RDA Peel acknowledges the Bindjareb, Wilman and Whadjuk peoples of the Noongar Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the lands and waters of the Peel region. We pay respect to Elders past and present, and recognise the continuing cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across our region.

The Peel region takes its name from the land — Bindjareb Boodja — and its people have cared for this country for more than 60,000 years. The name Mandurah derives from Mandjoogoordap: in Noongar language, the meeting place of the heart.

Located 75 kilometres south of Perth, the Peel is Western Australia’s smallest region geographically and one of its fastest growing. It spans a striking diversity of landscapes — 50 kilometres of Indian Ocean coastline, the fertile flats of the Swan Coastal Plain, jarrah forests rising to the Darling Scarp, and productive agricultural land stretching east to Boddington.

With a current Gross Regional Product of $8.9 billion and a population projected to reach 444,000 by 2050, the Peel is emerging as one of the most significant regional economies outside Perth. The region encompasses five local government areas: the City of Mandurah and the Shires of Murray, Waroona, Serpentine-Jarrahdale, and Boddington.

The Peel’s natural environment is genuinely world-class. The Peel-Yalgorup system — a Ramsar-listed network of estuaries, coastal saline lakes and freshwater marshes — is the largest and most diverse estuarine complex in south-western Australia. It supports more than 20,000 waterbirds annually and is one of the few places on Earth where living thrombolites occur in inland waters, at Lake Clifton.

The Peel-Harvey waterways carry an estimated economic asset value of $20.8 billion and contribute around $605 million annually to the WA economy — a measure of how deeply the region’s identity and prosperity are tied to its natural landscape.

The Peel economy is characterised by a large and growing workforce, strong transport connections to Perth — including the Mandurah train line (under an hour to the city), the Kwinana Freeway, and the Tonkin Highway extension currently under construction — and an industry base concentrated in construction, retail, health and social assistance.

Diversifying that base is the defining economic challenge and opportunity of the next decade. Significant investment is already underway: the Food Innovation Precinct Western Australia (FIPWA) at Pinjarra is a $21.7 million food and beverage innovation centre of excellence — the first of its kind in Western Australia. The broader Transform Peel program represents $49.3 million in integrated strategic investment. The Henderson Defence Precinct, adjacent to the region’s north-western boundary, is expected to generate around 10,000 high-skilled jobs as part of Australia’s AUKUS commitments, with substantial flow-on effects into Peel’s housing, services and workforce.

City of Mandurah — Named Australia’s Top Tourism Town in 2023, Mandurah draws over two million day-trip visitors each year. With a population approaching 100,000 and direct rail to Perth, it is the region’s commercial and services hub and one of the fastest-growing regional cities in Australia.

Shire of Murray — Home to Pinjarra, Dwellingup and the Peel Business Park, Murray combines heritage, nature-based tourism and emerging industrial investment. Dwellingup has been crowned Australia’s Top Tiny Tourism Town three years running. The Murray River, the Peel-Yalgorup wetlands and 45 kilometres of canals define its landscape.

Shire of Waroona — A predominantly agricultural shire with strong horticultural and tourism assets. Waroona Dam and the surrounding jarrah forest provide some of the region’s most striking natural scenery, and the shire is investing in trail development and destination tourism.

Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale — The region’s northern gateway and fastest-growing shire, experiencing rapid residential expansion as Perth’s urban fringe extends south. The shire balances significant development pressure with a strong rural and environmental character.

Shire of Boddington — The region’s eastern anchor, Boddington hosts one of Australia’s largest gold mines and is home to significant agricultural production. The shire is navigating the transition from an economy shaped by a single major industry toward a more diversified future.

RDA Peel is an Australian Government initiative working across the five local government areas of the Peel region. We connect people, projects and investment with the resources and relationships that make things happen. If you have a project, a proposition, or simply want to understand what the region has to offer, we’d like to hear from you.

Contact RDA Peel →