|
WESTERN AUSTRALIA History
Indigenous Australians, known as Aborigines, inhabited this continent centuries ago. This presented many challenges for them as Australia is known for its harsh climate and vast stretches of arid desert (known today as the Outback). These people were diverse in their culture and traditions. Today, there remain hundreds of Aborigine societies living in Western Australia and the rest of the vast continent. These ancient people left remnants of their lives and cultures in the form of fossilised bones, tools and implements as well as various pieces of rock art.
When the sailor, Willem de Vlamingh, sailed around the coast in 1697 in order to find the route from South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope to Batavia, he spotted the area now known as Western Australia for  Flag of Western Australia However, it was only much later, in 1827, that Captain James Stirling and famous botanist, Charles Fraser, considered settling in this region to take advantage of the river. The Swan River Colony was established two years later and the colony was called Perth after the Scottish town, Perthshire. Perth (or Swan River) was soon named the capital.
In 1850, almost 10 000 British convicts arrived on the Western Australian shores. However, by this stage, Western Australia was fairly well established. These early arrivals struggled against the heat, dryness and lack of fertile soil. Many died as a result. They had been ousted from other areas of Australia after the gold rush, which negated the need for convict labour.
The early 1800’s saw a rising concern that French settlers would establish their own settlement on the coastline. The Governor of New South Wales stepped in until control of King George Sound was transferred from NSW to Western Australia. In 1829, the Swan River Colony was declared a British one. These colonies cultivated the land and farmed with crops and animals. Then, in 1880, gold was discovered. The influx of people was astonishing, and various areas throughout the state and continent experienced bursts of population numbers.
Once the wealth accrued through gold had diminished somewhat (along with the gold supply), Western Australia again depended on its thriving wool and wheat industries. The economy eventually collapsed during the 1930’s and recovery lasted from about 1947 to 1970.
The 80’s saw a distinct trend develop; that of entrepreneurship. Despite the stock market crash in1987, Western Australia continues to be a vibrant, successful and abundant destination. Over the years, increased transport as well as mass immigration from places like England and South Africa has boosted the population of this state. However, Western Australia’s population remains relatively low at just over 1.5 million people. This is largely due to the fact that much of the area remains arid desert.
|
|
