Perth Water
{{For|the water company serving Perth|Water Corporation}}
{{Short description|Body of water of Swan River, Western Australia}}
{{Use Australian English|date=November 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
Image:Perth Water, Western Australia.jpg in 2005]]
Perth Water is a section of the Swan River on the southern edge of the central business district of Perth, Western Australia. It is between the Causeway to the east, and Narrows Bridge to the west – a large wide but shallow section of river, and the northern edge of the suburb South Perth.{{cite book
|isbn=978-1-922248-39-8
|url=https://water.wa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/5878/claisebrook-in-the-swan-estuary-western-australia-a-synthesis-of-environmental-information-and-historical-retrospective.pdf
|title=Claisebrook in the Swan Estuary, Western Australia – A synthesis of environmental information and historical retrospective
|last=Nice
|first=HE
|location=Perth
|publisher=Swan River Trust, Government of Western Australia
|year=2013
|accessdate=2017-12-31
}}[http://portal.environment.wa.gov.au/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/ADMIN_SRT/CORPORATE/ANUAL%20REPORT%201998-1999.PDF Swan River Trust – Annual Report, 1998–1999] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927141855/http://portal.environment.wa.gov.au/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/ADMIN_SRT/CORPORATE/ANUAL%20REPORT%201998-1999.PDF |date=27 September 2007 }} Retrieved 29 December 2006. It is considered a landmark of the City of Perth.
History
Historically it was much larger in size. The shorelines have been regularly changed.{{Citation | author1=Western Australia. Public Works Dept | author2=Palmer, Charles Stuart Russell | title=Perth Water plan showing general scheme of proposed improvements | publication-date=1903 | publisher=Public Works Dept | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/159516456 | accessdate=26 December 2013 }}{{Citation | author1=Western Australia. Town Planning Dept | author2=Western Australia. Perth Water and Burswood Island Foreshore Advisory Committee | title=Perth water and Burswood Island foreshores outline plan of proposed foreshore uses | publication-date=1972 | publisher=The Dept | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/35079969 | accessdate=26 December 2013 }}
Considerable reclamation has taken place on both sides of the river. For example, in 1879, landfill of Perth Water was used to create The Esplanade.
[http://www.ecu.edu.au/chs/cem/research/wetlands_research/history/pbhist.html History of water use in the Perth-Bunbury region] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060920021552/http://www.ecu.edu.au/chs/cem/research/wetlands_research/history/pbhist.html |date=20 September 2006 }} Dr Mark Lund and Helen Martin, 16 November 2005. Retrieved 29 December 2006.
Narrows bridge reclamation
For the construction of the Narrows Bridge and its approaches, considerable amounts of the north west section of Perth Water were reclaimed.{{Citation | author1=Western Australia. Government Photographer | title=Reclaiming land for the Narrows Bridge construction | publication-date=1957 | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/175514183 | accessdate=26 December 2013 }}{{Citation | title=Reclamation for Narrows Bridge, Perth, W.A. : stability and settlement considerations | publication-date=1960 | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/5520940 | accessdate=26 December 2013 }}
In the early days of the settlement of Perth the north west section between Mount Eliza and the city had been named Mounts Bay, and the road along the shore became known as Mounts Bay Road. The subsequent reclamation effectively removed what has been known as Mounts Bay.
The former river bank in that area is equivalent to the edge of Mounts Bay Road. The whole Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre lies on the river side of the former river bank.
Events
In 2006, the last race in the Red Bull Air Race World Series was the first held in Australia, and was held in Perth, with the competition being centred over Perth Water.[http://www.dpi.wa.gov.au/imarine/14693.asp Red Bull Air Race: Swan River access restricted] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070101233237/http://www.dpi.wa.gov.au/imarine/14693.asp |date=1 January 2007 }} Department for Planning and Infrastructure. Retrieved 29 December 2006.
It has been the annual site of Australia Day City of Perth Skyworks, with crowds lining the lawns and open space along the foreshores.[http://www.perth.wa.gov.au/skyworks/info.html LOTTERYWEST AUSTRALIA DAY SKYWORKS 2007] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060127035422/http://www.perth.wa.gov.au/skyworks/info.html |date=27 January 2006 }} Lotterywest Skyworks. Retrieved 29 December 2006. A good view for these activities has been from Kings Park due to its elevation and position looking across the Perth Water area. Post-cards, calendar images, posters and photographs from most decades of the twentieth century exist, that show the view from the Park looking across Perth Water to the city.
Uses
Image:Perth Water Barrack Square SMC.JPG
Since the establishment of Perth, there have been either jetties or landing and mooring facilities at the location of Barrack Square at Barrack Street Jetty. The Transperth ferry service travels between Elizabeth Quay and Mends Street in South Perth. Commercial companies also use the jetties for trips to Rottnest Island via Fremantle, and Swan River wine and leisure cruises.
Ferry companies at the terminal have improved re-fuelling techniques to reduce the amount of oil pollution in Perth Water.
Historical photos
The West Australian newspaper produced a book for the 150th anniversary of Western Australia in 1979 that included photographs showing the degradation of the space over time.Edmonds, Jack (editor) (1979) Swan River colony : life in Western Australia since the early colonial settlement, illustrated by pictures from an exhibition mounted by West Australian Newspapers Ltd. as a contribution to celebrations for the state's 150th year Perth: West Australian Newspapers.{{ISBN|0909699208}} – front cover, pages 2–3, 6,7, 36,37,54,68,70,84,88 all have views of Perth Water.
Early maps
In the 1950–1951 Lord Mayor's report for the City of Perth an early map of Perth from 1838 was reproduced.{{Citation | author1=Perth (W.A. : Municipality). Council | title=The Lord Mayor's report | publication-date=1800 | publisher=The Council | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/22683555 | accessdate=4 June 2012 }}
Indigenous names
In 1989, the Department of Aboriginal Sites published a book with a reproduction of a 1909 cancelled plan of Perth that shows place names:{{Citation | author1=Vinnicombe, Patricia | author2=Western Australian Museum | title=Goonininup : a site complex on the southern side of Mount Eliza : an historical perspective of land use and associations in the old Swan Brewery area | publication-date=1989 | publisher=Western Australian Museum | isbn=978-0-7309-3662-6 }} – page 37 – Public Plan of Perth (Cancelled 1909) ID/40, see also Appendix I Named places in Kings Park and vicinity from {{Citation | author1=Bloor, Liz | author2=Western Australia. Dept. of Aboriginal Sites | title=Aboriginal usage of Kings Park | publication-date=1987 | publisher=West Perth, W.A., 1987 | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/33794984 | accessdate=24 February 2015 }} pages 17 and 18
- Perth Water – Buneenboro
- Mends Street Jetty – Goorgoogoo
- Sir James Mitchell Park, South Perth foreshore – Gabudjulup
- Riverside Drive (then shallow waters east of Government House) – Gabbee darbul
- Point Belches (south east side of Narrows Bridge area) – Gareenup
This body of water is also known as Derbarl Yerrigan, a name which has since been adopted for the whole of the Swan River. In the Noongar language, Derbarl refers to the estuary water and Yerrigan is "rising up".{{cite book|last1=Collard|first1=Len|last2=Winfield|first2=Carol|title=Boodjargabbeelup:Point Fraser Cultural interpretation Nyungar|publisher=City of Perth}}
Mounts Bay Road – Esplanade river edge
The earlier shore line of Perth Water can be identified by the line made by Mounts Bay Road, and its extension to The Esplanade.
From some earlier photographs and images made from Kings Park it is possible to ascertain the earlier river-edges, or banks, from tree lines. The photo here is of the part of the river that was filled in to accommodate the Narrows Bridge works.
Navigable channel
Image:Perth Water navigable channel in use.jpg
The main route for deep draught boats to navigate Perth Water is from the Narrows Bridge to Barrack Street Jetty, then following a channel close to the north shore parallel to Riverside Drive.
The channel was dredged from as early as 1908 to keep the South Perth to Perth ferry channel clear;{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article28836488 |title=DREDGING PERTH WATER. |newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth |date=16 January 1908 |accessdate=15 June 2015 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}} such maintenance is an ongoing issue.{{Citation | author1=Western Australia. Public Works Dept. Coastal Investigations Section | title=Swan River Perth water navigation channels : investigation of options for maintenance dredging and spoil disposal | publication-date=1980 | publisher=Public Works Dept,. Harbours and Rivers Branch, Coastal Investigations Section | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/32880454 | accessdate=15 June 2015 }}
See also
References
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{{coord |region:AU-WA_type:waterbody_dim:4km |name={{wikidata |property |P1448 }} |display=title |format=dms}}
Category:Landmarks in Perth, Western Australia