Perth History

The first inhabitants of Australia arrived approximately 50 000 years ago. The Noongar people occupied Western Australia's southwest and the area in which Perth stands today was called Boorloo. The coastal plains of the area were very important to the people both spiritually and for hunting and gathering.

Europeans first started exploring the west coast of Australia in the early 17th century. However due to rough seas, dangerous reefs, Perth's sand bars and shipwreck the area was considered unfavourable and remained unexplored. It was not until 1829 when Captain James Stirling declared the area “as beautiful as anything of this kind I had ever witnessed” did the idea of settlement occur. The first ship to reach the Swan River was the HMS Challenger which was captained by Charles Fremantle in April 1929.  Fremantle declared the Swan River Colony for Britain on 2 May 1929 and it became the first free settlement in Australia, with the first free settlers arriving in June 1829. On August 12 the felling of a tree marked the official foundation of the City of Perth.

However, all was not peaceful in new colony as the relationship between settlers and the Noongar people was volatile with several hostile encounters. This period of violence culminated  in events such as the execution of the tribal leader Midgegooroo and his son Yagan and the massacre of the Pindjarep people. By 1843 the Noongar people were forced off their land and retreated to the swamps and lakes north of the settlement. Further displacement occurred due to the expansion of Perth during the gold rush and the Indigenous people found home in the area around Lake Gnangara. The camp here remained until the early 1980s and is now a school for Aboriginal children. 

The 1890s was a significant decade in Perth's history due to the goldrushes in Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie. In 1891 the population of Perth was 8447 and tripled to 27 553 in 1901. People flocked to the area and business flourished with the first railways being built out to agricultural regions.

The next population boost was due to the discoveries of iron ore and natural gas throughout the state in the 1960s and 70s. Perth changed significantly over these decades as it became a modern city complete with skyscrapers dotting the horizon.
Perth has continued to flourish and has become one of Australia's most beautiful and most welcoming cities. Perth is totally one of a kind and is the world's gateway to all that Western Australia has to offer from tourism to big business.

History Timeline