 The City of Perth is the capital city of Western Australia, and
the nation’s largest state. With the Indian Ocean to the west and the
ancient Darling Ranges to the east, most of WA’s 1.8 million people live
in the greater metropolitan area of Perth, of which the City of Perth forms the
nucleus.It was Scottish Captain James Stirling who founded the City of Perth, as part of the Swan River
Colony in 1829. Stirling thought the natural environment around Perth was ‘as
beautiful as anything of this kind I had ever witnessed’ and advocated that a
colony be established there. The British Government agreed to found the colony
as the first free settlement in Australia, and the first settlers arrived in
Western Australia in June 1829.
The colony took its name from the black swans in the river. On 12 August,
1829, the felling of a tree marked the official foundation of the City of Perth,
which Stirling named ‘Perth Town’ in honour of Perthshire in Scotland.
Laying claims to being the ‘sunniest state capital in Australia’, Perth
appears to be isolated from the rest of the country, however, tourist continue
to make Perth it's destination, flying in
or enjoying the long distance treks from the neighbouring states and
territories.
With a vibrant lifestyle that revolves around the Swan and Canning Rivers, Perth
continues to evolve into one of Australia’s most popular and distinctive
cities.
The City of Perth is divided into five distinct precincts, each with its own
distinctive character and in easy reach of the city centre. The precincts
include:
-
 Central Business District
together with St Georges Terrace is the main business area. The region includes
arcades, shopping centres and malls such as
Forrest Chase,
Carillon City,
Murray and Hay Street Malls. The northern part of the city is divided from the
Northbridge region by the railway track. A number of Perth's cultural
institutions can be found in the CBD.
- Riverside
The area straddles the river offering recreational activities and walking path
ways which is a great way to take in the stunning views. The Point Fraser public
recreation reserve at and Heirisson Island, with its resident Western Grey
kangaroo colony are popular attractions in the district. Both are located at the
eastern gateway to the City of Perth. One of the features of Heirisson Island is
the Sculpture
Park.
- West Perth
West Perth starts from King Street through to Thomas Street, encompassing West
End and Kings Park. This area has designer shops, cafes and the very popular
Kings park and Botanic
Garden.
- East Perth
- Northbridge
The city centre is situated on a sweep of the Swan River, which borders the city
to the south and east, the river also links Perth to its port of
Fremantle. The western end of Perth
rises to the wonderful Kings Park, which overlooks the city, then extends to the
cosmopolitan Subiaco. Further west, suburbs extend as far as Scarborough and
Cottesloe with many beaches along the Indian Ocean.
The
railway line bounds the city centre on the northern side, with Northbridge
immediately north of the line. Perth’s international and domestic airports are
about 8 km east of the city, and 10 km apart. Buses and trains arrive at the
Westrail Centre in East Perth. Pictured is the Swan
Bells Tower, housing the original bells from the St Martins in the Field Parish
Church, Trafalgar Square, London one of England's most loved churches. The bells
can still be rung and is a popular tourist attraction amongst the parks and
gardens within Perth city centre. For additional attractions, tours and other information visit the local tourism
centre. The i-City Volunteer Hosts staff the City of Perth information Kiosk in
the Murray Street Mall near Forrest Place, providing help to visitors in
discovering the City of Perth. Check out our listing of tours,
attractions and our great range of
Perth accommodation. |
