WAFarming
Wanneroo
Lakes in the sand made a market-garden district north of Perth.
1907Townsite gazetted
WHAT STARTED IT
A chain of lakes and swamps on the coastal plain gave water to otherwise sandy soils north of Perth. The district name was in use by the early 1840s, and a government townsite was gazetted as Wanneru in 1907.
WHAT SUSTAINED IT
By 1904 a roads board of gardeners, dairymen and farmers ran the district, and its first agricultural show in 1909 highlighted the poor roads to Perth markets. Chinese, British and then Italian growers turned the lakeside land into a market-garden and dairying belt.
TURNING POINTS
1907A government townsite is gazetted under the spelling Wanneru.
1909The Wanneroo Agricultural Society holds its inaugural show.
1920sItalian market gardeners and dairy farmers join earlier Chinese and British growers around the lakes.
1953The townsite spelling is changed to Wanneroo.
WHAT IT DOES NOW
A northern suburb of about 12,100 people, where housing now meets market gardens, wetlands and Yellagonga Regional Park.