Wanneroo

Wanneroo is an outer suburb of Perth, Western Australia, 25 kilometres north of the Perth CBD – home to the City’s Civic Centre. Select MORE for information on the suburb and its history.

According to the six Noongar seasons, the Whadjuk and Yued people - two Noongar language groups - moved around Wanneroo’s coastal sandplain in the early 1800’s.

The first contact Aboriginal people had with European settlers was with explorers and surveyors, John Butler, George Grey,Thomas Watson and John Septimus Roe as they travelled through the Wanneroo area between 1834 and 1841.

Since attracting the first permanent settlers in 1852, the Wanneroo area has borne witness to significant change and development. The latter half of the 19th century played host to a series of significant milestones: from the beginnings of a flourishing pastoral community in the 1870s to the construction of the first school, erected near Lake Goollelal in 1874.

By the turn of the 20th century, the Wanneroo Road Board was taking shape and the townsite was gazetted as ‘Wanneru’ in 1907.

Over the decades, Wanneroo town centre has transformed from a collection of humble market gardens to a vibrant and prosperous focal point for our community. Whilst our market gardens continue to flourish, the town centre has evolved into a successful mix of residential and commercial land uses sitting alongside many parks, reserves and wetlands.

The City’s Civic Centre was opened in 1999 and the new Wanneroo Library and Cultural Centre ten years later.

Wanneroo is part of the City of Wanneroo local government area and is a friendly community with a small country town feel that includes a mix of lifestyle choices. People appreciate the beauty and sustainability of the natural environment, Lake Joondalup foreshore and the abundance of local parks and leisure facilities.

More than 13,000 people currently live in Wanneroo, which is expected to grow to more than 42,000 people over the next 20 years.

A total of 37 per cent of the community were born overseas with 13 per cent of residents speaking different languages at home other than English.

Wanneroo sits within the City’s Established Wanneroo Central Place Management Area.

Wanneroo is part of a ‘Noongar’ area known as Mooro, which covered the coast to Ellenbrook and from the Swan River to Moore River. The name ‘Wanneroo’ is derived from the Aboriginal word Wanneru, meaning ‘place of Aboriginal women’s digging stick’.

In the early days of the Swan River Colony, the district of Wanneroo represented an "outer" region and it is not until 1834, that an excursion into the area by any explorers or settlers is recorded.

It is not known when early settlers started using the name "Wanneroo", but, as early as 1842, a Surveyor recorded "road to Wanneroo" and in 1844, James Dobbins gave his address as Wanneroo. In May 1953 the spelling of "Wanneru" was officially amended to "Wanneroo".

Wanneroo borders the Yellagonga Regional Park, which was named after a Whadjuk Noongar elder and leader of the Aboriginal community in the area and has many scenic walks and recreational areas which are accessible all year round.

Surrounding the shores of Lake Joondalup, this lake separates the Cities of Wanneroo and Joondalup.

Wanneroo is also famous for its annual Wanneroo Show. The Wanneroo Showgrounds on Wanneroo Road, Wanneroo were originally managed by the Wanneroo Agricultural Society, who held their first annual Agricultural Show in 1909. Although the management of the showgrounds was transferred to the Wanneroo Council in 1948, the Agricultural Society still hold their annual Show on the site today. Free public access to the Showgrounds is available all year round except during events.

(Historic information courtesy of Wanneroo Community History Centre)

Population: 13,177 (2021 estimate from 2016 Census) Area: 2.4 km2 (0.9 sq mi) Local Government Area: City of Wanneroo Phone: 08 9405 5000 Email: enquiries@wanneroo.wa.gov.au