The Colonisation of Perth

Image: 'View from Mount Eliza, Swan River, of Perth, the capital of Western Australia' by John Blundell, 1844. SLWA Call num ACC 6868A/6.13

By Ria Andriani

Learning music is good for everyone, especially children, whose brains are constantly developing.

Learn about the places that were important to the Whadjuk people and the impacts of colonisation in these early days.

Find out about the challenges of the first settlers, the excitement of the gold rush and the harsh conditions experienced by convicts who were sent out from England against their will.

1.  The traditional owners of Perth

The Noongar people have lived in the south-west corner of Western Australia for at least 45,000 years. There are several language groups that make up the Noongar, including the Whadjuk [pronounced wod-JUK], who are the traditional owners of the land around Perth.

1.1.  Whadjuk country

Whadjuk Noongar Elder and ambassador Dr Noel Nannup talks about traditional Whadjuk ways of life and key cultural places in Perth, and he teaches us the Noongar words for some Perth suburbs (such as Nollamara).

Things to think about

• 1.
  Some locations are particularly special to the Whadjuk people, such as a cave along the Derbal Yarrigan (the Swan River) where it's believed the creation serpent lives.
• 2.
  What other important places does Noel describe?

1.2.  Traditional Whadjuk lifestyle

Dr Noel Nannup explains the relationship between the Whadjuk people and the environment.

Things to think about

• 1.
  Noel explains that traditionally, the Whadjuk people had a six-season cycle. How did that shape the way they lived?

2.  Why the Swan River?

In 1827, Captain James Stirling sailed to Western Australia to scout for a new place to build a colony. He saw the Swan River's 'rich soil' and thought it looked like a beautiful spot. The British were excited about opportunities offered by a new colony. This excitement was called 'Swan River mania'.

Two years later, Stirling came back with settlers to start the Swan River Colony and on 12 August 1829 the site of Perth was founded.

Life in the new settlement proved to be hard. To begin with, the land was already being lived on by the Whadjuk people. Also, there were no buildings or roads, and the land was hard to clear and grow vegetables on. Battye Historian Dr Kate Gregory has hand-picked some paintings and letters that depict what life was like for the settlers in the early days of the Swan River Colony.

Why do you think Dr Gregory chose these particular items? What sorts of experiences do they recount? Why not do some of your own research and see what other accounts of life from this period you can find.

First published at ABC News, February 12, 2025

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