This article is part of the series History of Australia

Capital Cities

Adelaide

Brisbane

Canberra

Darwin

Hobart

Melbourne

Perth

Sydney

This article details the History of Perth from the first human activity in the region to the 20th century. 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. Image File history File links Flag_of_Australia. ... The history of Australia began when the aliens first migrated to the Australian continent from the north, at least 40,000-45,000 years before present. ... Adelaide is the capital city of the Australian state of South Australia. ... Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, is named for Sir Thomas Brisbane (1773–1860), British soldier and colonial administrator born in Ayrshire, Scotland. ... The History of Canberra details the development of the city of Canberra from the time before white settlement to Canberras planning by the Chicago architect Walter Burley Griffin and subsequent development to the present day. ... The history of Darwin has been a colourful and often tragic one; the Australian citys location has meant that it has been a victim of man-made disasters, such as World War Two and also natural ones, such as Cyclone Tracy. ... The first settlement in Hobart was started in 1803 as a penal colony at Risdon Cove on the eastern shores of the Derwent River, amid British concerns over the presence of French explorers. ... Melbourne, now the capital city of the state of Victoria in Australia, was founded in 1835. ... History of Sydney stretches back to prehistoric times. ... Perth is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Western Australia, and is the fourth largest city in Australia, with a population of approximately 1. ... Emblems: Floral - Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos manglesii); Mammal - Numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus); Bird - Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) Motto: Cygnis Insignis (Distinguished by its swans) Slogan or Nickname: Wildflower State Other Australian states and territories Capital Perth Government Const. ... Admiral Sir James Stirling Admiral Sir James Stirling (January 28, 1791–April 23, 1865) was the first Governor of Western Australia (1828–38) and on his own initiative signed Britains first limited treaty with Japan in 1854. ... The Royal Burgh of Perth (Peairt in Scottish Gaelic) is a large burgh in central Scotland. ... The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... The Right Hon. ... 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). ...

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 the first inhabitants of the Australian continent and its nearby islands, continuing their presence during European settlement. ... Motto: Jaya Raya (Indonesian): Prosper and Great Founded 22 June 1527 Governor Sutiyoso Area 661. ...

Early European Exploration

The first Europeans to sight the land where Perth is now located were the Dutch. Perth is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Western Australia, and is the fourth largest city in Australia, with a population of approximately 1. ...

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. His records indicate he first reached the Western Australian coast at latitude 32°20' which would equate to Rottnest or just south of there. He did not land because of heavy surf, and so proceeded northwards without much investigation. ^[1] Black swan and family The Swan River estuary flows through the city of Perth, in the south west of Western Australia. ... Frederick de Houtman (1571—1627) was a Dutch explorer who sailed along the Western coast of Australia (see History of Western Australia) en route to Batavia. ... July 19 is the 200th day (201st in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 165 days remaining. ... Events May 13 - Dutch statesman Johan van Oldenbarnevelt is executed in The Hague after having been accused of treason. ... Latitude, usually denoted symbolically by the Greek letter φ, gives the location of a place on Earth north or south of the Equator. ... Rottnest Island, a popular weekend getaway for both locals and visitors, is located 17 kilometres off the Western Australian coast near Fremantle. ...

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. 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.^[2] April 28 is the 118th day of the year (119th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 247 days remaining. ... // Events Mehmed Köprülü becomes Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire. ... Motto: Jaya Raya (Indonesian): Prosper and Great Founded 22 June 1527 Governor Sutiyoso Area 661. ... Black swan and family The Swan River estuary flows through the city of Perth, in the south west of Western Australia. ...

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. 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. ^[1] Rottnest Island, a popular weekend getaway for both locals and visitors, is located 17 kilometres off the Western Australian coast near Fremantle. ...

The Flemish captain Willem de Vlamingh was the next European in the area. 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. 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. Vlamingh was also not impressed with the area. ^[1] Flanders (Flemish, Fleming) (Dutch: Vlaanderen (Vlaams, Vlaming)) has two main designations: a geographical region in the north of Belgium, corresponding to the Flemish region, a constituent part of the federal Belgian state. ... Willem de Vlamingh (born 28 November 1640, died ?) was a Dutch sailor who explored the southwest coast of Australia (then New Holland) in the late 17th Century. ... December 29 is the 363rd day of the year (364th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 2 days remaining. ... The year 1696 had the earliest equinoxes and solstices for 400 years in the Gregorian calendar, because this year is a leap year and the Gregorian calendar would have behaved like the Julian calendar since March 1500 had it have been in use that long. ... January 10 is the 10th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events September 20 - The Treaty of Ryswick December 2 – St Pauls Cathedral opened in London Peter the Great travels in Europe officially incognito as artilleryman Pjotr Mikhailov Use of palanquins increases in Europe Christopher Polhem starts Swedens first technical school. ... Heirisson Island is named after Midshipman Francois Boniface Heirisson, who discovered it in June 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 (see French Wikipedia) visited the area from the south. 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). Nicolas Baudin Nicolas-Thomas Baudin (February 17, 1754 - September 16, 1803) was a French explorer. ... kick my ass OConnor (1842–March 10, 1902) was an Irish engineer. ...

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.^[3][4]

The next visit to the area was the first Australian-born maritime explorer, Philip Parker King in 1822 on the Bathurst. King was also the son of former Governor Philip Gidley King of New South Wales. However, King also was not impressed with the area. ^[1] Admiral Phillip Parker King, R.N. F.R.S. (13 December 1793-1856) was an early explorer of the Australian coast. ... 1822 (MDCCCXXII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Philip Gidley King Naval pioneer and colonial governor Philip Gidley King (23 April 1758 - 3 September 1808) was an English naval officer and colonial administrator. ... Emblems: Floral - Waratah (Telopea Speciosissima); Bird - Kookaburra (Dacelo Gigas); Animal - Platypus (Ornithorhynchus Anatinus); Fish - Blue Groper (Achoerodus Viridis) Motto: Orta Recens Quam Pura Nites (Newly Risen, How Brightly You Shine) Slogan or Nickname: First State, Premier State Other Australian states and territories Capital Sydney Government Governor Premier Const. ...

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

Swan River Colony

Main article: Swan River Colony

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. 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. See also: History of Western Australia // Background to the Settlement The founding father of modern Western Australia was James Stirling who, in 1827, explored the Swan River area in HMS Success which first anchored off Rottnest, and later in Cockburn Sound. ... Black swan and family The Swan River estuary flows through the city of Perth, in the south west of Western Australia. ... Admiral Sir James Stirling Admiral Sir James Stirling (January 28, 1791–April 23, 1865) was the first Governor of Western Australia (1828–38) and on his own initiative signed Britains first limited treaty with Japan in 1854. ...

The first ship to reach the Swan River was the HMS Challenger captained by Charles Fremantle on 25 April 1829. After anchoring off Garden Island, Fremantle declared the Swan River Colony for Britain on 2 May 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 two separate townsites of the colony developed slowly into Perth and the port city of Fremantle. ^[1] Eight ships of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Challenger, most famously the survey vessel Challenger that carried the Challenger expedition from 1872 to 1876. ... Admiral Sir Charles Howe Fremantle (June 1, 1800 _ May 25, 1869) was a Captain of the British Royal Navy. ... April 25 is the 115th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (116th in leap years). ... Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 1829 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... See also: History of Western Australia // Background to the Settlement The founding father of modern Western Australia was James Stirling who, in 1827, explored the Swan River area in HMS Success which first anchored off Rottnest, and later in Cockburn Sound. ... The Parmelia was a barque that was used to transport the first civilian officials and settlers of the Swan River Colony to Western Australia in 1829. ...

Early Years

The Round House, built in 1831

• 1831: The Round House is the oldest surviving building in Perth and was completed this year.
• 1831: It took seven men 107 days to dig a canal 280m in length and 4m deep thus creating Burswood Island.
• 1833: Relations between the Europeans and Aborigines were not always amicable with many intercultural skirmishes. Yagan, a senior warrior of the local Aboriginal tribe near the Swan River was murdered on 11 July of this year after a bounty was issued for his capture following the murder of a couple of settlers.
• 1837: The colony's first brewery was established at the corner of Spring Street and Mounts Bay Road in Perth.
• 1841: 10th January The first service was held in the All Saints Church
• 1843: The first causeway across the Swan River was completed, little more than a primitive timber bridge.
• 1848-1850: After 19 years of settlement, growth was very slow. The population of the area around Perth was still only about 1400.

Image File history File links The Fremantle Round House, part of the prison. ... Image File history File links The Fremantle Round House, part of the prison. ... Leopold I 1831 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The Round House For other meanings, see Roundhouse (disambiguation). ... Leopold I 1831 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1833 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Indigenous Australians are the first inhabitants of the Australian continent and its nearby islands, continuing their presence during European settlement. ... Portrait of Yagan by George Cruikshank. ... July 11 is the 192nd day (193rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 173 days remaining. ... | Queen Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom (1837 - 1901) 1837 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... take you to calendar). ... (Redirected from 10th January) January 10 is the 10th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... All Saints Church The All Saints Church in Henley Brook is the oldest church in Western Australia. ... 1843 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1848 is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1850 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

Convicts

Main article: Convictism in 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. Western Australia therefore became a penal colony in 1850. Between then and 1868, over 9000 convicts were transported to Western Australia on 43 convict ship voyages. James Wilson, a convict transported to Western Australia in 1867 Western Australia was a penal colony from 1850 to 1868. ... See also: History of Western Australia // Background to the Settlement The founding father of modern Western Australia was James Stirling who, in 1827, explored the Swan River area in HMS Success which first anchored off Rottnest, and later in Cockburn Sound. ... 1850 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1868 (MDCCCLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Friday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ...

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. A recreation of typical 1855 cell accommodation. ... Government House, the residence of the Governor of Western Australia. ... Perth Town Hall Situated on the corner of Hay and Barrack streets, the Perth Town Hall is the only convict-built town hall in Australia. ...

Later Nineteenth Century

• 1877: The telegraph from Adelaide to Perth completed, considerably improving intracontinental communication.
• 1881: The first suburban railway line opens from Fremantle to Perth and on to Guildford. The Armadale line opened in 1889. ^[5]

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). There were also railways built to the main agricultural regions. 1877 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Adelaide is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of South Australia, and is the fifth largest city in Australia, with a population of over 1. ... 1881 (MDCCCLXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Guildford, Western Australia Guildford was established in 1829 on the Swan River, being sited near a permiment fresh water supply. ... Armadale Line is a suburban railway line in Perth, Australia. ... Coolgardie Town Hall Coolgardie (30°57′ S 121°09′ E) is a small town in the Australian state of Western Australia, 558 km east of the state capital, Perth. ... Kalgoorlie is a Western Australian city located about 600 km east of Perth. ...

• 1893: Introduction of electricity to the city.
• 1897: Fremantle Harbour is officially opened after blasting of the rocky sandbar across the Swan River mouth and dredging under the guidance of C. Y. O'Connor.
• 1898: The Perth Zoo opens with two lions and a tiger. ^[6]
• 1899: The Perth Mint opens ^[7]
• 1899: The first electric trams start running.^[5]

1893 (MDCCCXCIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1897 (MDCCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... kick my ass OConnor (1842–March 10, 1902) was an Irish engineer. ... 1898 (MDCCCXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The Perth Zoo opened in Perth, Australia in 1898 with two lions, a tiger and six staff members. ... 1899 (MDCCCXCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Perth Mint The Perth Mint is Australias oldest operating Mint. ... 1899 (MDCCCXCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

Twentieth Century

• 1903: A pipeline from Mundaring Weir to Kalgoorlie is opened. This was a major achievement for its time by the the state's first engineer-in-chief C. Y. O'Connor, who sadly committed suicide before the project was complete.
• 1911: The University of Western Australia becomes Perth's first university. No teaching happens until 1913 though.
• 1929: Perth commemorated 100 years of British settlement.
• 1930: Perth is connected to Adelaide (and subsequently the rest of the eastern states) by a telephone line.
• 1958: The last of Perth's trams is retired from service, unable to compete with buses and cars.^[5]
• 1959: The Narrows Bridge is opened.

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. 1903 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Mundaring Weir is a dam across the Helena River, in Western Australia. ... kick my ass OConnor (1842–March 10, 1902) was an Irish engineer. ... 1911 (MCMXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). ... The University of Western Australia (UWA) is Western Australias oldest university, established in February 1911, and is the only West Australian university to be a member of the Group of Eight lobby group for tertiary institutions. ... 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1930 (MCMXXX) is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Narrows Bridge viewed from South Perth. ...

• 1962: On 20 February Perth became known as the City of Light when astronaut John Glenn passed over the city in his Mercury spacecraft as he became the first American to orbit the Earth. Perth became a blaze of light as thousands of street, porch, house and office lights were switched on to greet Glenn which were clearly seen by him. In 1998, Perth once again lit up its sky to welcome back John Glenn during his Space Shuttle Discovery space flight.^[8]
• 1962: The city hosts the Commonwealth Games, then known as the British Empire and Commonwealth Games.
• 1964: Eric Edgar Cooke was the last person hanged in Western Australia.
• 1970: The first match of Test Cricket in Perth is played from 11 to 16 December. Australia's opponent is England.
• 1979: The WAY 1979 celebrations to commemorate 150 years of European settlement occur.
• 1979: The city hosts the Miss Universe competition as part of the WAY 1979 celebrations
• 1979: Fremantle railway line closed due to lack of passengers, reopened after change of government in 1983. ^[5]
• 1983: On 26 September, Australia II won the America's Cup, the first time a challenger had won it in 132 years. Although this event was off Newport, Rhode Island, it certainly was a significant day in Perth's history too. The Australia II challenge was financed by Perth businessman Alan Bond on behalf of the Royal Perth Yacht Club. Perth now had four years to prepare for the defence, and in these years Fremantle especially underwent considerable economic and cultural development.
• 1985: Burswood Casino, Perth's only casino, opens for business. The resort opens in 1988.
• 1987: The city hosts the defence of the America's Cup
• 1992: The Joondalup Railway line to the northern suburbs opened, becoming the first suburban passenger railway line built in Perth since the Armadale line 103 years earlier in 1889. This railway line runs mostly in the centre of the Mitchell Freeway.^[5]

1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... February 20 is the 51st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... John Herschel Glenn Jr. ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... Current flag of the Commonwealth Games Federation The Commonwealth Games is a multi-sport event held every four years involving the elite athletes of the Commonwealth of Nations. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... Eric Edgar Cooke (25 February 1931–26 October 1964) was the last person to be hanged in Western Australia. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... For more coverage of cricket, go to the Cricket portal. ... This page refers to the year 1979. ... WAY 1979, also referred to as WAY 79 and WAY 79, was the official 1979 sesquicentennial celebration of the white settlement of Western Australia in 1829. ... This page refers to the year 1979. ... Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest, and the title for the winner of the contest, founded in 1952 by California clothing company Pacific Mills. ... This page refers to the year 1979. ... Fremantle Line is a suburban railway line in Perth, Australia. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... September 26 is the 269th day of the year (270th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 96 days remaining. ... U ALL SUK COCK ... The Americas Cup trophy The Americas Cup (originally the 100 Guineas Cup, then the America Cup ) is the most famous and most prestigious competition in the sport of yachting, and the oldest active trophy in international sports, predating the FA Cup by two decades and the Modern Olympics... Newport as seen from the International Space Station. ... There are two people called Alan Bond: Alan Bond (businessman) Alan Bond (rocket developer) Categories: Disambiguation ... At a general meeting in 1891, the old blue PYC burgee was replaced with this design. ... Location of Fremantle, Western Australia Fremantle (32°03′15″S, 115°44′53″E) is a city located within the Perth metropolitan area on Australias western coast, at the mouth of the Swan River, 19 kilometres southwest of Perths Central Business District. ... This article is about the year. ... Burswood International Resort Casino is located on the Swan River some five minutes from the city of Perth, Western Australia. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Americas Cup trophy The Americas Cup (originally the 100 Guineas Cup, then the America Cup ) is the most famous and most prestigious competition in the sport of yachting, and the oldest active trophy in international sports, predating the FA Cup by two decades and the Modern Olympics... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... Joondalup Line, also known as Currambine Line or Clarkson Line, is a suburban railway line in Perth, Australia. ... The Mitchell Freeway is a 26 kilometre major arterial road in Perth, Western Australia linking Perth with the northern suburbs. ...

References

1. ^ ^{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 0855641460
2. ^ http://www.abc.net.au/backyard/shipwrecks/wa/transcript_vergulde.htm
3. ^ http://www.multicultural.online.wa.gov.au/wppuser/owamc/onlinenews_3_04/page8.html
4. ^ http://www.abc.net.au/navigators/captains/baudin.htm
5. ^ ^{a b c d e} Public Transport Authority (History)
6. ^ The Perth Zoo
7. ^ The Perth Mint (History)
8. ^ http://www.perth.wa.gov.au/html/vis09_.php