When was perth built

We chat to three climate scientists from the University of New South Wales about how they talk to their kids about the climate crisis. A Decrease font size.

A Reset font size. A Increase font size. Lieutenant-Governor James Stirling, Captain of the British ship Parmelia, was appointed by his government to organise the settlement of a colony around the mouth of the Swan River.

He was seduced by the natural environment and chose the river to locate the main town around, given its abundance of fresh water and building material, along with protection from the surrounding Hills and the benefits of the nearby wetlands.

Stirling officially declared the foundation of Perth, capital of the colony, on 12 August , the date chosen to honour the birthday of the King George IV. An early plan of Perth.

Credit: Wikimedia. Settlers came from their camp on Garden Island, together with civil officials and soldiers from the 63rd Regiment to attend the ceremony held near the site of the actual Town Hall. For convicts who were nearing the end of their sentence a system of ticket of leave, similar to our modern day parole, was also introduced which helped provide labour for the development and expansion of agriculture.

Following a report from the colony and then debate within British government departments, an Order-in-Council was passed by the British Parliament on 1 May which stated:.

The first ship carrying convicts arrived at Fremantle on 1 June Captain Edmund Henderson was responsible for the 75 convicts on board as well as the Pensioner Guards, Warders and their families who accompanied them. The colony was completely unprepared for their arrival as the ship carrying this human cargo overtook the ship carrying the dispatch containing news of this event. Henderson's first task was to find accommodation for his charges in the small port of Fremantle.

A warehouse, leased from the Harbour Master Daniel Scott and located on the waterfront of the town, was modified to serve as temporary quarters for the convicts until a more permanent depot could be built. The city site was mid-way between the sea and the farming areas of the Upper Swan.

However, the early years were difficult financially for the colony and in it was decided that convict labour would be beneficial in that regard. Between and almost 10, convicts were transported from Britain. Due to the influx of convicts, many public works were completed during the period from , notably the Perth Town Hall. The first meeting of the Perth City Council was held on 10 December Rich gold discoveries in the Kalgoorlie region in the early s brought a new era of prosperity for the city and many impressive buildings, some of which still grace the streets to this day.

The city also experienced significant population growth. Representative government evolved in Western Australia in the second half of the 19th Century and in Western Australia federated with the other Australian States to form the Commonwealth of Australia. Thus, an axe was driven into a tree near the site of the current Perth Town Hall a ten minute walk from Elizabeth Quay to mark the foundation of the colony.

Elizabeth Quay itself is built on the site of what was formerly known as The Esplanade Reserve. The Esplanade Reserve was a public space developed over time through land reclamation, mud dredged up from the river bottom and the dumping of street sweepings.

It was handed to the City of Perth for recreational use in , but was reclaimed in by the State Government for the construction of Elizabeth Quay. Throughout its lifetime, The Esplanade was the site of many significant events ranging from celebrations to citizen revolt. The first official event held on The Esplanade was the Intercolonial Exhibition, followed by other monumental occasions like the granting of responsible government to Western Australia in In the s as the city was stricken by The Great Depression, citizens rallied at Esplanade reserve before marching through the streets.

The Esplanade was also home to many landmark structures that have since been relocated. It is now a family friendly restaurant and home to the Little Island Brewing Co.