Perth

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Perth Boorloo (Nyungar) Western Australia
Perth CBDskyline Perth Town Hall Yagan Square Swan Bells Elizabeth Quaybridge WA Museum Boola Bardip Perth Stadium Historic district of Fremantle
Perth
Coordinates	31°57′21″S115°51′35″E / 31.9558°S 115.8597°E /-31.9558; 115.8597 (Perth)
Population	2,309,338 (2023)[1](4th)
• Density	359.8277/km2(931.949/sq mi)
Established	4 June1829
Area	6,417.9 km2(2,478.0 sq mi)(GCCSA)[2]
Time zone	AWST(UTC+08:00)
Location	2,130 km (1,324 mi) fromAdelaide[3] 2,652 km (1,648 mi) fromDarwin[3] 2,721 km (1,691 mi) fromMelbourne[3] 3,088 km (1,919 mi) fromCanberra[3] 3,298 km (2,049 mi) fromSydney[3]
State electorate(s)	Perth(and 41 others)[4]
Federal division(s)	Perth(and 11 others)[5]
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 24.8 °C 77 °F 12.8 °C 55 °F 731.1 mm 28.8 in

Perth(Nyungar:Boorloo) is thecapital cityofWestern Australia. It is thefourth most populous cityinAustralia, with a population of over 2.3 million withinGreater Perthas of 2023^[update]. It is part of theSouth West Land Divisionof Western Australia, with most ofPerth's metropolitan areaon theSwan Coastal Plainbetween theIndian Oceanand theDarling Scarp. The city has expanded outward from the original British settlements on theSwan River, upon which itscentral business districtand port ofFremantleare situated.

Perth was founded byCaptain James Stirlingin 1829 as the administrative centre of theSwan River Colony. The city is situated on the traditional lands of theWhadjukNoongarpeople, whereAboriginal Australianshave lived for at least 45,000 years. Perth was named after the city ofPerthinScotland. Perth was proclaimed as a city byQueen Victoriain 1856, although theCity of Perthcurrently governs only a small area around the central business district. Substantial population growth occurred during the late 19th-centuryWestern Australian gold rushes, and the city has continued to expand, particularly afterWorld War IIdue to a highnet migration rate.Post-war immigrantswere predominantly from the British Isles and Southern Europe, while more recent arrivals see a growing population of Asian descent. During the late 20th and early 21st centuries, a series of mining booms in various regions of Western Australia propelled Perth into the role of the regional headquarters for significantmining operations.

Ranked as one of the world'smost liveable cities, Perth was classified by theGlobalization and World Cities Research Networkas a Betaglobal cityin 2020. As of 2021,^[update]Perth is divided into30 local government areas, comprising over350 suburbs. The metropolitan contours span 115 kilometres (71 mi) fromTwo Rocksin the north toSingletonin the south,^{[contradictory]}and 45 kilometres (28 mi) from the west coast toSawyers Valleyin the east. Beyond the central business district, predominant urban centres within the metropolitan area includeArmadale,Fremantle,Joondalup,Midland, andRockingham. Most of those were originally established as separate settlements and retained a distinct identity after being subsumed into the wider metropolitan area.Mandurah, Western Australia's second-largest city, forms aconurbationwith Perth along the coastline. Despite this, it is generally regarded as an independent city.

Perth features several important public buildings, as well as cultural andheritage sites. The city has various notable government buildings, including theParliament House,Government House, theSupreme Court Buildingsand thePerth Mint. The city is served byFremantle HarbourandPerth Airport. It was a naval base for theAlliesduring World War II and today, theRoyal Australian Navy'sFleet Base Westis located onGarden Island. All five of Western Australia's universities are based in Perth.

The name of the city is taken fromPerth, Scotlandin honour of theSecretary of State for War and the Colonies, and Member forPerthshirein theBritish House of Commons,Sir George Murray.^[6][7]Murray's association with the city was included in Stirling's proclamation of the colony, read in Fremantle on 18 June 1829, which concluded with the statement, "Given under my hand and Seal at Perth this 18th Day of June 1829. James Stirling Lieutenant Governor".^[8]The only contemporary information on the source of the name comes fromCharles Fremantle's diary entry for 12 August 1829, which records that they "named the town Perth according to the wishes of Sir George Murray".^[9][10]

Since 2019, theNoongarnameBoorloohas been recognised as denoting thecentral business district,^[11][12]thelocal government area,^[13]or the capital city in general.^[14][15][16]The nameBoorloowas initially recorded byRobert Menli LyonasBoorloin 1833,^[17]which was interpreted as "Perth, properly Point Fraser" (a location inEast Perth). He also gave the nameByerbrupfor "the highland stretching along from Mount Eliza through the centre of the town of Perth".^[18]In 1947,Ludwig Glauertposited that Lyon may have misunderstood his sources and that "boorloo" or "belo" (now transcribed as "bilya") is simply the Noongar word for "river".^[19]Another source has interpretedBoorlooto mean "big swamp",^[20]describing the chain of lakes where thecentral business districtandNorthbridgeare situated.^[21]

Archaeological evidence attests to human habitation in the Perth area for at least 48,000 years;^[22]: 9according toNoongartradition, they have occupied the area since "time immemorial".^[23]Noongar country encompasses the southwest corner of Western Australia, with particular significance attached to thewetlands on the Swan Coastal Plain, both spiritually (featuring inlocal mythology) and as a source of food.^[24]

The current central business district location in within the traditional territory of theMooro, a Noongar clan, led byYellagongaat the time of the British settlement. The Mooro was one of several Noongar clans based around the Swan River, known collectively as theWhadjuk. The Whadjuk themselves were one of a larger group of fourteen tribes that formed the south-west socio-linguistic block known as the Noongar (meaning "the people" intheir language), also sometimes called the Bibbulmun.^[25][26][27]

On 19 September 2006, theFederal Court of Australiaruled in the case ofBennell v State of Western Australia[2006] FCA 1243 thatNoongar native titlepersisted over Perth metropolitan area.^[28]An appeal was subsequently filed, and in 2008, the Full Court of the Federal Court upheld parts of the appeal by the Western Australian and Commonwealth governments.^[29]Following this appeal, theWestern Australian Governmentand theSouth West Aboriginal Land and Sea Councilnegotiated the South West Native Title Settlement. This settlement, including the Whadjuk Indigenous Land Use Agreement over the Perth region, was finalised by the Federal Court on 1 December 2021.^[30]As part of this agreement, theNoongar (Koorah, Nitja, Boordahwan) (Past, Present, Future) Recognition Actwas passed in 2016, officially recognising the Noongar people as thetraditional ownersof the south-west region of Western Australia.^[31]

On 10 January 1697, Dutch CaptainWillem de Vlaminghconducted the first documented exploration by a European of the present-day Perth region. His crew initially explored the area on foot, leading them to what is now central Perth.^[32]Continuing, they travelled up the Swan River in search of native inhabitants.^[33]They named the riverSwarte Swaene-Revier, a reference to theblack swansprevalent in the region.^[33]After Vlamingh's observations, other Europeans conducted further voyages of exploration in the period between 1697 and 1829. However, as with Vlamingh's assessments, they judged the area inhospitable and unsuitable for the agriculture necessary to sustain a European-style settlement.^[34]

Despite theColony of New South Walesestablishing a convict-supported settlement atKing George's Sound(laterAlbany) on the south coast ofWestern Australiain 1826, responding to rumours of potentialFrenchannexation, Perth marked the first comprehensive European settlement in the western third of the continent of Australia in 1829. Officially designated as "Western Australia" in 1832, the colony retained the informal moniker "Swan River Colony" for many years, after the area's major watercourse.^[35]

On 4 June 1829, newly arriving British colonists had their first view of the mainland.^{[contradictory]}Captain James Stirling, aboardParmelia, noted that the site was "as beautiful as anything of this kind I had ever witnessed".^[36]On 12 August that year, Helen Dance, wife of the captain of the second ship,Sulphur, felled a tree to commemorate the town's founding.^[37]From 1831 onward, confrontations between British settlers and the Noongar people escalated due to conflicting land-value systems and increased land use as the colony expanded. These confrontations resulted in multiple events, including the murder of settlers (such asThomas Peel's servant Hugh Nesbitt^[38]), the execution without trial of Whadjuk elderMidgegooroo,^[39]the killing of his sonYaganin 1833,^[40]and thePinjarra massacrein 1834.^{[22]: 114 [41]}

The strained relations between the Noongar people and the Europeans arose due to these events. Agricultural development on the land restricted the traditionalhunter-gathererpractices of the native Whadjuk Noongar, compelling them to camp in designated areas, including swamps and lakes north of the European settlement.Third Swamp, known to them asBoodjamooling, remained a primary campsite for the remaining Noongar people in the Perth region, also accommodating travellers, itinerants, and homeless individuals. During the gold rush in the 1890s, miners on their way to the goldfields joined this community.^[42]

In 1850, at a time whenpenal transportationto Australia's eastern colonies had ceased, Western Australia wasopened to convictsat the request of farming and business people due to a shortage of labour.^[43]Over the next eighteen years, 9,721 convicts arrived in Western Australia aboard43 ships.^[44][45]

The designation of Perth as a city was formally announced byQueen Victoriain 1856. However, despite this recognition, Perth remained a tranquil town. A description from 1870 by a Melbourne journalist depicted it as:^[46][47]

a quiet little town of some 3000 inhabitants spread out in straggling allotments down to the water's edge, intermingled with gardens and shrubberies and half rural in its aspect ... The main streets are macadamised, but the outlying ones and most of the footpaths retain their native state from the loose sand — the all pervading element of Western Australia — productive of intense glare or much dust in the summer and dissolving into slush during the rainy season.

With thediscovery of goldatKalgoorlieandCoolgardiein the late 19th century, Western Australia experienced a mining boom.^[48]Perth became a key hub for supplying the goldfields, and the newfound prosperity helped finance the construction of important public buildings, roads, and railways. Perth's population grew from approximately 8,500 in 1881 to 61,000 in 1901.^[49]

After a referendum in 1900,^[50]Western Australia joined theFederation of Australiain 1901,^[46]and "became a founding state of Australia".^[22]It was the last of the Australian colonies to agree to join the Federation, and it did so only after the other colonies had offered several concessions, including the construction of a transcontinental railway line fromPort Augustain South Australia toKalgoorlieto link Perth with the eastern states.^[51]

In 1927,Indigenous peoplewere prohibited from entering large swathes of Perth under penalty of imprisonment, a ban that lasted until 1954.^[52]

In 1933, two-thirds of Western Australiansvoted in a referendumtosecede fromtheAustralian Federation. However, the state general election held at the same time as the referendum had voted out the incumbent "pro-independence" government, replacing it with a government that did not support the independence movement. Respecting the result of the referendum, the new government nonetheless petitioned the Imperial Parliament at Westminster. TheHouse of Commonsestablished aselect committeeto consider the issue but after 18 months of negotiations and lobbying, finally refused to consider the matter, declaring that it could not legally grant secession.^[50][53]

Perth entered the post-war period with a population of approximately 280,000 and an economy that had not experienced sustained growth since the 1920s. Successive state governments, beginning with theWillcockLabor Government (1936–1945), determined to change this. Planning for post-war economic development was initially driven byRussell Dumas, who as Director of Public Works (1941–1953) drew up plans for Western Australia's major post-war public-works projects, including the raising of theMundaringand Wellington Dams, the development of the new Perth Airport, and the development of a new industrial zone centred on Kwinana. The advent of theMcLartyLiberal Government (1947–1953) saw the emergence of something of a consensus on the need for continuing economic development. Economic growth was fuelled by large-scale public works, the post-war immigration program, and the success that various state governments had in attracting substantial foreign investment into the state, beginning with the construction of theAnglo-Iranian Oil Refineryat Kwinana in 1951–52.^[54]

The result of this economic activity was the rapid growth of the population of Perth and a marked change in its urban design. Commencing in the 1950s, Perth began to expand along an extensive highway network laid out in theStephenson-Hepburn Report, which noted that Perth was beginning to resemble a pattern of development less in line with the British experience and more in line with North America.^[55]This was encouraged by the opening of theNarrows Bridgeand the gradual closure of thePerth-Fremantle Tramways. The mining-pastoral boom of the 1960s only accelerated the pace of urban growth in Perth.

In 1962, Perth received global media attention when city residents lit their house lights and streetlights as American astronautJohn Glennpassed overhead while orbiting the Earth onFriendship 7. This led to its being nicknamed the "City of Light".^[56][57][58]The city repeated the act as Glenn passed overhead on theSpace Shuttlein 1998.^[59][60]

Perth's development and relative prosperity, especially since the mid-1960s,^[61]has resulted from its role as the main service centre for the state's resource industries, which extract gold, iron ore, nickel, alumina, diamonds, mineral sands, coal, oil, and natural gas.^[62]Whilst most mineral and petroleum production takes place elsewhere in the state, the non-base services provide most of the employment and income to the people of Perth.^[63]

Thecentral business districtof Perth is bounded by theSwan Riverto the south and east, withKings Parkon the western end and the railway reserve as the northern border.^{[citation needed]}A state and federally funded project namedPerth City Linksank a section of the railway line to allow easy pedestrian access betweenNorthbridgeand the CBD. ThePerth Arenais an entertainment and sporting arena in the city link area that has received several architectural awards from institutions such as theDesign Institute of Australia, theAustralian Institute of Architects, andColorbond.^[64]St Georges Terraceis the area's prominent street, with a large amount of office space in the CBD.Hay StreetandMurray Streethave most of the retail and entertainment facilities. The city's tallest building isCentral Park, thetwelfth tallest building in Australia.^[65]The CBD until 2012 was the centre of a mining-induced boom, with several commercial and residential projects being built, includingBrookfield Place, a 244-metre (801 ft) office building for Anglo-Australian mining companyBHP.^[66]

Perth's metropolitan area extends along the coast toTwo Rocksin the north andSingletonto the south,^[67]a distance of approximately 125 kilometres (80 mi).^[68]From the coast in the west toMundaringin the east is a distance of approximately 50 kilometres (30 mi). The Perth metropolitan area covers 6,418 square kilometres (2,478 sq mi).^[2]The built-up urban area of Perth is 1,722 square kilometres (665 sq mi), the same asWuhanorSalt Lake Cityand slightly smaller thanLondon, making Perth the 67th largest urban area in the world. Perth is also the 50th least densely populated out of the 990 urban areas in the world with a population above 500,000.^[69]

The metropolitan region is defined by thePlanning and Development Act 2005to include 30local government areas, with the outer extent being theCity of Wannerooand theCity of Swanto the north, theShire of Mundaring,City of Kalamundaand theCity of Armadaleto the east, theShire of Serpentine-Jarrahdaleto the southeast and theCity of Rockinghamto the southwest, and includingRottnest IslandandGarden Islandoff the west coast.^[70]This extent correlates with theMetropolitan Region Scheme, and theAustralian Bureau of Statistics' Perth (Major Statistical Division).^[70]

The metropolitan extent of Perth can be defined in other ways – the Australian Bureau of Statistics Greater Capital City Statistical Area, orGreater Perthin short, consists of that area, plus theCity of Mandurahand the Pinjarra Level 2 Statistical Area^[71]of theShire of Murray,^[72][73]while theRegional Development Commissions Act 1993includes theShire of Serpentine-Jarrahdalein thePeel region.^[74]

Perth is on the Swan River, named for the nativeblack swansbyWillem de Vlamingh, captain of a Dutch expedition and namer of WA'sRottnest Island, who discovered the birds while exploring the area in 1697.^[75]This water body was known by Aboriginal inhabitants asDerbarl Yerrigan.^[76]The city centre and most of the suburbs are on the sandy and relatively flatSwan Coastal Plain, which lies between theDarling Scarpand theIndian Ocean. The soils of this area are quite infertile.

Much of Perth was built on thePerth Wetlands, a series of freshwater wetlands running fromHerdsman Lakein the west through toClaisebrook Covein the east.^[77]

To the east, the city is bordered by a low escarpment called the Darling Scarp. Perth is on generally flat, rolling land, largely due to the high amount of sandy soils and deepbedrock. The Perth metropolitan area has two major river systems, one made up of the Swan andCanningRivers, and one of theSerpentineandMurrayRivers, which discharge into thePeel InletatMandurah. ThePerth-Gingin Shrublands and WoodlandsandBanksia Woodlands of the Swan Coastal Plainstraddle the metropolitan area.

Perth receives moderate, though highly seasonal, winter-based rainfall. Summers are generally hot, sunny and dry, lasting from December to March, with February generally the hottest month. Winters are relatively mild and wet, giving Perth ahot-summer Mediterranean climate(Köppen climate classificationCsa).^[78][79]Perth has an average of 8.8 hours of sunshine per day, which equates to around 3,200 hours of sunshine and 138.7 clear days annually, making it Australia's sunniest capital city.^[80]

Summers are typically hot and dry but not completely devoid of rain, with sporadic rainfall in the form of short-lived thunderstorms, weakcold frontsand on occasions decayingtropical cyclonesfrom Western Australia's northwest, which can bring heavy rain. Temperatures above 35 °C (95 °F) occur, on average, 26 days per year and rise above 40 °C (104 °F) on 5 days per year. The highest temperature recorded in Perth was 46.2 °C (115.2 °F) on 23 February 1991, althoughPerth Airportrecorded 46.7 °C (116.1 °F) on the same day.^[80][81]On most summer afternoons asea breeze, known locally as the "Fremantle Doctor", blows from the southwest, providing relief from the hot northeasterly winds. Temperatures often fall below 30 °C (86 °F) a few hours after the arrival of the wind change.^[82]In the summer, the 3 p.m. dewpoint averages at around 12 °C (54 °F).^[80]

Winters are mild and wet, with most of Perth's annual rainfall between May and September. Winters see significant rainfall asfrontal systemsmove across the region, interspersed with clear and sunny days where minimum temperatures tend to drop below 5 °C (41 °F). The lowest temperature recorded in Perth was −0.7 °C (30.7 °F) on 17 June 2006.^[81]The lowest temperature within thePerth metropolitan areawas −3.4 °C (25.9 °F) on the same day atJandakot Airport, although temperatures at or below zero are rare occurrences. The lowest maximum temperature recorded in Perth is 8.8 °C (47.8 °F) on 26 June 1956. It occasionally gets cold enough for frost to form.^[83]Whilesnowhas never been recorded in the Perth CBD, light snowfalls have been reported in outer suburbs of Perth in thePerth HillsaroundKalamunda,RoleystoneandMundaring. The most recent snowfall was in 1968.

The rainfall pattern has changed in Perth andsouthwest Western Australiasince the mid-1970s. A significant reduction in winter rainfall has been observed with a greater number of extreme rainfall events in the summer,^[84]such as the slow-moving storms on 8 February 1992 that brought 120.6 millimetres (4.75 in) of rain,^[81][82]heavy rainfall associated with atropical lowon 10 February 2017, which brought 114.4 millimetres (4.50 in) of rain,^[85]and the remnants ofex-Tropical Cyclone Joyceon 15 January 2018 with 96.2 millimetres (3.79 in).^[86]Perth was also hit by asevere thunderstormon 22 March 2010, which brought 40.2 mm (1.58 in) of rain and large hail and caused significant damage in the metropolitan area.^[87]

The average sea temperature ranges from 18.9 °C (66.0 °F) in October to 23.4 °C (74.1 °F) in March.^[88]

With more than two million residents, Perth is one of themost isolated major citiesin the world. The nearest city with a population of more than 100,000 isAdelaide, over 2,100 km (1,305 mi) away.^[90]Perth is geographically closer to bothEast Timor(2,800 km or 1,700 mi), andJakarta, Indonesia (3,000 km or 1,900 mi), than toSydney(3,300 km or 2,100 mi).^[90]

Perth is Australia's fourth-most-populous city, having overtakenAdelaidein 1984.^[94]In June 2023 there was an estimated resident population of 2,309,338 in the Greater Perth area, representing an increase of approximately 3.6% from the 2022 estimate of 2,228,020, the highest growth rate of Australia's capital cities.^[1]

Country of birth (2021) ^[95]

Birthplace[note 1]	Population
Australia	1,258,506
England	169,938
New Zealand	59,459
India	58,229
South Africa	38,793
Malaysia	31,268
Philippines	30,806
Mainland China	27,237
Scotland	23,280
Vietnam	17,174
Italy	16,536
Ireland	16,412
Singapore	15,387
Indonesia	13,031
Zimbabwe	10,743

At the 2021 census, the most commonly nominated ancestries were:^[95]

Perth's population is notable for the high proportion of British- and Irish-born residents. At the 2021 Census, 169,938 England-born Perth residents were counted,^[95]ahead of even Sydney (151,614),^[97]despite the latter having well over twice the population.

The ethnic make-up of Perth changed in the second part of the 20th century when significant numbers of continental European immigrants arrived in the city. Prior to this, Perth's population had been almost completelyAnglo-Celticin ethnic origin. AsFremantlewas the first landfall in Australia for many migrant ships coming from Europe in the 1950s and 1960s, Perth started to experience a diverse influx of people, includingItalians,Greeks,Dutch,Germans,Turks,Croats, andMacedonians. The Italian influence in the Perth and Fremantle area has been substantial, evident in places like the "Cappuccino strip" in Fremantle featuring many Italian eateries and shops. In Fremantle, the traditional Italianblessing of the fleetfestival is held every year at the start of the fishing season. In Northbridge every December is the San Nicola (Saint Nicholas) Festival, which involves a pageant followed by a concert, predominantly in Italian. Suburbs surrounding the Fremantle area, such asSpearwoodandHamilton Hill, also contain high concentrations of Italians, Croatians, and Portuguese. Perth has also been home to a smallJewishcommunity since 1829^[99]– numbering 5,082 in 2006 – who have emigrated primarily from Eastern Europe and more recently from South Africa.

A more recent wave of arrivals includesWhite South Africans. South Africans overtook those born in Italy as the fourth-largest foreign group in 2001. By 2016, there were 35,262 South Africans residing in Perth.^[100]ManyAfrikanersandAnglo-Africansemigrated to Perth during the 1980s and 1990s, with the phrase "packing for Perth" becoming associated with South Africans who choose to emigrate abroad, sometimes regardless of the destination.^[101][102]As a result, the city has been described as "the Australian capital of South Africans in exile".^[103]The reason for Perth's popularity amongwhite South Africanshas often been attributed to the location, the vast amount of land, and the slightly warmer climate compared to other large Australian cities – Perth has aMediterranean climatereminiscent ofCape Town.

Since the end of theWhite Australia policyin 1973,Asiahas become an increasingly significant source of migrants, with communities fromVietnam,Malaysia,Indonesia,Thailand,Singapore,Hong Kong,Mainland China, andIndiaall now well-established. There were 112,293 persons ofChinesedescent in Perth in 2016 – 5.3% of the city's population.^[95]These are supported by the Australian Eurasian Association of Western Australia,^[104]which also serves a community of Portuguese-Malacca Eurasian orKristangimmigrants.^[105]

Middle Eastern immigrants have a presence in Perth. They come from a variety of countries, includingSaudi Arabia,Syria,Iran,Iraq,Israel,Lebanon,The United Arab Emirates,Oman,Yemen, andAfghanistan.

The Indian community includes a substantial number ofParseeswho emigrated fromBombay– Perth being the closest Australian city to India – in 2021 those with Indian ancestry accounted for 3.5% of Perth's population^[95]Perth is also home to the largest population ofAnglo-Burmesein the world; many settled here following the independence of Burma in 1948 with immigration taking off after 1962. The city is now the cultural hub for Anglo-Burmese worldwide.^[106]There is also a substantialAnglo-Indianpopulation in Perth, who also settled in the city following the independence of India.

At the 2021 census, 2% of Perth's population identified as beingAboriginaland/orTorres Strait Islander.^{[note 4][107]}

At the 2021 census, 74% of inhabitants spoke only English at home, with the next most common languages beingMandarin(2.3%),Italian(1.1%),Vietnamese(1.0%),Punjabi(0.9%) andCantonese(0.9%).^[107]

41.8% of the 2021 census respondents in Perth had no religion,^[107]as against 38.4% of national population.^[107]In 1911, the national figure was 0.4%.^[108]

Catholicsare the largest single Christian denomination in the Greater Perth area at 19.5%.^[107]Perth is the seat of theRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Perth.^[109]ThePersonal Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Crossclaims over 2,000 members.^[110]Anglicansare 9.9% of the population.^[107]Perth is the seat of theAnglican Diocese of Perth.^[111]

BuddhismandIslameach have more than 50,000 adherents.^[112]The suburb ofGidgengannupin thePerth Hillsis home to the Dhammasara Nuns Monastery of the BuddhistThai Forest Tradition.^[113][114]Over 31,000 members of theUniting Church in Australialive in Perth.^[112]Perth has the third largestJewishpopulation in Australia,^[115]numbering approximately 5,424,^[112]with both Orthodox and Progressive synagogues and aJewish Day School.^[116]TheBaháʼícommunity in Perth numbers around 2,178.^[112]Hinduismhas over 49,000 adherents in Perth;^[112]theDiwali(festival of lights) celebration in 2009 attracted over 20,000 visitors. There are Hindu temples inCanning Vale,Anketelland aSwaminarayantemple inBennett Springs.^[117]Hinduism is the fastest growing religion in Australia.^[118]Perth is also home to 4,719Mormons^[112]and thePerth Australia Templeofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Perth, like the rest of Australia, is governed by three levels of government: local, state, and federal.^[119]

The Perth metropolitan area is divided into thirtylocal government bodies, including theCity of Perthwhich administers Perth's central business district. The outer extent of theadministrative region of Perthcomprises theCity of Wannerooand theCity of Swanto the north, theShire of Mundaring,City of Kalamundaand theCity of Armadaleto the east, theShire of Serpentine-Jarrahdaleto the southeast and theCity of Rockinghamto the southwest, and including the islands ofRottnest IslandandGarden Islandoff the west coast.^[120]

Perth houses theParliament of Western Australiaand theGovernor of Western Australia. As of the 2008 state election^[update], 42 of theLegislative Assembly's 59 seats and 18 of theLegislative Council's 36 seats are based in Perth's metropolitan area.

The state's highest court, theSupreme Court, is located in Perth,^[121]along with theDistrict^[122]andFamily^[123]Courts. TheMagistrates' Courthas six metropolitan locations.^[124]

Perth is represented by 10 full seats and significant parts of three others in the Federal House of Representatives, with the seats of Canning, Pearce, and Brand including some areas outside the metropolitan area.

TheFederal Court of Australiaand theFederal Circuit Court of Australia(previously the Federal Magistrates Court)^[125][126]occupy the Commonwealth Law Courts building on Victoria Avenue,^[127]which is also the location for annual Perth sittings of Australia'sHigh Court.^[128]

By virtue of its population and role as the administrative centre for business and government, Perth dominates theWestern Australianeconomy, despite the major mining, petroleum, and agricultural export industries being located elsewhere in the state.^[129]Perth's function as the state's capital city, its economic base and population size have also created development opportunities for many other businesses oriented to local or more diversified markets. Perth's economy has been changing in favour of the service industries since the 1950s. Although one of the major sets of services it provides is related to the resources industry and, to a lesser extent, agriculture, most people in Perth are not connected to either; they have jobs that provide services to other people in Perth.^[130]

As a result of Perth's relative geographical isolation, it has never had the necessary conditions to develop significant manufacturing industries other than those serving the immediate needs of its residents, mining, agriculture and some specialised areas, such as, in recent times, niche shipbuilding and maintenance. It was simply cheaper to import all the needed manufactured goods from either theeastern statesor overseas.

Industrial employment influenced the economic geography of Perth. After WWII, Perth experienced suburban expansion aided by high levels of car ownership. Workforce decentralisation and transport improvements made it possible for the establishment of small-scale manufacturing in the suburbs. Many firms took advantage of relatively cheap land to build spacious, single-storey plants in suburban locations with plentiful parking, easy access and minimal traffic congestion. "The former close ties of manufacturing with near-central and/or rail-side locations were loosened."^[129]

Industrial estates such asKwinana,WelshpoolandKewdalewere post-war additions contributing to the growth of manufacturing south of the river. The establishment of the Kwinana industrial area was supported by standardisation of the east–west rail gauge linking Perth with eastern Australia. Since the 1950s the area has been dominated by heavy industry, including an oil refinery, steel-rolling mill with a blast furnace, alumina refinery, power station, and a nickel refinery. Another development, also linked with rail standardisation, was in 1968 when theKewdale Freight Terminalwas developed adjacent to the Welshpool industrial area, replacing the former Perth railway yards.^[129]

With significant population growth post-WWII,^[131]employment growth occurred not in manufacturing but in retail and wholesale trade, business services, health, education, community and personal services, and in public administration. Increasingly it was these services sectors, concentrated around the Perth metropolitan area, that provided jobs.^[129]

Perth has also become a hub of technology-focused startups since the early 2000s that provide a pool of highly skilled jobs to the Perth community. Companies such as Appbot, Agworld, Touchgram, and Healthengine all hail from Perth and have made headlines internationally. Programs like StartupWA andincubatorssuch as Spacecubed and Vocus Upstart are all focused on creating a thriving startup culture in Perth and growing the next generation of Perth-based employers.^[132]

Education is compulsory inWestern Australiabetween the ages of six and seventeen, corresponding to primary and secondary school.^[133]Tertiary education is available through several universities andtechnical and further education(TAFE) colleges.

Students may attend either public schools, run by the state government'sDepartment of Education, or private schools, usually associated with a religion, or engage in home schooling.

TheWestern Australian Certificate of Education(WACE) is the credential given to students who have completed Years 11 and 12 of their secondary schooling.^[134]

In 2012 the minimum requirements for students to receive their WACE changed^[how?].^[135]

Perth is home to four public universities: theUniversity of Western Australia,Curtin University,Murdoch University, andEdith Cowan University. There are also two private universities, theUniversity of Notre Dame Australia, and a local campus of theUniversity of Divinity.

The University of Western Australia, which was founded in 1911,^[136]is renowned as one of Australia's leading research institutions.^[137]The university's monumental neo-classical architecture, most of which is carved from white limestone, is a notable tourist destination in the city. It is the only university in the state to be a member of theGroup of Eight, as well as theSandstone universities. It is also the state's only university to have produced aNobel Laureate:^[138]Barry Marshall, who graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery in 1975 and was awarded a joint Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 2005 withRobin Warren.

Curtin University, previously known as Western Australian Institute of Technology (1966–1986) and Curtin University of Technology (1986–2010), is Western Australia's largest university by student population.^[139]

Murdoch Universitywas founded in 1973 and incorporates Western Australia's only veterinary school and, until its controversial closure in 2020, Australia's onlytheologyprogramme to be completely integrated into a secular university.

Edith Cowan Universitywas established in 1991 from the existingWestern Australian College of Advanced Educationwhich itself was formed on 11 December 1981 from the existing Teachers Colleges at Claremont, Nedlands, Churchlands, and Mount Lawley after Graylands had merged into Claremont, Churchlands and Mount Lawley in 1979. It incorporates theWestern Australian Academy of Performing Arts.

TheUniversity of Notre Dame Australiawas established in 1990. Notre Dame was established as aCatholic universitywith its lead campus inFremantleand a large campus in Sydney, and a campus in Broome. Its lead campus is in the west end of Fremantle, using historic port buildings built in the 1890s, giving Notre Dame a distinct European university atmosphere.

The Melbourne-basedUniversity of Divinityestablished a campus in Perth in 2022 through its admission ofWollaston College, the theological college of theAnglican Diocese of Perth, as a collegiate college of the University.

Colleges of TAFE provide trade and vocational training, including certificate- and diploma-level courses. TAFE began as a system of technical colleges and schools under the Education Department, from which they were separated in the 1980s and ultimately formed into regional colleges. Two are in the Perth metropolitan area:North Metropolitan TAFE(formerlyCentral Institute of TechnologyandWest Coast Institute of Training); andSouth Metropolitan TAFE(formerlyPolytechnic WestandChallenger Institute of Technology).

The main newspapers for Perth areThe West AustralianandThe Sunday Times. Localised free community papers cater to each local government area. The local business paper isWestern Australian Business News.

Radio stations are on AM, FM and DAB+ frequencies. ABC stations includeABC News(585AM),720 ABC Perth,Radio National(810AM),Classic FM(97.7FM) andTriple J(99.3FM). The six local commercial stations are882 6PRand1080 6IXon AM;Triple M Perth(92.9FM),Nova 93.7,Mix94.5, and96FMon FM. DAB+ has mostly the same as both AM and FM plus national stations from the ABC/SBS, Radar Radio and Novanation, along with local stations My Perth Digital, Hot Country Perth, and98fiveChristian radio. Major community radio stations includeRTRFM(92.1FM), Sonshine FM (98.5FM),^[140]SportFM (91.3FM)^[141]and Curtin FM (100.1FM).^[142]

Perth is served by thirty digitalfree-to-airtelevision channels:

ABC, SBS, Seven, Nine and 10 were also broadcast in an analogue format until 16 April 2013, when the analogue transmission was switched off.^[143]Community stationAccess 31closed in August 2008. In April 2010 a new community station,West TV, began transmission (in digital format only). West TV ceased broadcasting in February 2020.

Foxtelprovides a subscription-based satellite and cable television service. Perth has its own local newsreaders on ABC (Pamela Medlen), Seven (Rick Ardon,Susannah Carr), Nine (Michael Thomson,Monika Kos) and Ten (Natalie Forrest).

An annualtelethonhas been broadcast since 1968 to raise funds for charities includingPrincess Margaret Hospital for Children. The 24-hourPerth Telethonclaims to be "the most successful fundraising event per capita in the world."^[144]

Online news media outlets covering the Perth area include TheWest.com.au backed byThe West Australian, Perth Now from the newsroom ofThe Sunday Times, and WAToday fromNine Entertainment.

A number of cultural events are held in Perth. Held annually since 1953,Perth Festivalis Australia's longest running annual cultural festival and includes thePerth Writers Festivaland the Winter Arts Festival. TheFringe WorldFestival has been held annually across January and February in Perth since 2012.^[145]Perth also hosts annual music festivals including Listen Out, Origin andSt Jerome's Laneway Festival. ThePerth International Comedy Festivalfeatures a variety of local and international comedic talent, with performances held at the Astor Theatre and nearby venues in Mount Lawley. Regular night food market events are held during the summer months throughout the Perth CBD and surrounding suburbs.Sculpture by the Seashowcases a range of local and international sculptors' creations alongCottesloe Beach. There is also a wide variety ofpublic art and sculptureson permanent display across the city.

ThePerth Cultural Centreis home to many of the city's major arts, cultural and educational institutions, including theArt Gallery of Western Australia,Western Australian Museum,State Library of Western Australia,State Records Office, andPerth Institute of Contemporary Arts(PICA).^[146]TheState Theatre Centre of Western Australiais also located there,^[146]and is the home of theBlack Swan State Theatre Company^[147]and thePerth Theatre Company.^[148]Other performing arts companies based in Perth include theWest Australian Ballet, theWest Australian Operaand theWest Australian Symphony Orchestra, all of which present regular programmes.^{[149][150][151]}TheWestern AustralianYouth Orchestras provide young musicians with performance opportunities in orchestral and other musical ensembles.^[152]

Perth is also home to theWestern Australian Academy of Performing ArtsatEdith Cowan University, from which many actors and broadcasters have launched their careers.^[153][154]The city's main performance venues include the Riverside Theatre within thePerth Convention Exhibition Centre,^[155]thePerth Concert Hall,^[156]the historicHis Majesty's Theatre,^[157]theRegal Theatrein Subiaco^[158]and theAstor TheatreinMount Lawley.^[159]Perth Arenacan be configured as an entertainment or sporting arena, and concerts are also hosted at other sporting venues, includingOptus Stadium,HBF Stadium, andnib Stadium. Outdoor concert venues includeQuarry Amphitheatre,Supreme Court Gardens,Kings ParkandRussell Square.

The largest performance area within the State Theatre Centre, the Heath Ledger Theatre, is named in honour of Perth-born film actorHeath Ledger. Other performers born and raised in Perth includeJudy Davis^[160]andMelissa George.^[161][162]Performers raised in Perth includeTim Minchin,^[163]Lisa McCune,^[164]Troye Sivan,Sam WorthingtonandIsla Fisher.^[165]Performers that studied in Perth at theWestern Australian Academy of Performing ArtsincludeHugh Jackmanand Lisa McCune.^[166]

Due to Perth's relative isolation from other Australian cities, overseas performing artists sometimes exclude it from their Australian tour schedules. This isolation, however, has helped foster a strong local music scene, withmany local music groups. Famous musical performers from Perth include the lateAC/DCfrontmanBon Scott, whose heritage-listed grave atFremantle Cemeteryis reportedly the most visited grave in Australia.^[167]Perth-born performer and artistRolf Harrisbecame known by the nickname "The Boy FromBassendean".^[168]Further notable music acts from Perth includeThe Triffids,^[169]The Scientists,^[170]The Drones,^[171]Tame Impala,^[172]andKarnivool.^[173]

Perth has inspired various artistic and cultural works.John Boyle O'Reilly, aFenianconvict transported to Western Australia, publishedMoondynein 1879, the most famous early novel about the Swan River Colony. Perth is also the setting for various works by novelistTim Winton, most notablyCloudstreet(1991). Songs that refer to the city include "I Love Perth" (1996) byPavement, "Perth" (2011) byBon Iver, and "Perth" (2015) byBeirut. Films shot or set in Perth includeJapanese Story(2003),These Final Hours(2013),Kill Me Three Times(2014) andPaper Planes(2015).

Tourism is an important part of Perth's economy, with approximately 2.8 million domestic visitors and 0.7 million international visitors in the year ending March 2012.^[174]Tourist attractions are generally focused around the city centre, Fremantle, the coast, and the Swan River. In addition to the Perth Cultural Centre, there aredozens of museumsacross the city. TheScitech Discovery CentreinWest Perthis an interactive science museum, with regularly changing exhibitions on a large range of science and technology-based subjects. Scitech also conducts live science demonstration shows and operates the adjacentHorizonplanetarium. TheWestern Australian Maritime Museumin Fremantle displays maritime objects from all eras. It housesAustralia II, the yacht that won the1983 America's Cup, as well as a formerRoyal Australian Navysubmarine. Also in Fremantle is theArmy Museum of Western Australia, situated within a historic artillery barracks. The museum consists of several galleries that reflect the Army's involvement in Western Australia and the military service of Western Australians.^[175]The museum holds numerous items of significance, including three Victoria Crosses.^[176]Aviation history is represented by theAviation Heritage MuseuminBull Creek, with its significant collection of aircraft, including aLancasterbomber and aCatalinaof the type operated from the Swan River during WWII.^[177]

There are many heritage sites in Perth's CBD, Fremantle, and other parts of the metropolitan areas. Some of the oldest remaining buildings, dating back to the 1830s, include theRound Housein Fremantle, theOld Millin South Perth, and theOld Court Housein the city centre. Registers of important buildings are maintained by theHeritage Council of Western Australiaand local governments. A late heritage building is thePerth Mint.^[178]Yagan SquareconnectsNorthbridgeand thePerth CBD, with a 45-metre-high digital tower and the 9-metre statue "Wirin" designed byNoongarartistTjyllyungoo.Elizabeth Quayis also a notable attraction in Perth, featuringSwan Bells, a panoramic view of Swan River, and the sculptureSpandaby artistChristian de Vietri.

Retail shopping in the Perth CBD is focused around Murray Street and Hay Street. Both these streets are pedestrian malls between William Street and Barrack Street.Forrest Placeis another pedestrian mall, connecting the Murray Street mall to Wellington Street and thePerth railway station. A number of arcades run between Hay Street and Murray Street, including thePiccadilly Arcade, which housed the Piccadilly Cinema until it closed in late 2013. Other shopping precincts includeWatertownin West Perth, featuring factory outlets for major brands, the historically significantFremantle Markets, which date to 1897, and the Midland townsite onGreat Eastern Highway, combining historic development around the Town Hall and Post Office buildings with the modernMidland Gateshopping centre further east.Joondalup's central business district is largely a shopping and retail area lined with townhouses and apartments, and also featuresLakeside Joondalup Shopping City. Joondalup was granted the status of "tourism precinct" by the State Government in 2009, allowing for extended retail trading hours.

Restaurants, bars and nightclubs can be found in the entertainment hubs ofNorthbridge(just north of the Perth CBD), the west end of the CBD itself,Elizabeth Quay, Leederville,ScarboroughandFremantle. TheCrown casino and resortis located atBurswood.

TheSwan Valley, with fertile soil, uncommon in the Perth region, features numerous wineries, such as the large complex atHoughtons, the state's biggest producer, Sandalfords and many smaller operators, including microbreweries and rum distilleries. The Swan Valley also contains specialised food producers, many restaurants and cafes, and roadside local produce stalls that sell seasonal fruit throughout the year.Tourist Drive 203is a circular route in the Swan Valley, passing by many attractions onWest Swan RoadandGreat Northern Highway.

Kings Park, in central Perth between the CBD and theUniversity of Western Australia, is one of the world's largest inner-city parks,^[179]at 400.6 hectares (990 acres).^[180]It has many landmarks and attractions, including the State War Memorial Precinct on Mount Eliza, Western Australian Botanic Garden, and children's playgrounds. Other features includeDNA Tower, a 15 m (49 ft) highdouble helix staircasethat resembles thedeoxyribonucleic acid(DNA) molecule,^[181]and Jacob's Ladder, comprising 242 steps that lead down toMounts Bay Road.

Hyde Parkis another inner-city park 2 km (1.2 mi) north of the CBD. It was gazetted as a public park in 1897, created from 15 ha (37 acres) of a chain of wetlands known as Third Swamp.^[182]Avon Valley,John ForrestandYanchepnational parks are areas of protected bushland at the northern and eastern edges of the metropolitan area. Within the city's northern suburbs is Whiteman Park, a 4,000-hectare (9,900-acre) bushland area, with bushwalking trails, bike paths, sports facilities, playgrounds, a vintage tramway, a light railway on a 6-kilometre (3.7 mi) track, motor and tractor museums, andCaversham Wildlife Park.

Perth Zoo, in South Perth, houses a variety of Australian and exotic animals from around the globe. The zoo is home to highly successful breeding programs fororangutansandgiraffes, and participates in captive breeding and reintroduction efforts for a number of Western Australian species, including thenumbat, thedibbler, thechuditch, and thewestern swamp tortoise.^[183]

More wildlife can be observed at theAquarium of Western AustraliainHillarys, Australia's largest aquarium, specialising in marine animals that inhabit the 12,000-kilometre-long (7,500 mi) western coast of Australia. The northern Perth section of the coastline is known asSunset Coast; it includes numerous beaches and theMarmion Marine Park, a protected area inhabited by tropical fish,Australian sea lionsandbottlenose dolphins, and traversed byhumpback whales.Tourist Drive 204, also known as Sunset Coast Tourist Drive, is a designated route fromNorth FremantletoIlukaalong coastal roads.

The climate of Perth allows for extensive outdoor sporting activity, and this is reflected in the wide variety of sports available to residents of the city. Perth was host to the1962 Commonwealth Gamesand the1987 America's Cupdefence (based atFremantle).Australian rules footballis the most popular spectator sport in Perth – nearly 23% of Western Australians attended a match at least once in 2009–2010.^[184]The twoAustralian Football Leagueteams located in Perth, theWest Coast Eaglesand theFremantle Football Club, have two of the largest fan bases in the country. The Eagles, the older club, is one of the most successful teams in the league, and one of the largest sporting clubs in Australia. The next level of football is theWestern Australian Football League, comprising nine clubs each having a League, Reserves, and Colts team. Each of these clubs has a junior football system for ages 7 to 17. The next level of Australian rules football is thePerth Football League, comprising 68 clubs servicing senior footballers within the metropolitan area. Other popular sports includecricket,basketball,soccer, andrugby union.^[185]

Active sports teams in Perth

Club	League	Sport	Venue	Established
Fremantle Dockers	AFL/AFL Women's	Australian rules football	Optus Stadium	1994
West Coast Eagles	AFL/AFL Women's/WAFL	Australian rules football	Optus Stadium	1986
Perth Wildcats	National Basketball League	Basketball	RAC Arena	1982
Perth Lynx	Women's NBL	Basketball	Bendat Basketball Centre	1988
Perth Glory	A-League Men	Soccer	HBF Park	1995
Perth Glory Women	A-League Women	Soccer	Macedonia Park HBF Park	2008
Western Force	Super Rugby	Rugby union	HBF Park	2005
Western Force Super W	Super W	Rugby union	Harvey Field Kingsway Reserve	2018
Perth Heat	Australian Baseball League	Baseball	Harley-Davidson Ballpark	1989
West Coast Fever	Suncorp Super Netball	Netball	RAC Arena	1997
West Coast Pirates	S.G. Ball Cup	Rugby league	HBF Park	2012
Western Australia Men	Sheffield Shield	Cricket	WACA Ground	1893
Perth Scorchers	Big Bash/Women's Big Bash	Cricket	Optus Stadium	2011
Western Australia Women	Women's National Cricket League	Cricket	WACA Ground	1934
Perth Inferno	Australian Women's Ice Hockey League	Ice hockey	Cockburn Ice Arena	2016
Perth Thunder	Australian Ice Hockey League	Ice hockey	Perth Ice Arena	2010
Perth Thundersticks	Hockey One	Field Hockey	Perth Hockey Stadium	2019
Perth Steel	AVSL	Volleyball	Multiple	2012

Perth has hosted numerous state and international sporting events. Ongoing international events include theATP Cup(replacing theHopman Cupin 2020) during the first week of January at thePerth Arena, and thePerth Internationalgolf tournament atLake Karrinyup Country Club. In addition to these Perth has hosted theRally Australiaof theWorld Rally Championshipsfrom 1989 to 2006, internationalRugby Uniongames, including qualifying and pool stage matches for the2003 Rugby World Cupand theBledisloe Cupin 2019. The 1991 and 1998FINA World Championshipswere held in Perth.^[186]Four races (2006, 2007, 2008, and 2010) in theRed Bull Air Race World Championshiphave been held on a stretch of the Swan River calledPerth Water, using Langley Park as a temporary airfield.^[187]Severalmotorsportfacilities exist in Perth includingPerth Motorplex, catering to drag racing and speedway, andWanneroo Racewayfor circuit racing and drifting, which hosts aV8 Supercarsround. Perth also has twothoroughbred racingfacilities:Ascot, home of theRailway StakesandPerth Cup; andBelmont Park.Daniel Ricciardois a Perth-bornFormula 1driver who most recently raced for theMcLarenFormula 1 team during the 2022 season, was the test and reserve driver forRed Bull Racingfor the first half of the 2023 season, then moving to a full-time driving roll with theScuderia AlphaTauriF1 team for the remainder of the season.^[188]

TheWACA Groundopened in the 1890s and has hostedTest cricketsince 1970. TheWestern Australian Athletics Stadiumopened in 2009.

Perth has ten large hospitals with emergency departments. As of 2013^[update],Royal Perth Hospitalin the city centre is the largest, with others spread around the metropolitan area:Armadale Kelmscott District Memorial Hospital,Joondalup Health Campus,King Edward Memorial Hospital for WomeninSubiaco,Rockingham General Hospital,Sir Charles Gairdner HospitalinNedlands,St John of God MurdochandSubiacoHospitals,Midland Health CampusinMidland, andFiona Stanley HospitalinMurdoch.Perth Children's Hospitalis the state's only specialist children's hospital, andGraylands Hospitalis the only public stand-alone psychiatric teaching hospital. Most of these are public hospitals, with some operating under public-private partnerships. St John of God Murdoch and Subiaco Hospitals, and Hollywood Hospital are large privately owned and operated hospitals.

A number of other public and private hospitals operate in Perth.^[189]

Perth is served byPerth Airportin the city's east for regional, domestic and international flights andJandakot Airportin the city's southern suburbs for general aviation and charter flights.

Perth has a road network with three freeways—Mitchell,KwinanaandGraham Farmer—and nine metropolitan highways. TheNorthbridge Tunnel, part of the Graham Farmer Freeway, is the only significant road tunnel in Perth.

Perth metropolitan public transport is known asTransperth, and includestrains,busesand ferries, which are provided by thePublic Transport Authority. Links to rural areas provided byTranswa. There are74 railway stationsand14 bus-only stationson the Transperth network.^[190]

Perth provideszero-farebus and train trips around the city centre (the "Free Transit Zone"), including four high-frequencyCATbus routes.

TheIndian Pacificpassenger rail service connects Perth withAdelaideandSydneyonce per week in each direction. TheProspectorpassenger rail service connects Perth withKalgoorlievia severalWheatbelttowns, while theAustralindconnects toBunbury, theMerredinLinkconnects toMerredinand theAvonLinkconnects toNortham.

Rail freight terminates at theKewdale Rail Terminal, 15 km (9 mi) south-east of the city centre.

Perth's main container and passenger port is at Fremantle, 19 km (12 mi) south west at the mouth of the Swan River.^[191]TheFremantle Outer HarbouratCockburn Soundis one of Australia's major bulk cargo ports.^[192]

Perth's electricity is predominantly generated, supplied, and retailed by threeWestern AustralianGovernment corporations.Verve Energyoperates coal and gas power generation stations, as well as wind farms and other power sources.^[193]The physical network is maintained byWestern Power,^[194]whileSynergy, the state's largest energy retailer, sells electricity to residential and business customers.^[195]

Alinta Energy, which was previously a government owned company, had a monopoly in the domestic gas market since the 1990s. However, in 2013Kleenheat Gasbegan operating in the market, allowing consumers to choose their gas retailer.^[196]

TheWater Corporationis the dominant supplier of water, as well as wastewater and drainage services, in Perth and throughoutWestern Australia. It is also owned by the state government.^[197]

Perth's water supply has traditionally relied on both groundwater and rain-fed dams. Reduced rainfall in the region over recent decades had greatly lowered inflow to reservoirs and affected groundwater levels. Coupled with the city's relatively high growth rate, this led to concerns that Perth could run out of water in the near future.^[198]TheWestern AustralianGovernment responded by building desalination plants, and introducing mandatory household sprinklerrestrictions. TheKwinana Desalination Plantwas opened in 2006,^[199][200]andSouthern Seawater Desalination PlantatBinningup(on the coast between Mandurah and Bunbury) began operating in 2011. A trial winter (1 June – 31 August) sprinkler ban was introduced in 2009 by the State Government, a move which the Government later announced would be made permanent.^[201]

• 1955 Plan for the Metropolitan Region, Perth and Fremantle
• List of islands of Perth, Western Australia
• List of Perth suburbs

• City of Perth
• Watch historical footage of Perth and Western Australiafrom theNational Film and Sound Archiveof Australia's collection.
• Historical photos of Perthfrom theState Library of Western Australia
• Tourism Australia Page
• Metropolitan Region SchemeArchived24 September 2021 at theWayback Machine– TheDepartment of Planning, Lands and Heritage
• Metropolitan Perth LGA boundariesArchived29 December 2021 at theWayback Machine– The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development