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See also: History of Western Australia
This article details the History of Perth from the first human activity in the region to the 20th century. The written history of Australia began when Dutch explorers first sighted the country in the 17th century This article details the History of Adelaide from the first human activity in the region to the 20th century Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, is named for Sir Thomas Brisbane (1773&ndash1860 British Soldier and colonial administrator born The History of Canberra details the development of the city of Canberra from the time before white settlement to Canberra 's planning by the Chicago The history of Darwin details the city's growth from a fledging settlement into a thriving colonial capital and finally a modern city The first settlement in the Australian city of Hobart was started in 1803 as a penal colony at Risdon Cove on the eastern shores of the Derwent River, amid The history of Melbourne details the city's growth from a fledging settlement into a thriving colonial capital and finally a modern commercial and financial centre as Australia's The History of Sydney stretches back to prehistoric timesThe area surrounding Port Jackson ( Sydney Harbour) was home to many Aboriginal tribes See also Aboriginal History of Western Australia See also History of Perth Western Australia The human history of Western Australia spans between the The twentieth century of the Common Era began on The article covers aspects of all of the Perth metropolitan area, including the modern CBD. A central business district ( CBD) is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city

The city of Perth in Western Australia was named by Captain James Stirling in 1829 after Perth, Scotland, in honour of the birthplace and parliamentary seat in the British House of Commons of Sir George Murray, Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. Western Australia is a state occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. Bold text' ]] ==Family background==He was the fifth son of eight of the fifteen children of Andrew Stirling Esq Perth (Peairt is a town and former Royal burgh in central Scotland. The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords The Secretary of State for War and the Colonies was a British cabinet level position responsible for the army and the British colonies (other than India

Contents

Aboriginal History

The first inhabitants of Australia arrived from the north approximately 40,000 to 60,000 years ago and eventually spread across the whole landmass. These Indigenous Australians were well established in the area around Perth by the time European ships started accidentally arriving en-route to Batavia (now Jakarta) in the early seventeenth century. Indigenous Australians are descendants of the first known human inhabitants of the Australian continent and its nearby islands. Jakarta (also DKI Jakarta) is the Capital and largest city of Indonesia.

Before the establishment of the Swan River Colony, the indigenous Nyungar people occupied the southwest corner of Western Australia, hunting and gathering. The Noongar (alternate spellings Nyungar / Nyoongar / Nyoongah / Nyungah / Nyugah) are an Indigenous Australian people who live The lakes on the coastal plain were particularly important to the Aboriginal people, providing them with both spiritual and physical sustenance.

The area in which Perth now stands was called Boorloo. Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. Boorloo formed part of Mooro, the tribal lands of Yellagonga, whose group was one of several based around the Swan River, known collectively as the Whadjug. The Mooro were a Nyungar Indigenous clan who lived in and to the north of Perth, Western Australia, until shortly after European settlement at See also Aboriginal History of Western Australia Yellagonga was the leader of the Whadjuk Noongar on the north side of the Swan River Whadjuk, also called Wadjuk, Whajook and Wadjug, is the name according to Norman Tindale for the Aboriginal group inhabiting The Whadjug was a part of the greater group of 13 or so dialect groupings which formed the south west socio-linguistic block still known today as Nyungar (“The People”), or sometimes by the name Bibbulmun.

After settlement in 1829, the European settlers gave the name “Third Swamp” to one of a chain of wetland lakes stretching from Claisebrook to Herdsman Lake. Nearly seventy years later, in 1897, 15 hectares of Third Swamp would be gazetted as a public park and two years later renamed Hyde Park. Hyde Park is now one of Perth's most attractive and popular parks.

From 1831, hostile encounters between European settlers and Nyungars – both large-scale land users with conflicting land value systems – increased considerably. This phase of violence culminated in events such as the execution of Whadjug tribal chief Midgegooroo, the murder of his son Yagan and the massacre of the Pindjarep people. Midgegooroo (date of birth unknown died 22 May 1833) was an Indigenous Australian of the Nyungar nation who played a key role in Indigenous Yagan (ˈjeɪgən rhymes with pagan) (c 1795 – 11 July 1833 was a Noongar warrior who played a key part in early indigenous Australian resistance The Battle of Pinjarra was a conflict that occurred in Pinjarra Western Australia, between a group of 60 to 80 Australian Aborigines and a detachment of 25 soldiers

By 1843, when Yellagonga died, his tribe had begun to disintegrate and had been dispossessed of their land around the main settlement area of the Swan River Colony. They retreated to the swamps and lakes north of the settlement area including Third Swamp, formerly known by them as Boodjamooling.

Third Swamp continued to be a main campsite for the remaining Nyungar people in the Perth region and was also used by travellers, itinerants and homeless people. By the goldrush days in the 1890s they were joined by many miners enroute to the goldfields. [1] As Perth expanded with the gold rush the Nyungar people moved to Lake Gnangara where they were isolated from the European community until changes in the laws that recognised Aboriginal people during 1960s. Gnangara is a suburb of Perth Western Australia, located within the City of Wanneroo. The camp remained occupied until the early 1980s when it was converted to a school for Aboriginal children.

Early European Exploration

The first Europeans to sight the land where Perth is now located were the Dutch. Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. The Dutch people ( Dutch:) are the dominant Ethnic group of the Netherlands.

Most likely the first visitor to the Swan River area was Frederick de Houtman on 19 July 1619, travelling on the ships Dordrecht and Amsterdam. The Swan River estuary flows through the city of Perth, in the south west of Western Australia. Frederick de Houtman (1571 Gouda - 21 October 1627, Alkmaar) or Frederik de Houtman, was a Dutch explorer who sailed Events 711 - Muslim forces under Tariq ibn Ziyad defeat the Visigoths led by their king Roderic. His records indicate he first reached the Western Australian coast at latitude 32°20' which would equate to Rottnest or just south of there. Latitude, usually denoted symbolically by the Greek letter phi ( Φ) gives the location of a place on Earth (or other planetary body north or south of the Rottnest Island is located 18 km off the coast of Western Australia, near Fremantle. He did not land because of heavy surf, and so proceeded northwards without much investigation. [2]

On 28 April 1656, the Vergulde Draeck (Gilt Dragon) en route to Batavia (now Jakarta) was shipwrecked only 107km north of the Swan River near Ledge Point. Events 1192 - Assassination of Conrad of Montferrat (Conrad I King of Jerusalem, in Tyre, two days after his title Jakarta (also DKI Jakarta) is the Capital and largest city of Indonesia. The Swan River estuary flows through the city of Perth, in the south west of Western Australia. Of the 193 on board, only 75 made it to shore. A small boat that survived the wreckage then sailed to Batavia for help, but a subsequent search party found none of the survivors. The wreck was rediscovered in 1963. [3]

In 1658, three ships, also partially searching for the Vergulde Draeck visited the area. The Waekende Boey under Captain S. Volckertszoon, the Elburg under Captain J. Peereboom and the Emeloort under Captain A. Joncke sighted Rottnest but did not proceed any closer to the mainland because of the many reefs. Rottnest Island is located 18 km off the coast of Western Australia, near Fremantle. They then travelled north and subsequently found the wreck of the Vergulde Draeck (but still no survivors). They gave an unfavourable opinion of the area partly due to the dangerous reefs. [2]

The Flemish captain Willem de Vlamingh was the next European in the area. Flanders (Vlaanderen Flandre Flandern is a geographical region located in parts of present day Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. Willem de Vlamingh (born 28 November 1640, Vlieland - around 1698 was a Dutch sea-captain who explored the southwest coast of Australia Commanding three ships, the Geelvink, Nyptangh and the Wezeltje, he arrived at and named Rottnest on 29 December 1696, and on 10 January 1697 discovered and named the Swan River. Events 1170 - Thomas Becket: Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signaling the start of civil war. His ships couldn't sail up the river because of a sand bar at its mouth, so he sent out a sloop which even then required some dragging over the sand bar. They sailed until reaching mud flats probably near Heirisson Island. Heirisson Island is an island in the Swan River in Western Australia at the eastern end of Perth Water ( Vlamingh was also not impressed with the area. [2]

The first detailed map of the Swan River, drawn by the French in 1801
The first detailed map of the Swan River, drawn by the French in 1801

In 1801, the French ships Geographe captained by Nicolas Baudin and Naturaliste captained by Baron Hamelin visited the area from the south. Nicolas-Thomas Baudin ( February 17, 1754 - September 16, 1803) was a French explorer Baron Jacques Félix Emmanuel Hamelin ( October 13 1768 – April 23 1839) was a Rear admiral of the French navy and later While the Geographe continued northwards, the Naturaliste remained for a few weeks. A small expedition dragged longboats over the sand bar and explored the Swan River. They also gave unfavourable descriptions regarding any potential settlement due to many mud flats upstream and the sand bar (the sand bar wasn't removed until the 1890s when C. Y. O'Connor built Fremantle harbour). C Y O'Connor CMG ( 11 January 1843 – 10 March 1902) full name Charles Yelverton O'Connor, was an Irish

Later in March 1803, the Geographe with another ship Casuarina passed by Rottnest on their way eventually back to France, but did not stop longer than a day or two. [4][5]

The next visit to the area was the first Australian-born maritime explorer, Phillip Parker King in 1822 on the Bathurst. Admiral Phillip Parker King, FRS, RN ( 13 December 1791 - February 26, 1856) was an early explorer of the Year 1822 (MDCCCXXII was a Common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Sunday of the King was also the son of former Governor Philip Gidley King of New South Wales. Philip Gidley King RN (23 April 1758 &ndash 3 September 1808 was an British naval officer and colonial administrator However, King also was not impressed with the area. [2]

So, of all the early visitors to the Perth area, none had a favourable opinion.

Swan River Colony

Main article: Swan River Colony
The Foundation of Perth 1829 by George Pitt Morison is a historically accurate reconstruction of the official ceremony by which Perth was founded.
The Foundation of Perth 1829 by George Pitt Morison is a historically accurate reconstruction of the official ceremony by which Perth was founded. Swan River Colony was a British settlement established at the Swan River on the west coast of Australia in 1829 The Foundation of Perth 1829 is a 1929 oil-on-canvas painting by George Pitt Morison. George Pitt Morison ( 31 August 1861 – 4 September 1946) was an Australian painter and engraver noted particularly for his painting

The first explorer to have a favourable opinion of the Swan River was Captain James Stirling who, in March 1827, explored the area in HMS Success which first anchored off Rottnest, and later in Cockburn Sound. The Swan River estuary flows through the city of Perth, in the south west of Western Australia. Bold text' ]] ==Family background==He was the fifth son of eight of the fifteen children of Andrew Stirling Esq Stirling arrived back in England in July 1828, promoting in glowing terms the agricultural potential of the area. His lobbying was for the establishment of a "free settlement", unlike the other penal settlements at New South Wales, Port Arthur and Norfolk Island. As a result of these reports, and a rumour the French were about to establish a penal colony in the western part of Australia, the Colonial Office assented to the proposal in mid-October 1828.

The first ship to reach the Swan River was the HMS Challenger captained by Charles Fremantle on 25 April 1829. Eight Ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Challenger, most famously the Survey vessel ''Challenger'' that carried the Admiral Sir Charles Howe Fremantle RN ( 1 June 1800 - 25 May 1869) was a Captain of the British Events 1607 - Eighty Years' War: The Dutch fleet destroys the anchored Spanish fleet at Gibraltar. For the game see 1829 (board game. Year 1829 ( MDCCCXXIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display After anchoring off Garden Island, Fremantle declared the Swan River Colony for Britain on 2 May 1829. Swan River Colony was a British settlement established at the Swan River on the west coast of Australia in 1829 The Parmelia under Captain Stirling arrived on 1 June, and the official foundation of the colony took place on 12 August, with the chopping down of a tree by wife of the captain of the Sulphur, Mrs Helen Dance. The Parmelia was a Barque that was used to transport the first civilian officials and settlers of the Swan River Colony to Western Australia The two separate townsites of the colony developed slowly into Perth and the port city of Fremantle. [2]

Early years

The fertile locations around Perth did not extend very far from the Swan and Canning Rivers and this land was quickly settled. The most fertile locations were upstream from Perth, and so the suburb of Guildford was also settled in 1829. Guildford, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, was established in 1829 on the Swan River, being sited near a permanent fresh water supply

Much of the remaining land around the Swan River turned out to be quite sandy and unsuitable for agriculture and so the first reports of the colony were not as glowing as Stirling had been to suggest. These reports along with the difficulty of clearing land to grow crops was a factor in the initial slow growth of Perth during the first couple of decades. By 1850 the population of the whole colony had only increased to 5,886. Agriculture developed away from Perth in places like the Avon Valley and along the southwest coastline.

Perth was still seen as the administrative centre for the colony of Western Australia though.

Some events that occurred in the first few years of Perth's history are below:

The Round House, built in 1831
The Round House, built in 1831

Convicts

Main article: Convict era of Western Australia

Though the Swan River Colony was founded as a "free settlement", the initial settlers had many difficulties which compelled them to seek help from the British, in an offer to accept convicts. The convict era of Western Australia was the period during which Western Australia was a Penal colony of the British Empire. Swan River Colony was a British settlement established at the Swan River on the west coast of Australia in 1829 Western Australia therefore became a penal colony in 1850. For the game see 1850 (board game. 1850 ( MDCCCL) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link Between then and 1868, over 9000 convicts were transported to Western Australia on 43 convict ship voyages. Year 1868 ( MDCCCLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap

During this period, the convicts were involved in the construction of a significant amount of infrastructure as well as some well known buildings like Fremantle Prison in 1855, Government House in 1864 and the Perth Town Hall in 1870. Fremantle Prison is a former Australian prison located in The Terrace Fremantle, in Western Australia. Government House in Perth is the Official residence of the Governor of Western Australia and was built between 1859 and 1864 The Perth Town Hall, situated on the corner of Hay and Barrack streets is the only convict-built town hall in Australia

Later Nineteenth Century

The 1890s were probably the most significant decade in Perth since its foundation in 1829. Due to the goldrushes in Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie from 1892-93 the population of Perth tripled from just 8447 in 1891 to 27,553 in 1901 (1891 and 1901 census). Coolgardie is a small town in the Australian state of Western Australia, east of the state capital Perth. There were also railways built to the main agricultural regions.

Twentieth Century

Perth skyline in 1964
Perth skyline in 1964

The 1960s and 1970s saw continued growth in Perth helped by discoveries of iron ore and natural gas throughout the state. This was when the skyline significantly changed with the construction of Perth's first skyscrapers.

See also

Further reading

References

  1. ^ History of the Town of Vincent, unattributed, from Town of Vincent 2001 Annual Report, p. 52 (possibly J. Gentili)
  2. ^ a b c d e Appleyard, R. T. and Manford, Toby (1979). The Beginning: European Discovery and Early Settlement of Swan River Western Australia, University of Western Australia Press. ISBN 0-85564-146-0
  3. ^ Shipwrecks Audio Transcript » GILT DRAGONS & ELEPHANT TUSKS
  4. ^ http://www.multicultural.online.wa.gov.au/wppuser/owamc/onlinenews_3_04/page8.html
  5. ^ The Navigators - Captains - Nicolas Baudin
  6. ^ a b Home: City of Perth
  7. ^ a b c d e Public Transport Authority (History)
  8. ^ The Perth Zoo
  9. ^ The Perth Mint (History)
  10. ^ History of the University of Western Australia
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