This article is about an inner southern suburb of Perth. For the local government area, see
City of South Perth
.
Suburb of Perth, Western Australia
South Perth
is an inner
suburb
of
Perth
, the capital of the Australian state of
Western Australia
. Its
local government area
is the
City of South Perth
.
South Perth is separated from the
Perth central business district
(CBD) by
Perth Water
, a section of the
Swan River
. It is connected to the CBD via the
Narrows Bridge
which carries the
Kwinana Freeway
and
Mandurah railway line
. Public ferries are also operated by
Transperth
between the
Mends Street Jetty
in South Perth and
Elizabeth Quay Jetty
in the CBD.
South Perth is primarily residential, with commercial areas along major thoroughfares such as
Canning Highway
, Mill Point Road and Angelo Street. It has extensive river frontage, including the
South Perth Esplanade
and
Sir James Mitchell Park
, with high-density areas around
Point Belches
facing the Perth skyline. The suburb also includes the
Perth Zoo
and
Royal Perth Golf Club
.
History
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History
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The history of the area now known as South Perth before permanent European settlement was broadly similar to that in other parts of what became the
Swan River Colony
. The area was probably inhabited by peoples of the
Noongar
tribes, and they had little contact with other peoples. Early Dutch and French explorers reported their presence, but no recorded contact was made. No contact is known to have been made with travellers from any other country. The Dutch expedition commanded by
Willem de Vlaming
in 1697 was the first to discover the major river and note the presence of
black swans
on the river. They named it the Swan River.
Early European settlement
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1845 map of South Perth by A Hillman
After the permanent settlement of the British and the establishment of the Swan River Colony, most development tended to take place north rather than south of the Swan River in the town of Perth and also in
Fremantle
, the port suburb. The area was already unofficially known as "South Perth" but was relatively untouched. By 1831, the land along the river frontage had been allocated amongst seven people, and the land was being partially used for agriculture and dairy farms. A
mill
was built in 1833 and a ferry across the Swan river via the Narrows was established.
Established settlement
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There was some conflict between the European settlers and
Aboriginal Australians
, in which one of the leaders was a chief known as
Yagan
. After his death, local leadership went to a chief variously known as Galute or Kalyute. He led further resistance, but this was countered by a
punitive expedition
, which resulted in the deaths of fifteen Aboriginal people and the end of organised resistance.
By the 1850s, there was some further development of the area, with more ferry connections and the construction of
the Causeway
and the
Canning Bridge
. The area was further surveyed and lots allocated to pensioners. By 1858, the area was officially marked on maps as "South Perth" and some roads had been constructed.
The 1860s saw the realisation that large-scale farming in the district had no future, although dairying, timber cutting and vegetable growing continued. By the 1880s, a number of Chinese gardeners had arrived and they set up
market gardens
on land on the foreshore, between Suburban Road (now Mill Point Road) and the Swan River. After the discovery of gold in
Kalgoorlie
in 1893, a number of Chinese, who had been unable to take up
Miner's Rights
in the goldfields for
racial reasons
, joined them in South Perth. The Chinese worked very hard and grew good quality fruit and vegetables, which the local population were happy to buy. In the 1920s, the Chinese started to market their produce to the wider population of Perth via the
James Street
markets. The Chinese market gardens successfully operated for many years, despite many attempts by local authorities to serve them with notices alleging uncleanliness or health hazards. They lasted until the 1950s before they were dismantled.
With the help of
convict labour
, the district received more settlement and better roads. Nevertheless, the South Perth area still had a small population.
The 1880s South Perth land boom
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South Perth foreshore
The real estate boom of the 1880s, which coincided with the discovery of gold in the
Kimberley
saw a slow but appreciable growth in the number of residents. Several of Perth's more substantial citizens saw South Perth as a peaceful and tranquil suburb, and by the end of the 1890s, the population was about 400, with many elegant homes. The
Zoological Gardens
and the Royal Perth Golf Club were opened in 1898, and the area became popular with tourists from the town of Perth across the river.
Attractions
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Perth Zoo
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The Perth Zoo is located in the suburb of South Perth. It is open every day of the year and its exhibits include Australian wildlife, as well as exotic and rare animal species. It opens from 9 am to 5 pm daily with additional hours during summer and special events.
Other attractions
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The Old Mill
The
Old Mill
is visible to people driving south over the
Narrows Bridge
.
The
Old Mill Theatre
is a local amateur theatre company based on Mends Street.
The
Sir James Mitchell Park
is a stretch of park lands along the foreshore. It is dotted with gazebos, family picnic areas and barbecue facilities. It is adjacent to the
Swan River
, stretching between the Narrows Bridge and the Causeway. It has dedicated and separate paths for bicycling and walking.
The
Mends Street Jetty
connects South Perth to the central business district by a regular ferry service operated by
Transperth
.
Heritage listings
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Heritage-listed
buildings in South Perth include:
Residential pattern
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South Perth is an expensive area for land due to its location near the river and central business district. Consequently, there are a comparatively high number of high-rise apartment towers in the suburb, generally near the foreshore. There are also a number of large mansions. Significant numbers of townhouses and some older houses fill in the suburb.
Educational facilities
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Notes
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References
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- The History of South Perth, by F K Crowley. Rigby Limited 1962
- Peninsula City, by Cecil Florey. City of South Perth 1995
External links
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