Western Australia is the largest state in Australia and covers nearly one third of the entire Australian continent (2,525,500 km2, 1 million square miles), Western Australia's coastline is 12,500 km (7,813 miles) long and spans 2,400 km (1,500 miles) from north to south. ‑ The first recorded European arrival in Western Australia was in 1616 when Dutchman Dirk Hartog landed at what is now known as the World Heritage Shark Bay region. He left a pewter plate recording the landing. Prior to this, the Aboriginal people occupied much of Western Australia during what was known as the 'Dreamfime'.
In 1826 Major Edmund Lockyer and some troops were sent from Sydney in the brig Amity to claim New Holland (early name for Western Australia) for Britain. A military outpost was established at King George Sound, now known as Albany.

Perth, the capital city of the State, is home over 1.4 million people and enjoys more hours of sunshine than any other capital city in Australia. Sophisticated yet uncomplicated, the lifestyle in Western Australia is a relaxed one.

Western Australia is adored for it's brilliant blue skies, warm sunny climate and white sandy beaches. It is a land blessed with some of the world's most precious natural phenomena including the dolphins of Monkey Mia, the 350 million year old Bungle Bungle range and the spectacular towering karri forests of the south west.

Essentially a primary producer, Western Australia has a wealth of natural resources including gold. iron ore, gas and minerals.

Climate - Perth and Fremantle have a Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers (December to February) and mild. wet winters (June to August). The summer temperatures are modified by proximity to the coast and the afternoon sea breeze known as the Fremantle Doctor. Many consider the weather in Perth to be 'perfect', almost every day of the year.

Western Australia

Also in 1826, Captain James Stirling sailed from Britain to an area of land on the Swan River to see if it was suitable for settlement. As a result of Stirling's favourable reports, Captain Fremantle formally established a colony for the Crown at the mouth of the Swan River on 2nd May 1829.

The Swan River Settlement received much positive publicity in Britain and many people flocked to take advantage of the settlement terms ‑ one acre of land for every one shilling and sixpence of money, stock or equipment. The first 10 years proved difficult with food and money shortages owing to the poor quality of the settler's land. By 1848, due to the severe deficiency of labourers, the British government agreed to provide assistance in the form of convict labour.

The first group of convicts were brought to Fremantle in 1850 and many were set to work constructing roads and buildings in the colony. Existing evidence of these public works include the Fremantle Prison, the road between Perth and Albany, Government House, the Perth Town Hall and the Meadow Street precinct, Guildford.

The State progressed slowly until the Gold Rush. The first discovery of gold in Western Australia was at Halls Creek in the remote Kimberley in 1885 and more discoveries followed throughout the state. The major strikes at Coolgardie and nearby Kalgoorlie in 1892 saw the Goldfields towns' populations grow to 10, 000 over 10 years.

As with the traditional occupants the Aborigines, the colonists appreciated the wonderful climate, the open spaces and wildflowers still relished by visitors today