Point Belches
{{short description|Point into Swan River, Western Australia}}
{{Use Australian English|date=December 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}}
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|text=Today Point Belches refers to a small feature on the eastern side of the peninsula now commonly referred to as Mill Point.
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Point Belches is a small point on the south side of Swan River, Western Australia, about {{convert|250|m}} east of the Narrows within the area known as Perth Water.{{cite web |url=https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/mediaFiles/marine/MAC_G_Boating_SwanCanningRiver.pdf |title=Swan Canning Riverpark Boating Guide |date=December 2017 |website=Department of Transport |publisher=Government of Western Australia |access-date=4 August 2018 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/images/documents/conservation-management/riverpark/about/Landscape%20description%20precinct%207.pdf |title=Swan River System Landscape Description, Precinct 7 (South Perth – Canning Bridge to the Causeway) |date=September 1997 |website=Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions |publisher=Government of Western Australia |access-date=4 August 2018 }} The land is part of the South Perth Esplanade, and the water off the point is used as a commercial water skiing area.
Captain James Stirling discovered Point Belches during the Swan River expedition of 1827. He named it in honour of Peter Belches, a member of the exploring party who was Third Lieutenant on Stirling's ship, {{HMS|Success|1825|6}}.{{cite wikisource |title=An Account of the Expedition of H.M.S. "Success," Captain James Stirling, RN., from Sydney, to the Swan River, in 1827 |last=Stirling |first=James |year=1827}}
While Point Belches now refers to a small feature on the eastern side of the peninsula, Stirling almost certainly intended the name to refer to the entire peninsula.{{cite web |url=https://archive.sro.wa.gov.au/index.php/swan-river-sheet-16-by-r-clint-point-belches-and-millers-pool-tally-no-005127-018;sroisad?sf_culture=en
|title=Swan River, sheet 16, by R. Clint, Point Belches and Millers Pool [Tally No. 005127] |date=1 January 1831 |website=Department for Culture |publisher=Government of Western Australia |access-date=4 August 2018 }} The Old Mill on the peninsula is identified in early sources as being on Point Belches.{{cite news |last=Parsons |first=Alan |title=Construction of Shenton's mills on Point Belches 1833-1837 |publication-date=2006 |publisher=A. Parsons |url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/33947155
|access-date=3 June 2012 }}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38887312 |title=The Old Mill |newspaper=Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954) |location=Perth |date=4 July 1929 |access-date=3 June 2012 |page=32 Edition: The Western Mail CENTENARY NUMBER |publisher=National Library of Australia}} Furthermore, historic plans mark Point Belches north of Miller's Pool{{cite journal |title=George McCarter, Barrack Street Boat Builder |first=Ross |last=Shardlow |pages=6–10 |journal=Maritime Heritage Association Journal |volume=7 |number=1 |date=March 1996 |editor-first=Chris |editor-last=Buhagiar |publisher=Maritime Heritage Association |location=Fremantle |url=https://www.maritimeheritage.org.au/documents/MHA%20March%201996%20journal.pdf |access-date=2023-10-06 }}{{rp|p=7}} on the opposite side of Pool Neck to its contemporary location east of Miller's Pool.{{cite web |url=https://archive.sro.wa.gov.au/index.php/survey-of-mill-point-south-perth-tally-no-005129-020 |title=File 020 - Survey of Mill Point, South Perth [Tally No. 005129] |date=15 March 1833 |website=Department for Culture |publisher=Government of Western Australia |access-date=4 August 2018 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sites/default/files/content-files/2016-12/perths_first_water_supply.pdf |date=October 2012 |title=Recognition of Perth's first Public Water Supply Scheme for an engineering heritage marker |author=Engineering Heritage Western Australia |website=Engineers Australia |access-date=18 August 2018 }}
It was a stopping point for early ferries on Perth Water.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article26304528 |title=SOUTH PERTH AND THE CITY |newspaper=The West Australian |volume=XXVII |issue=7,775 |location=Western Australia |date=1 March 1911 |access-date=26 February 2023 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia }}
The peninsula itself is now commonly referred to as Mill Point, although strictly speaking this name also refers to a smaller feature, on the western side of the peninsula.
References
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