History of Subiaco
Subiaco and its surrounding suburbs of Daglish, Jolimont and Shenton Park share a unique history and sense of community.
The area now known as the City of Subiaco was the homeland of the Noongar people long before the first European settlers came to the area.
In 1851 a group of Benedictine monks settled in the area, calling their monastery ‘New Subiaco’ after the birthplace of the Benedictine Order in Subiaco, Italy.
The monks planted olive trees and fruit orchards in the neighbourhood. Today, an olive branch is included on the City of Subiaco coat of arms and is an integral part of the City's identity. The City continues to maintain olive trees, acknowledging their historical significance.
When the Perth to Fremantle railway opened in 1881, the name ‘Subiaco’ was adopted for a railway station near the monastery, and later for the cluster of houses and businesses that became the present-day suburb of Subiaco.
More European settlers followed, as land was cheaper compared with Perth, and the railway encouraged light industry and retail.
Subiaco was proclaimed a municipality in 1897, becoming a City in 1952.
Subiaco has a sister city relationship with two overseas cities:
• Subiaco, Italy
• Subiaco, Arkansas, United States of America.
For a comprehensive history of Subiaco, please download the General history of Subiaco (PDF, 578KB).
For a deep dive into the history of Subiaco up to the 1980s a copy of Ken Spillman's 'Identity Prized; a History of Subiaco' is available via the Subiaco Museum's online collection on CollectionsWA.
For information on the modern history of Subiaco in the 1970s to early 2000s, a copy of Ken Spillman's 'Tales of a Singular City' is available on CollectionsWA.
Subiaco street names
The City's street names are intertwined with the history of Subiaco.
Street names throughout the City reference an array of government figures, sporting identities, business people, industries and flora, as well as people and places reminiscent of distant homelands.
Research is ongoing to fully document the origins of the street names.
Find out more in the City of Subiaco street names report (PDF, 522KB).
Where to find more information about Subiaco
The Subiaco Library and Subiaco Museum collections contain a wealth of information exploring the history of Subiaco. Both are free to the public.