mandurah Estuary Bridge was constructed in 1985 to 1986, and was the first incrementally launched box girder bridge
Box girder bridge
A box girder bridge is a bridge in which the main beams comprise girders in the shape of a hollow box. The box girder normally comprises either prestressed concrete, structural steel, or a composite of steel and reinforced concrete. The box is typically rectangular or trapezoidal in cross-section...
in Australia. The Dawesville Channel
Dawesville Channel
Dawesville Channel is a man-made channel between the Peel-Harvey Estuary and the Indian Ocean at Dawesville about 80 km south of Perth in Western Australia...
(also known as the Dawesville Cut), a large man-made channel
Channel (geography)
In physical geography, a channel is the physical confine of a river, slough or ocean strait consisting of a bed and banks.A channel is also the natural or human-made deeper course through a reef, sand bar, bay, or any shallow body of water...
, was opened in April 1994. The channel was created to allow saline seawater from the Indian Ocean to flush into the Peel Inlet to reduce the incidence of algal bloom
Algal bloom
An algal bloom is a rapid increase or accumulation in the population of algae in an aquatic system. Algal blooms may occur in freshwater as well as marine environments. Typically, only one or a small number of phytoplankton species are involved, and some blooms may be recognized by discoloration...
s which had plagued the estuary for many years.
Public transport in Mandurah is covered by Transperth
Transperth
Transperth is the brand name of the public transport system in Perth, Western Australia. It is operated by the Public Transport Authority.-History:...
due to its proximity to Perth itself, with eleven bus routes servicing the city while the Mandurah railway line, opened in December 2007, links Mandurah to Perth via Mandurah railway station with a travel time of approximately 50 minutes. Mandurah is also a stop on Transwa
Transwa
Transwa is Western Australia's regional public transport provider, linking 275 destinations within Western Australia, from Kalbarri in the north to Augusta in the south to Esperance in the east along with the regional centres of Bunbury, Kalgoorlie, Northam, Geraldton and Albany.Transwa is...
bus services between Perth and the South West.
Media
Mandurah lies at the southern end of the Perth TV license area, and as such it is served by five analogue free to air stations: ABC (now branded as ABC1ABC1
ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC.The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on...
), Seven
TVW
TVW can mean:*TVW, a Seven Network owned station in Perth, Western Australia*TVW, a public affairs network in the state of Washington*"tvw", the false branding callsign of WISC-TV's digital subchannel and Madison, Wisconsin's MyNetworkTV affiliate...
, Nine
STW
-Mathematics:*The Shimura-Taniyama-Weil conjecture, a generalization of Fermat's last theorem.-Music:*Stop the War Coalition, an anti-war group in the United Kingdom*Salt the Wound, a deathcore band-Other:...
, Ten and SBS
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
, (branded as SBS One). Additional digital-only channels available include One HD, ABC2
ABC2
ABC2 is a national public television channel in Australia. Launched on 7 March 2005, it is the responsibility of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television division, and is available nationally to digital television viewers in Australia...
, ABC3
ABC3
-Future shows:Programming confirmed for future broadcast will include:* After School Care * Bindi's Boot Camp * Bushwacked! * Dance Academy * Dancing Down Under...
, ABC News 24
ABC News 24
ABC News 24 is an Australian 24-hour news channel launched and owned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The channel replaced the former ABC High Definition simulcast of ABC1 and commenced broadcasting at 7:30pm 5:30 on Thursday, 22 July 2010.-Pre-launch:The ABC announced in January 2010...
, SBS Two, 7Two
7Two
7TWO is an Australian free-to-air standard definition digital television channel which was launched by the Seven Network on Sunday 1 November 2009 at 12pm....
, 7mate
7mate
7mate is an Australian free-to-air high definition digital television channel, which was launched by the Seven Network on 25 September 2010.The network stated that 7mate would contain sport and regular programs aimed primarily at a male audience, with programming drawn from a combination of new...
, GEM HD and GO!
Go! (Australian TV channel)
GO! is an Australian free-to-air standard definition digital television channel launched by the Nine Network on Sunday 9 August 2009.-Origins:...
. In April 2010 a new community station, West TV
West TV
West TV or WTV, previously New Visions 31, is a free-to-air community television station that began broadcasting in standard definition digital format on logical channel 44 in Perth on 10 April 2010 at 10 am.-History:...
, began transmission (in digital format only).
Since it lies close to two TV boundaries, Mandurah also receives the GWN
Golden West Network
GWN7 is an Australian television network owned by the Prime Media Group that is based in Bunbury, Western Australia. The Golden West Network launched on 10 March 1967 as BTW-3 in Bunbury, and has since expanded to cover regional and remote Western Australia, servicing all areas except metropolitan...
, WIN
WOW (TV station)
WOW is an Australian television station licensed to WIN Television, serving regional and remote Western Australia. The station officially commenced transmissions on 26 March 1999 as the second commercial regional broadcaster in Western Australia, alongside former monopoly, Golden West Network...
and Ten West
Ten West
Ten West is the official name for a digital television station broadcasting in rural Western Australia. It is jointly owned by the WIN Corporation and Prime Television Limited and is an affiliate of Network Ten, broadcasting a direct feed of NEW-10 from Perth....
stations that service regional and remote Western Australia. Digital services of all three stations will be aired in Mandurah by 2011.
Two local newspapers service the city, the weekly Mandurah Coastal Times and the Mandurah Mail Link.
Mandurah also receives all the Perth radio stations in addition to 1116 kHz 6MM (AM) and the FM stations of Class (96.5FM) and Coast FM (97.3FM).
Water use
Mandurah is at the centre of a water recycling project known as the Halls Head Indirect Water Reuse Project. Based in Mandurah it has recently been awarded the Western Australian Water Corporation Award for Water Treatment and Recycling. An aquiferAquifer
An aquifer is a wet underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials from which groundwater can be usefully extracted using a water well. The study of water flow in aquifers and the characterization of aquifers is called hydrogeology...
is used to filter the areas sewage water providing safe, quality irrigation water for local parks, gardens and ovals. Mandurah is also linked to Perth's water supply.
Sport
Mandurah is home to the Peel Thunder Football ClubPeel Thunder Football Club
The Peel Thunder Football Club is an Australian rules football club playing in the West Australian Football League . The team is based in Mandurah, Western Australia, with their home ground being Rushton Park...
in the West Australian Football League
West Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
, Mandurah City
Mandurah City
Mandurah City are a professional Australian football based in Mandurah Western Australia and compete in the Western Australia State League...
in the Football West State League and the Pirates Rugby Union club in the RugbyWA
RugbyWA
RugbyWA, formerly known as the Western Australia Rugby Union, is the governing body for rugby union in the state of Western Australia, Australia. In 2004, RugbyWA successfully secured the fourth Australian Super 12 licence, entering a team in the expanded Super 14 competition from 2006, called the...
competition. Greyhound racing
Greyhound racing
Greyhound racing is the sport of racing greyhounds. The dogs chase a lure on a track until they arrive at the finish line. The one that arrives first is the winner....
is held weekly at the Greyhounds WA Mandurah venue. Mandurah also hosts an SBL (State Basketball League) team called Mandurah Magic.
Mandurah boasts many golf courses in the area including the Mandurah Country Club, Meadow Springs Golf Club, Secret Harbour. Mandurah is a private, tree lined course. Meadow Springs is a public course inhabited by kangaroos. Secret Harbour is a public links course near the beach. One club, The Cut, was voted the best golf course in Western Australia
Mandurah is famous for its beaches along the coast. There are many family friendly beaches such as Doddis Beach, Blue Bay and Mandurah Beach. There are also many surf beaches around Wannanup
Wannanup, Western Australia
Wannanup is a residential suburb in Western Australia, located southwest of Mandurah and south-southwest of the state capital, Perth. It is surrounded on three sides by water — the Indian Ocean to the west, the Harvey Estuary to the east and the Dawesville Channel to the south — and is home to...
and Dawesville such as Avalon, 4th Groyne, Pyramids and The Wedge.
In popular culture
A photograph of Mandurah adorns the cover of the 1986 album Born Sandy DevotionalBorn Sandy Devotional
Born Sandy Devotional was an album by The Triffids, released in March 1986. The cover photo shows the now West Australian city of Mandurah back in 1961. All the songs on the album were written by David McComb...
by The Triffids
The Triffids
The Triffids were a seminal Australian alternative rock and pop band formed in Perth, Western Australia, in May 1978 with charismatic, David McComb as singer-songwriter, guitarist, bass guitarist and keyboardist. They achieved negligible success in Australia, but greater success in the U.K...
.
Electro pop duo Tim and Jean
Tim & Jean
Tim & Jean is the name of an indie-pop duo from Mandurah, Australia. The group consists of Tim Ayre and Jean Capotorto.-Biography:The band began by recording demo tapes in Capotorto's bedroom studio in Mandurah...
hail from Mandurah.