A fragment of the Batavia wreck recovered off the coast of Western Australia. It was a Dutch ship en route to Jakarta (Batavia) with passengers, coins and a sandstone portico for the palace in Jakarta. Much of this has been recovered and can be seen in the Maritime Museum in Freemantle. The story of the Batavia is one of 'angry ghosts' as the shipwreck led to the abandoning of the passengers on a waterless island as the officers returned to the netherlands. A mutiny amongst them led to a massacre of many and the subsequent punishment in the Netherlands of the rescued murderers. The waters of Western Australia were used for the spice trade. There's something bablyonian in the whole enterprise and the idea of bringing a major architectural element on boat all the way from Europe to Jakarta.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
A fragment of the Batavia wreck recovered off the coast of Western Australia. It was a Dutch ship en route to Jakarta (Batavia) with passengers, coins and a sandstone portico for the palace in Jakarta. Much of this has been recovered and can be seen in the Maritime Museum in Freemantle. The story of the Batavia is one of 'angry ghosts' as the shipwreck led to the abandoning of the passengers on a waterless island as the officers returned to the netherlands. A mutiny amongst them led to a massacre of many and the subsequent punishment in the Netherlands of the rescued murderers. The waters of Western Australia were used for the spice trade. There's something bablyonian in the whole enterprise and the idea of bringing a major architectural element on boat all the way from Europe to Jakarta.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Sculptures in Perth
Perth by night - "The City that Sleeps"
"The City that Sleeps"
Comments on Perth:
Comments on Perth:
"Having been here for a few months, people tend to post the same question over and over again - ‘How do you find Perth?’
I bet I’ll be getting tons of these questions when I get back home end of the year, and my answer is still relatively the same, ‘The city that sleeps.’ The West Australian paper has an interesting article on Perth as a city and its lifestyle, and it says:
Demographer Bernard Salt said Perth was easily the most suburban of Australia’s capital cities, largely because much of Perth had been developed post-World War II in the era of the motor vehicle.
He said Perth lacked the inner-city “funk factor” of Melbourne and Sydney and therefore there had not been a lure for people to live closer to the city, though that had started to be addressed in suburbs such as Subiaco and Northbridge.
I’m not quite convince with the motor vehicle part but he was right about the “funk factor”, my first few weeks in Australia was a horrible experience, I couldn’t imagine myself living in a ‘City’ that literally shuts itself up before 5, according to one of my lecturers, it used to be some kind of Union law requiring every shops in Western Australia to have their door shut before 5, but it appears that they are trying very hard to reverse this trend currently.
The other thing about Perth is the architecture, unlike Sydney and Melbourne, Perth lacked an architecture identity and ironically they’re the richest state in Australia, according to my lecturer, Perthlings prefer to spend their money on health care, education… anything but architecture, and when they do, they do it with a big bang – the iconic Perth Convention Center."
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Perth Mining
Gold Mine Hill
Gold Mine Hill gives sweeping views over the Coastal Plain to Mandurah in the north and Bunbury in the south. Mine shafts and diggings can still be found with chunks of quartz scattered through the area. No gold was ever found.Mining in the Media
Frontier to sue over banned Kokoda mine
Historic Buildings
Round House
Reference: Heritage Council of Western Australia
The Perth Mint
The Perth Mint is Australia's oldest operating Mint, established in 1899 to mint gold sovereigns for the British Empire. The Mint is owned by the Western Australian Government and is Australia's specialist precious metals mint, producing collector and investment coins for world markets. The Perth Mint has played a central role in the development of Western Australia's gold industry During the 19th Century, three branches of the Royal Mint of London were established in the Australian colonies to refine gold from the gold rushes and to mint gold sovereigns and half-sovereigns for the British Empire.
310 Hay St
Perth
The Perth Observatory
The original Perth Observatory was constructed in 1896 and was officially opened in 1900 by John Forrest, the first premier of Western Australia.
Fremantle Prison
Fremantle Prison is a former Australian prison located in The Terrace, Fremantle, in Western Australia. The 60,000 m² (15 acres) site includes the prison, gatehouse, perimeter walls, cottages, tunnels, and prisoner art.
The prison was built by convict labour in the 1850s, and transferred to the colonial government in 1886 for use as a gaol for locally-sentenced prisoners. It closed as a prison in 1991 and reopened as a historic site. It is now a public museum, managed by the Government of Western Australia with daily and nightly tours being operated. Some tours include information about the existence of ghosts within the prison.
The Swan River Colony
The Swan River Colony
Perth was founded in 1829 largely because the British feared the French would establish a colony in Western Australia. In 1827 Captain James Stirling (1791-1865) sailed to the Swan River in his ship HMS Success. Stirling believed the area would be ideal for a settlement.
He persuaded the British government to found a colony there, independent of the colony in New South Wales. Perth was named after the birthplace of Sir George Murray who was British Secretary of State for the Colonies when the city was founded in 1829. (However Murray was not actually born in Perth, Scotland. He was born in the nearby town of Crieff in Perthshire. However this colony was not to be manned by convicts. Instead the government would sell land cheaply to private citizens. (Ignoring the Aborigines who lived there).
The first ship to arrive in the Swan River Estuary was HMS Challenger captained by Charles Fremantle (1800-1869). On 2 May 1829 he claimed the whole of Australia outside New South Wales for Britain. Stirling arrived in June. He ran the new colony by the Swan River from 1829 to 1832 and from 1834 to 1838.
The new colony developed on two sites. The port town was named Frematnle in honour of the Captain. Perth itself was founded on 12 August 1829. To mark the event a tree was cut down on the site of Kings Park. Soon there was conflict between the European settlers and the Aborigines. The indigenous people were driven off their land and many of them were killed. The conflict culminated in the Battle of Pinjarra. During the 19th century amenities in Perth improved. In 1856 Perth was made a city. The same year Perth gained street lighting. Meanwhile Supreme Court Gardens were alid out in 1845.
A park was laid out in 1872. In 1901 it was renamed Kings Park. Queens Gardens were laid out in 1899. Furthermore Perth Zoo opened in 1898. Perth Mint was established in 1899. Meanwhile a number of prominent buildings were erected in Perth. The Old Mill dates from 1835. The Old Court House was built in 1836. The Town Hall followed in 1870 and St George's Cathedral was built in 1888. Perth grew slowly in the early 19th century. Neverthless by 1850 there was a shortage of labour and the British government agreed to send convicts to the colony to work there. Parts of Perth were built by convict labour.
Perth continued its slow growth in the late 19th century but in 1881 it was connected to Fremantle and Guildford by railway. In 1892 there was a gold rush in Western Australia and as a result the population of Perth boomed. At the end of the 19th century Perth gained an electricity supply and in 1899 electric trams began running in the streets. However the last trams in Perth ran in 1958. During the 1930s Perth, like the rest of the world suffered from the economic depression. In the early 1930s one man in four in Perth was unemployed. However full employment returned with World War II. In the late 20th century many prominent buildings were erected in Perth. Those included AMP Building, which was erected in 1976 and Bank West Building which was built in 1988. Exchange Plaza was built in 1992.
The University of Western Australia was founded in 1911. Perth Concert Hall was built in 1971. Allan Green Conservatory opened in 1979. Mardalup Park was laid out in 1997. Meanwhile in the late 20th century a number of new buildings were erected in Perth including the AMP Tower in 1976, Governor Stirling Tower in 1978, Bank West Tower in 1988 and both Central Park and Exchange Plaza in 1992.
Today the population of Perth is 1.47 million.
Perth was founded in 1829 largely because the British feared the French would establish a colony in Western Australia. In 1827 Captain James Stirling (1791-1865) sailed to the Swan River in his ship HMS Success. Stirling believed the area would be ideal for a settlement.
He persuaded the British government to found a colony there, independent of the colony in New South Wales. Perth was named after the birthplace of Sir George Murray who was British Secretary of State for the Colonies when the city was founded in 1829. (However Murray was not actually born in Perth, Scotland. He was born in the nearby town of Crieff in Perthshire. However this colony was not to be manned by convicts. Instead the government would sell land cheaply to private citizens. (Ignoring the Aborigines who lived there).
The first ship to arrive in the Swan River Estuary was HMS Challenger captained by Charles Fremantle (1800-1869). On 2 May 1829 he claimed the whole of Australia outside New South Wales for Britain. Stirling arrived in June. He ran the new colony by the Swan River from 1829 to 1832 and from 1834 to 1838.
The new colony developed on two sites. The port town was named Frematnle in honour of the Captain. Perth itself was founded on 12 August 1829. To mark the event a tree was cut down on the site of Kings Park. Soon there was conflict between the European settlers and the Aborigines. The indigenous people were driven off their land and many of them were killed. The conflict culminated in the Battle of Pinjarra. During the 19th century amenities in Perth improved. In 1856 Perth was made a city. The same year Perth gained street lighting. Meanwhile Supreme Court Gardens were alid out in 1845.
A park was laid out in 1872. In 1901 it was renamed Kings Park. Queens Gardens were laid out in 1899. Furthermore Perth Zoo opened in 1898. Perth Mint was established in 1899. Meanwhile a number of prominent buildings were erected in Perth. The Old Mill dates from 1835. The Old Court House was built in 1836. The Town Hall followed in 1870 and St George's Cathedral was built in 1888. Perth grew slowly in the early 19th century. Neverthless by 1850 there was a shortage of labour and the British government agreed to send convicts to the colony to work there. Parts of Perth were built by convict labour.
Perth continued its slow growth in the late 19th century but in 1881 it was connected to Fremantle and Guildford by railway. In 1892 there was a gold rush in Western Australia and as a result the population of Perth boomed. At the end of the 19th century Perth gained an electricity supply and in 1899 electric trams began running in the streets. However the last trams in Perth ran in 1958. During the 1930s Perth, like the rest of the world suffered from the economic depression. In the early 1930s one man in four in Perth was unemployed. However full employment returned with World War II. In the late 20th century many prominent buildings were erected in Perth. Those included AMP Building, which was erected in 1976 and Bank West Building which was built in 1988. Exchange Plaza was built in 1992.
The University of Western Australia was founded in 1911. Perth Concert Hall was built in 1971. Allan Green Conservatory opened in 1979. Mardalup Park was laid out in 1997. Meanwhile in the late 20th century a number of new buildings were erected in Perth including the AMP Tower in 1976, Governor Stirling Tower in 1978, Bank West Tower in 1988 and both Central Park and Exchange Plaza in 1992.
Today the population of Perth is 1.47 million.
Aboriginal History
Aboriginal history
The Aboriginal people of the Perth area belong to the southwest region and are referred to by various names. The best known are Nyoongar, Nyungar, Noongar, Wajuk and Wudjari. The country along the Swan River was rich and allowed a high density of Aboriginal people.
Life, contact and war
Living conditions
The climate in winter (makuru) is cool and moist and the Aboriginal people adapted to it by wearing kangaroo skin cloaks and building weatherproof huts (when they stayed longer).
Contact with white settlers
It was not before 1825 that the Nyoongar of the Perth area had contact with white people. A military base was established in King George Sound and the Swan River area was subsequently colonised. The area that was occupied by the settlers had a great ceremonial and economic significance to the Nyoongar, and the spreading of the settlers led in 1834 to the "Battle of Pinjarra" in which a lot of Aboriginal people were murdered.
Aboriginal resistance
Aboriginal resistance was led in the early 1830s by people like Yagan and Calyute. The whites tried to break their war by imprisoning them on Rottnest Island or sending them to remote missions like Moore River (which became famous through the blockbuster "Rabbit-proof Fence") and Carrolup.
You can visit the statue of Yagan on the west end of the south island of Heirisson Island.
Content from: http://www.creativespirits.info/ozwest/perth/aboriginalhistoryperth.html
Read More:
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Perth - General Information
Historical Images
West Australia (Perth) Artillery.
May Drive, King's Park, Perth, Western Australia. (ca. 1922-1929)
Government House, Perth, Western Australia. (ca. 1922-1929)
Hyde Park, Perth, Western Australia. (ca. 1922-1929)
Perth from King's Park. (ca. 1925-1932)
Perth, Australia. (ca. 1928-1939)
The Foundation of Perth
This is an image of The Foundation of Perth 1829, a 1929 painting by George Pitt Morison.
A digital image of The Foundation of Perth 1829 is available from the National Library of Australia (NLA). Its catalogue number is nla.pic-an7748217-v; it is available here. The (NLA) digital image contains NLA credit and catalogue information. This digital image is a cropped version of the NLA image that removes this information.
Swan River Chart
The first detailed map of the Swan River was drawn by François-Antoine Boniface Heirisson of the Naturaliste from direct observation after his journey by longboat along the Swan River from 17-22 June 1801.
Heirisson has included on the chart soundings along the entire length of his journey, and comments on the singular topography of the mouth of the river (the bar) referring to features seen along its course.
An photograph of The Round House in the late 19th century
Perth skyline 1969
TONGUES OF STONE
proposal for STRUT and Perth Festival: (Nov’2008)
Project Brief
TONGUES OF STONE: A Performance Event for Perth 2010
12 Women speaking with their bodies through the city’s surface uncover sedimented histories.
Combining dance, architecture, music and film Tongues of Stone proposes a unique site-specific event for Perth.
The stone tongue is the speaking landscape.
Weaving between mythology and geology, stories and strata, Tongues of Stone will excavate the city to reveal its
embedded stories through movement, image and sound. Perth is considered an urban landscape built on stone, sand and
histories shaped by the surrounding mining industry.
Fed by the rivers of stories emerging from mythologies, dialogues with place and conversations with local residents, the
performers inhabit four states of change, which form a performance cycle for a mobile audience. Metamorphic processes
transforming flesh to stone; stone to dust; dust to phantom; phantom to flesh would form the conceptual basis for the
vision led by choreography and design. These would be expressed and embodied through moments of transformation –
for example from celebration to shame; shame to fervour; fervour to exhaustion; exhaustion to regeneration. The dancers
shift between extremes of physical endurance and epiphanies of humour and joy: from lamentation to ecstasis
… Myth becoming nature.
Concept: Carol Brown & Dorita Hannah
Choreography: Carol Brown
Design: Dorita Hannah
Music/Sound: Russell Scoones
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