The Swan River Perth
In 1829 a group of British people left their homes and set out on a great adventure... a voyage to the Swan River Colony in Western Australia. When they arrived they had many disappointments and frustrations. However, this adventure led to the setting up of the settlement of Perth.
Perth was founded in 1829 as the Swan River Colony but it grew very slowlyuntil 1850 when convicts were brought in to aleviate the labour shortage.
There are many attractions along the Swan River leading up to the Swan Valley vineyards. These include Tranby House, The Rail Transport Museum, The Old Courthouse , Gaol Museum and Whitmans Park which is Perths largest reserve.
The Swan River estuary flows through the city of Perth, in the south west of Western Australia. Its lower reaches are relatively wide and deep, with few constrictions, while the upper reaches are usually quite narrow and shallow.
It was named by the Dutch explorer, Willem de Vlamingh in 1697, after the famous black swans of the area.
The Swan River drains the Avon and Swan Coastal catchments, which have a total area of about 121,000 km². The Avon River contributes the majority of its freshwater flow. The climate of the catchment is Mediterranean, with mild wet winters, hot dry summers, and the associated highly seasonal rainfall and flow regime.
While the Swan River has not been dammed, two of its tributary rivers - the Helena River and the Canning River - have been dammed for collection of water supplies, at Mundaring Weir and Canning Dam.
The estuary is subject to a microtidal regime, with a maximum tidal amplitude of about one metre, although water levels are also subject to barometric pressure fluctuations.
The Perth Water location on the river adjacent to the City of Perth is a popular place for viewing the annual Australia Day fireworks, with over 400 000 people crowding the foreshore, Kings Park and boats on the river.
The Noongar believe that the Darling Scarp is said to represent the body of a Wagyl - a snakelike being from Dreamtime that meandered over the land creating rivers, waterways and lakes, it is thought that the Waugal created the Swan River.
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