Swan River, Western Australia

“ To these ridges succeed sandy forest land and low hills, except on the banks of the rivulets, where a belt of alluvial soil is to be found. The Darling range traverses the whole of Western Australia in a direction, generally speaking, north and south. It appears to subside towards the north, and its greatest elevation is nearly 2,000 feet. The cliffs of the coast at the mouth of Swan River, have a most singular appearance, as though covered with thousands of roots, twisted together into a species of network. ”

“ The south-west coast is watered by a few streams, but none of any size; amongst these is the Swan, upon which Perth, the capital of Western Australia, is built. Between the Swan and North-West Cape the principal rivers are the Greenough, Murchison and Gascoyne; on the north-west coast, the Ashburton, Fortescue and De Grey; and in the Kimberley district, the Fitzroy, Panton, Prince Regent and the Ord. In the Northern Territory are several fine rivers. The Victoria river is navigable for large vessels for a distance of about 43 m. from the sea, and small vessels may ascend for another 80 m. ”

“ But if ever Swan River, or King Georges Sound, shall arrive at one fourth of the internal prosperity now enjoyed at Van Diemen's land, I think any Man would be mad to go further to the Eastward, in search either of health or property. The climate particularly at King George's Sound, is even superior I think, to that of Van Diemen's land; and it is absurd to say, that in a vast continent like that of Australia, the soil shall not be found as fine, and the advantages as great, as in any other part of the Eastern world. ”

“ Perth itself lies twelve 27 miles up the river; its port is Fremantle, at the mouth of the river, on a deep and safe harbour, crowded with 28 wharves and shipping. It is the main outlet for the trade of all this part of Western Australia.
Instead of taking the train we will travel by launch up the Swan River; on our way we notice the large 29 flocks of black swans which are now collected here and preserved by the Government. The city of Perth is smaller and more irregular than Adelaide or Melbourne, and we see it at its best as we approach by the river. ”

“ After due examination of the country about Prince Regent's River we were instructed to take such a course as would lead us in the direction of the great opening behind Dampier's Land. From the moment of our arrival at this point our subsequent proceedings were left more discretionary; but the instructions continued: "You will use the utmost exertions to penetrate from thence to the Swan River; as, by adopting this course, you will proceed in a direction parallel to the unknown coast, and must necessarily cross every large river that flows from the interior towards that side of the continent." ”

“ Off this point is a low rocky islet; and when on the shoal, we could just make out the white sandy beach in the bay open between it and the point. The western points of the island are all shut in by the north point; therefore, keeping them open, will always enable the navigator to give this dangerous rock* a wide berth.
* Now called Roe's Patch. The Swan River Settlement, which is a portion of the colony of Western Australia, was founded in August 1829, under the auspices of the Colonial Office, Captain Stirling being the first Lieutenant-Governor. ”

“ In the first place the Swan is situated 2,000 miles nearer to England, I may say to the greater portion of the commercial world, than Hobart Town and 3,000 miles nearer than Sydney. Should the new Colony succeed, the good folks of Eastern Australia and Van Dieman's Land, are well aware that the balance of the trade now carried on with those places, will be in favour of the Swan River Settlement. ”

“ At times the land wind veers round the compass, and is then generally stronger than usual; blowing fresh for a short time from North-East, and bringing a parching heat from the land; upon these occasions the seabreeze comes in from a more western point, and is lighter.
At Swan River, in the months of December, January, and February, the seabreezes are very strong, for intervals of from three to five days; during which time they blow fresh throughout the night--drawing to the southward after midnight, and towards sunrise to South-South-East and South-East, but more moderate. ”

“ I have an offer of this kind on the banks of the Swan River, and think of accepting it; if I do not, I must explore beyond the mountains, where a fine country is said to have been discovered twenty-five miles to the south, where three rivers fall into a lake, and thence into the sea, or still farther to the south to Port Vasse, or Cape Leschenhault; or it may be to Cape Lewin, where the soil and climate are good and the harbour is excellent. ”

“ Lamb to take the half of his grant on the left bank of the Swan River, on condition of expending so much on my part as will secure the whole. I walked all over the front ground near the river, some days since, and it seems to be good. It is generally considered so, and above the average of neighbouring land; but I cannot speak more particularly at present.
A vein of good soil has been discovered on the banks of a river called the Avon, behind the hills, on which many of the settlers are selecting their grants. ”

“ The colony of Swan River differing materially in the elements of its population from those established in the eastern parts of this continent and in Van Diemen's Land, a corresponding change in the intercourse existing between the natives and the white population might naturally be looked for.
In modern times, with the exception of the new settlement of South Australia, no colony has been established upon principles apparently so favourable for the development of the better qualities of the Aborigines, and with so fair a chance of their ultimate civilization. ”

“ Freemantle, at the entrance of Swan River, is the sea port; and Perth, situate about nine miles inland, the seat of Government: Guilford and York are the other chief places in the colony.
There is nothing very particularly inviting in the first appearance of Western Australia; dull-green-looking downs, backed by a slightly undulating range of hills, rising to nearly 2,000 feet high, are the chief natural features of the prospect. ”

“ Those individuals who so loudly predicted the early failure of the Swan River Colony, and the impossibility of its ever becoming self-supporting, seemed to be prophets of a low order of intelligence. Compared with the initial difficulties and the progress made in other colonies in similar periods, the settlers of Western Australia had done passing well. ”

“ That day the Swan River, on whose banks the thriving cities of Perth and Fremantle are now established, was discovered, but they then considered it to be a series of salt lakes. They looked about them all day long but saw no natives, merely their foot-prints on the banks of the river. When night came they determined to sleep on shore, and finding a native fire still burning they camped by it. Next day the men divided into three companies, and explored in different directions, one north, another east, the third south. ”

“ Like all the Australian rivers with which we are yet acquainted, the Swan is subject to sudden and tremendous floods, which inundate the corn lands in its vicinity, and sweep away all opposing obstacles with irresistible impetuosity. ”

“ In Western Australia, the colonists still made efforts to find good country east of the Swan River. Lefroy and party pushed out to the eastward of York, but were not able to give a much better account of the country than their predecessors. In the north-west a party of colonists landed at the De Grey River, and settled on the country found by F. Gregory. ”

“ The natives of the Murray river, forty miles to the southward of the Swan, are a more warlike and athletic race than those already mentioned. They have, from the first, evinced a desire to dislodge the settlers located in their district ”

“ The importance of having a secure harbour at Swan River, where vessels can refit, as well as lie in security in the winter season, is considerable in a political, as well as a commercial point of view. ”

“ It forms a large lagoon, with an opening, not appearing to be a ship passage, midway on its western side; marked by a dry bank just within it, in latitude 14 degrees 3 minutes 30 seconds South and longitude 6 degrees 4 minutes 45 seconds East of Swan River. The eastern extreme of the reef was not seen; the southern limit is in latitude 14 degrees 15 minutes South; and the north-west extreme being in 13 degrees 55 minutes South, and longitude 6 degrees 2 minutes East of Swan River, gives it an extent of twenty miles in a north and south direction. ”

“ The opinions of an experienced man like Mr. Fraser carried much weight. He was, if anything, more sanguine of the potentialities of the Swan River country than Captain Gilbert, and he expressed himself in no measured terms as to its fertility. His report embraces the "botany, geology, and general character of the banks of Swan River, Geographe Bay, and Cape Naturaliste." ”

“ On the higher hills and mountains the surface is rugged and stony; in the regions intermediate between their summits and their bases the soil is excellent; but in the principal valleys and lower grounds, where the sandstone formation prevails, it is of a very inferior description, except where the deposit of rivers may have altered its character."
The Swan River Colony now possessed four distinct settlements—Swan River, King George's Sound, Augusta, and Leschenault. The settlers at Augusta, as remote and isolated as imagination can portray, began their labours without flourish. ”

“ The visit of these natives seemed at first to have had a good effect, and for some time numerous Swan River men were daily to be seen in Perth and Fremantle, where they expressed their desire to live on friendly terms and their determination to refrain from injuring settlers' cattle. ”

“ It is to this elasticity and purity of the air that the climate of Swan River owes its healthfulness and its charm—no matter how hot the sun has been, nor, how wearisome its fierce beams have made the labours of the day, it has no sooner sunk below the horizon than the spirits at once revive, and a fresh buoyant feeling replaces all sensation of languor ”

“ The banks of the river were gay with the purple flowers of SWAINSONA CORONILLOEFOLIA; FUSANUS ACUMINATUS, produced its crimson-coloured fruit, which Yuranigh brought us from the bush; the spotted bark tree, ELOEODENDRON MACULOSUM, was also in these scrubs. A yellow-flowered herbaceous plant, has been determined by Professor De Vriese to be identical with the Swan River GOODENIA PULCHELLA. A salt plant, greedily eaten by the cattle, proved to be a variety of the ATRIPLEX NUMMULARIS, observed in February on the Macquarie. ”

“ Since the preceding harvest most of the chief settlers were assured of the suitability of Swan River soil for agricultural purposes. It was generally believed that the country would produce crops "inferior to none in England and with less trouble;" that it possessed abundant herbage for cattle and sheep. In consequence all set to work the more zealously to prepare to enlarge their fields for the approaching seed-time. The smaller settlers used the time to break up the ground, and it was estimated to take one man twenty days to prepare one acre. ”

“ Leaving, we beat through between Swan Islands and the main, which we found to be a good channel,* a mile and a half wide, with an average depth of ten fathoms. After passing the western islet the south side of the strait should be given a wide berth, particularly on approaching Cape Portland, off which some islets with foul ground and a sunken rock at their extreme, extend two miles and a half. The summit of Swan Island, bears South 75 degrees East and Mount Cameron South 2 degrees East from the outer edge of this danger ”

“ It is probable, also, that these tertiary accumulations occur at intervals all along the coast to the eastward till we reach the great tertiary district of the Australian Bight. The tertiary plain of Swan River likewise appears to stretch to the southward till it reaches the south coast, but south of the Swan I believe the white sand band gets narrower, and the plain is partly composed of clay and red sandstone. The projecting piece of land between Cape Leeuwin and Port Naturalist exhibits, I believe, granite on the coast beneath the tertiary rocks. ”

“ The country continued reedy and flooded; but the banks of the river were lined with gum trees. Our party, I should mention, has been diminished by one member, a Mr. Bright, who left us at Swan Hill to ride to Melbourne (210 miles) , where he purposes taking passage to England.
A few miles from Swan Hill, we observed several of the native turkey, or, more properly, the bustard; they are reckoned delicious eating, but are approached with difficulty on the open plains, where they love to feed. Birds are now more plentiful; and I should have said that three wild swans were seen near Swan Hill. ”

“ Mr. Brockman has had fifteen acres in culture—a great quantity, under existing circumstances—and he as well as others have happily experienced that the sandy soil, at first despised, produces as well as stiff clay soil, and with infinitely less trouble. The present prices of hay are 5l. here; 8l. at Perth; and 10l. per ton at Fremantle.
You will have had, before this reaches you, all the information you sought as to the Avon River. I fear that there is no large navigable river on this coast, as far as it extends. The Swan serves the purpose of a canal, but the frequent flats are obstacles ”