Perth, Western Australia

:For other places with the same name, see Perth (disambiguation).

History

Although the British Army had established a base at King George Sound (later Albany) on the south coast of Western Australia in 1826 — to forestall rumoured annexation by France — Perth was the first full scale settlement by Europeans in the "western third" of the continent. The town was established in 1829, as the capital of the Swan River Colony, a free settler colony. In 1850, as Western Australia, it became as a convict colony, at the request of farming and business people who wanted cheap labour.

Related Topics:
British Army - King George Sound - 1826 - France - 1829 - Swan River Colony - Settler - Colony - 1850 - Convict

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Naming and founding

The name Perth was chosen in 1829 by James Stirling. Stirling, a Scot, implemented the wish of Sir George Murray, Secretary of State for War and the Colonies, that the settlement be named after Perthshire, which was his birthplace as well as his parliamentary seat in the British House of Commons. On August 12 that year, Mrs Helen Dance cut down a tree to mark the day of the founding of the town.

Related Topics:
1829 - James Stirling - George Murray - Secretary of State for War and the Colonies - Perthshire - British House of Commons - August 12

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In 1901, the colony joined the Federation of Australia. The city has prospered as a result of repeated mining booms, especially for gold, iron ore, nickel, and alumina: Western Australia is rich with mineral resources.

Related Topics:
Federation of Australia - Mining - Gold - Iron - Nickel - Alumina

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