Rowe was born in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, to Margaret Mary (née Brock) and Archibald Richard Trahair. After previously working in various administrative positions, she served on the Greenough Shire Council in 1994 and from 1997 to 2004. She also worked as a research officer for two Liberal members of the Legislative Assembly – Kevin Minson (from 1996 to 2001) and Jamie Edwards (from 2001 to 2005).Margaret Anne Bernadette Rowe – Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 24 May 2016. Rowe first ran for parliament herself at the 2001 state election, occupying the fifth position on the Liberal Party's ticket in Agricultural Region. At the 2005 election, she was elevated to third on the ticket, and was elected. However, Rowe's time in parliament was short-lived, as she resigned due to ill health in June 2007.Hon. Margaret Anne Bernadette Rowe MLC – Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 9 July 2016. She had earlier missed six sitting days without explanation, for which she was found in contempt of parliament and had to apologise."Liberal MP Rowe quits", ABC News, 26 June 2007. One of Rowe's children, Brad Rowe, was a professional Australian rules footballer.
