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Perth, Western Australia

Perth is the capital city of the state of Western Australia.

About 1.25 million people live in the city. The city covers an area of 5306 square kilometres and is built beside the Swan River.

The first people to live in the area were the Aboriginal people. They had occupied the land for thousands of years before European settlers arrived. The Wujuk people lived in the area in the south-west.

The first European settlers were led by Captain James Sterling, who came to the Perth area in 1829.

The city was officially named in 1829 by Captain Sterling, after a city in Scotland.

The city is run by a city council, elected by the people of the city. A Lord Mayor leads the city council. The Parliament of Western Australia is in Perth.

Perth has a Mediterranean climate which means that the summers are warm and dry and the winters are cool and wet. During the summer the average temperature is about 29C but can reach 40C. However most afternoons when the temperature is high, an ocean wind blows across the city and cools it. This wind is known as the 'Fremantle Doctor'. In winter the average temperature is about 17C and rarely falls below 9C. Perth is a very windy city.

Perth is the business centre for Western Australia and is a modern city. The buildings are a blend of old and new.

city buildings, Perth

the city of Perth at night

The city is famous for its Botanic Gardens in Kings Park. Here it is possible to see some of the more than 8000 varieties of wildflowers, found in no other part of the world, which grow in Western Australia. The annual Wildflower festival attracts thousands of visitors from around the world.

The Swan River was originally named 'Black Swan River', because of the birds that once nested along its banks.

The Festival of Perth was first held in February 1953 and has since become one of Australia's most important arts festivals.

Fremantle is Perth's port and it is at the mouth of the Swan River, 19 kilometres from the city. Fremantle is the home of a large fishing fleet. It is also a popular place for sailing events.

Go here to read more about Perth and Western Australia
http://www.countrywide.com.au/aboutperth/index.html

Acknowledge this source in your bibliography like this:
Thomas & Sydenham, 2006, Perth, Australia [Online], Available: www.kidcyber.com.au

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updated March 2006