Perth City

Much of the land between the Perth business district and the Swan River shoreline has been reclaimed. The reclamation occurred from the 1870s, right up to the 1960s. Historically this area comprised of a chain of wetlands and marshland.

The Perth area formed part of the Mooro family’s lands, a family group that was one of several families collectively known as Whadjuk. The Whadjuk people are a dialectal group of the greater Nyoongar nation. The Whadjuk people used a number of trails when moving from one place to another, especially those connecting permanent water sources. One such trail went from Perth and followed the north side of the river to North Fremantle, where it crossed the river and continued on to Bibra Lake. These crossings were used primarily in summer when the fish were in abundance and could be easily caught.

Today the Perth foreshore area is still used for fishing and recreating. Langley Park is the largest foreshore strip along Perth’s foreshore. It was created by land reclamation between 1921 and 1935, in response to the need for public open space near the city. There are a range of picnicking facilities, seating areas and a children’s playground.

To find out more about Perth’s foreshore, visit the City of Perth.