Working to conserve and restore water quality and wildlife habitat in Perth inner city catchments
Bringing back the Swans
Old photos and early diaries indicate that black swans were abundant on the Swan River, on Perth Water and upriver around East Perth.
Black swans still use the sandy beaches in Mounts Bay and come ashore west of Perth Port, to the delight of foreign visitors.
In 2011 the Claise Brook Catchment Group engaged respected ecologist, Dr Mike Bamford, to investigative opportunities for the city’s foreshore areas to be more swan friendly to prevent swans being lost from the area entirely following development. Click here to see the final report.
To read more about the history of Perth Water visit Swan River Stories and particularly the Black Swan page which were developed by Sue Graham Taylor for the State Library of Western Australia.
Above: Black swans in Mounts Bay c1900 … c2010
Black Swans in Clause's Lagoon 1827 (now Claisebrook Cove)
