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perth: general info
· city links
· history
· hostels
nightlife
· photos
· things to do
· tours
· read reviews
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The Swan River area was occupied by Australian Aborigines for at least 50,000 years prior to the arrival of British settlers, who
proclaimed the new colony in June 1829, led by Captain James Stirling. With the help of convict labour � convict-built architecture
can be seen all around Perth and its port of Fremantle � the colony prevailed over harsh conditions and Perth was finally declared a
city in 1871. Thousands of immigrants flooded into the area during the Gold Rush of the 1850s, on their way to the rich gold fields of
Kalgoorlie. Post-World War II immigration further swelled Perth�s population and today it is home to 1.4 million people. Nearly 200,000
of them are migrants from the UK � there is also a considerable number of New Zealanders, Italians, Malaysians, Indians and South Africans.
The long, wide streets of central Perth follow an orderly grid pattern. Perth Railway Station is located next to the major east�west avenue,
Wellington Street, south of which lies the city proper, extending for five blocks down to the lake-like expanse of the Swan River. The
central shopping and business areas together with historical buildings including two cathedrals, His Majesty�s Theatre and Government House,
are located here. North of Wellington Street is Northbridge, home to important museums, galleries and the hub of the city�s nightlife.
Perth�s location and warm and dry climate � the best of any Australian state capital, with hot summers and mild winters � favour outdoor
pursuits. Inner-city parks and gardens are a delight, most notably Kings Park, which offers excellent views of the city and the river. To the
east of the city lies a pleasant rural hinterland, while just minutes to the west is the Indian Ocean and long, white, sandy beaches extending
for many kilometres along the �Sunset Coast�. A stop at nearby Fremantle, regarded the best-preserved 19th-century port in the world, is an
essential part of any visit to Perth.
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