WARail & telegraph
Subiaco
A monastery’s name passed to a railway platform, then to a suburb.
1881Railway station opens
WHAT STARTED IT
Benedictine monks settled near Lake Monger in 1851 and called their monastery New Subiaco. When the Perth–Fremantle railway opened in 1881, a station built for the monastery took the name, and cheaper land beside the line drew settlers.
WHAT SUSTAINED IT
The government first opened land in the area for development in 1885, and the railway encouraged light industry and shops. Subiaco became a municipality in 1897 and was raised to a city in 1952, once it had passed 20,000 people.
TURNING POINTS
1881The Perth–Fremantle railway opens, with a station named Subiaco near the monastery.
1885The government first develops land in the area for settlement.
1897Subiaco is declared a municipality on 26 March.
1952Subiaco becomes a city on 1 March and celebrates with a procession in September.
WHAT IT DOES NOW
An inner-western residential and shopping suburb of about 10,000 people. It is still centred on its railway station and Rokeby Road.