History of Perth

As one of the younger cities in the world, Perth got its start less than 200 years ago as a far-flung outpost of the British Commonwealth. Convicted criminals made up a significant part of the town’s early population and much of Perth’s original infrastructure was built using their hard labour.

The discovery of gold kicked off the mineral boom which catapulted Perth to its present status as an important Australian city. Today’s prospectors are searching for a different kind of wealth, in the form of stunning beaches, incredible weather and a growing chic café culture. Despite its incredibly isolated location, Perth stands ready to attract visitors for decades to come. 

The Proclamation

Perth began its life in 1829, when Captain James Stirling sailed up the Swan River and founded a settlement of 100 free pioneers in the newly proclaimed colony of Western Australia. Aboriginals, of course, had been living in the area for 40,000 years before the arrival of the British. Due to its extremely isolated location, Perth grew very slowly, but was helped in 1850, when the government began shipping convicts to the town. The hard labour of these prisoners built much of the city’s early infrastructure.

The rise of Perth

Queen Victoria declared Perth a city in 1856, sparking a new interest by the Crown to develop the western coast of Australia. When the city’s first jail, the Perth Gaol, became overcrowded, work began on the Fremantle Prison, built to house the ever-growing number of convicts sent to Perth. The port city of Fremantle quickly developed into the first port of call for migrants and visitors to Australia, marking the foundations of today’s multicultural metropolis. With the opening of the railroad to Fremantle in 1881, the economy of Perth began to prosper.

The Gold Rush

The real catalyst for Perth’s amazing growth however, was the discovery of gold in the northwest of the state in 1887. As more and more of the yellow stuff was found, prospectors from the US, Europe and China flocked to the region in massive numbers. Perth’s mineral boom continued unabated through the 1960s and into the 1970s, as natural gas development added to the city’s economic growth. The skyline of Perth changed significantly during these two decades, as many high rise buildings replaced charismatic 19th century structures.

Modern Perth

In 1987, Perth received a big boost when Fremantle hosted Australia’s defense of the America’s Cup yacht race. This brought a major renovation effort to the city, and the positive publicity from the event helped put Perth on the global tourism map. Since that year, Perth has experienced a significant rise in yearly tourism numbers and new business ventures. An abundance of stunning natural scenery, clean beaches, cosmopolitan chic-ness and nearly perfect weather has helped propel this once-secret backwater hideaway into a great holiday destination.