Mariginiup

Mariginiup is an outer rural suburb of Perth, Western Australia,32 kilometres north of the Perth CBD. Select MORE for information on the suburb, its neighbourhood and history.

A large proportion of the City of Wanneroo is made up of a complex network of interconnected wetlands, including Mariginiup Lake, which the suburb was named after.

These wetlands contain vast assemblages of rare and protected flora, and they provide critical habitat to a range of native animals. They also provide valuable opportunities for recreation through a range of passive and active open spaces and interconnected paths and access tracks.

Mariginiup is a small residential community with amenities largely being provided from outside of the area.

Mariginiup is part of the City of Wanneroo local government area and sits within the City’s Established Central Place Management Area.

Over 2,000 people currently live in the combined Gnangara, Jandabup and Mariginiup suburbs, with many market gardens in Mariginiup. About 60 per cent of vegetable growers in Wanneroo are first or second generation Vietnamese.

This suburb is named after Mariginiup Lake. Surveyors first recorded this name in 1844, and in 1904 a townsite was declared here. This Aboriginal name is said to possibly mean "to pull out flag leaved flax". It was named as a locality in 1982.

In 1890, before the townsite was established, the location became a stopping place for travellers and stock along the Old North Road Stock Route, which was instrumental in opening up and sustaining the development of the nearer northern districts for pastoralism in the 1850s, and later forming part of the main route for travellers, mail carriers and drovers before the Midland Railway was completed in 1894.

The first families to move into the area in 1905 ran dairy farms and grew vegetables by Lake Mariginiup and collected swamp rushes. Rushes were used to make rope, pave roads (as they were cheaper than limestone) and sold to local market gardeners.

In 1913, Thomas Neaves – a market gardener and dairy farmer - settled in the area. He was also one of the first registered beekeepers in WA and had displays at the Wanneroo Show from at least 1913, being involved with the Agricultural Society through to its Jubilee year of 1958.

In 1921, the family of a former convict set up one of the first sawmills in Wanneroo near Lake Mariginiup. This sawmill cut 1,000 7 in. (18cm) blocks for use on the road from Wanneroo to Yanchep.

Two years later, the Dennis family produced the first power saw in Western Australia, using a car engine for the motor. They mounted the power saw on wheels making it easier to transport to cut logs at different locations. This made the production of fruit cases easier.

In the late nineties, Vietnamese immigrants purchased land in Mariginiup, Gnangara and Carabooda to establish market gardens. Initially, the produce included spinach, bok choy and spring onions, which was later extended to include strawberries, spring onions, brussel sprouts, silver beet, snow peas, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and more.

(Historic information courtesy of Wanneroo Community History Centre)

Population: 2,367 (2016 census for combined Gnangara, Jandabup and Mariginiup suburbs)

Local Government Area: City of Wanneroo

Phone: 08 9405 5000

Email: enquiries@wanneroo.wa.gov.au