Murray River (Western Australia)
Encyclopedia
The Murray River is a river in the southwest of Western Australia
which played a significant part in the expansion of Aboriginal settlement in the area south of Perth
after the arrival of British settler
s at the Swan River Colony
in 1829.
The river is one of the few major rivers in close proximity to Perth which is devoid of dams for public water supply. It includes a catchment area including a large part of the wheatbelt and south-west of the state, draining from 450 mm/year average rainfall country in the east near Pingelly
, westward through the high rainfall parts of the Darling Range around Dwellingup
with an average rainfall of 1,300 mm/year.
The first of the two major tributaries, the Hotham River
starts its journey near Narrogin
. The other major tributary is the Williams River
which starts between Williams
and Narrogin. These two tributaries are the main rivers which drain the eastern wheat-belt.
The Murray River then flows through forested high rainfall parts of the Darling Range to emerge near Pinjarra.
Another tributary, the Dandalup River
joins the Murray a short distance downstream of Pinjarra. This section is known as the lower Murray and is navigable in small boats. The river then flows across the sand plain between the Darling Scarp and the coast to empty into the Peel Estuary
near Mandurah
.
The canal development of North
and
South
Yunderup is situated several kilometers upstream from the estuary.
of the HMS Challenger and accompanied by botanist James Drummond
marched a short distance inland from present day Rockingham
and after climbing a small hill at what is now Baldivis
, sighted a river in the distance. This was later named the Serpentine River
which is to the north of the Murray and for some time was confused with the Murray which was not encountered until later that year.
In November, Dr Alexander Collie
and Lieutenant William Preston and crew from HMS Sulphur piloted two whaleboats out of Cockburn Sound and at midday on 17 November 1829 crossed the ocean bar at present day Mandurah
. After camping overnight, they sailed south down the Peel-Harvey Estuary
to the southern extreme near the delta of the Harvey River
where they had an amicable encounter with some local aborigines
.
Due to strong winds, they sailed north out of the estuary without exploring the western shore where the Murray River enters the estuary. The group then exited through the ocean bar and sailed south along the coast as far as the Collie
and Preston River
s and the Leschenault Inlet before returning to the Peel-Harvey estuary on the 28 November 1829. From there they explored the Murray River delta which at the time included five entrances into the estuary. The boats managed to navigate about two miles (3 km) up the river before returning to Fremantle
after the 12 day trip.
This was the first actual encounter with the Murray River and was named by Governor James Stirling
after the Secretary of State for the Colonial Office
in London
, Sir George Murray
.
Within a few months, settlers from the Swan River had started to explore the river and choose blocks along its banks.
had left Britain with a promise that if he arrived at Fremantle by the beginning of November 1829 with 400 settlers, he would be allocated a grant of 250000 acres (1,011.7 km²) comprising much of the land on the south bank of the Swan River to Cockburn Sound
. As he arrived six weeks late and with only 169 settlers, the offer was withdrawn by Governor Stirling as the land had been granted to established settlers. Peel was offered an alternative grant from Woodman Point to the north bank of the Murray River and from the ocean to the Darling Scarp
.
Peel's remaining settlers arrived shortly after and settled initially at Clarence
before moving to the site of present day Mandurah which he named Peeltown.
Despite many problems faced by the settlers, the area was gradually expanded and a settlement at Pinjarra
had been established by late 1830. Pinjarra was approximately the upper limit of navigable water along the Murray River. It also had a natural ford for travellers at nearby Oakley Brook.
More land allocations along the southern bank of the river were made however settlement seemed to be limited to no further south that the Murray River grants, partly because of continuing and increasing conflicts with local aborigines. These conflicts culminated in the infamous Battle of Pinjarra
in October 1834 where up to 40 Noongar
people of the local Pindjarup
tribal group were killed by white settlers. The battle had followed a raid in Perth by members of the Murray River tribe. The following year a formal truce was made between the Murray River and the Swan River Noongars and the white settlers.
Relative peace was established and expansion around the towns of Pinjarra increased. The opening of the Perth to Bunbury
railway in 1893 further expanded the area.
Almost immediately after farming commenced, settlers realised that the soils surrounding the lower reaches of the river suffered badly from annual flooding caused by a very low fall between the base of the scarp and the estuary, a distance of about 40 km. The problem was exacerbated by extensive clearing of trees in the foothills which would have otherwise helped in removing the excess water. Settlers described a giant wetland with travel impossible for several months each year.
From 1900 to about the end of the Second World War, a concerted effort at draining the flood prone areas was made and today, about one-third of all land with the Peel-Harvey catchment is within 100 m of a constructed drain, stream or river.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
which played a significant part in the expansion of Aboriginal settlement in the area south of Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
after the arrival of British settler
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
s at the Swan River Colony
Swan River Colony
The Swan River Colony was a British settlement established in 1829 on the Swan River, in Western Australia. The name was a pars pro toto for Western Australia. In 1832, the colony was officially renamed Western Australia, when the colony's founding Lieutenant-Governor, Captain James Stirling,...
in 1829.
The river is one of the few major rivers in close proximity to Perth which is devoid of dams for public water supply. It includes a catchment area including a large part of the wheatbelt and south-west of the state, draining from 450 mm/year average rainfall country in the east near Pingelly
Pingelly, Western Australia
Pingelly is a town and shire located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, from Perth via the Brookton Highway and Great Southern Highway. The town is also located on the Great Southern railway line...
, westward through the high rainfall parts of the Darling Range around Dwellingup
Dwellingup, Western Australia
Dwellingup is a town in Western Australia, located in a timber and fruitgrowing area in the Darling Range east-south-east of Pinjarra. At the 2006 census, Dwellingup had a population of 346.-Name:...
with an average rainfall of 1,300 mm/year.
The first of the two major tributaries, the Hotham River
Hotham River
The Hotham River is one of the major tributaries of the Murray River in Western Australia. It is about 160km long in total with its upper reaches being the Hotham River North, which begins in the Dutarning Range and joins the Hotham at its crossing of the Great Southern Highway near Popanyinning...
starts its journey near Narrogin
Narrogin, Western Australia
Narrogin is a large town in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, southeast of Perth on the Great Southern Highway between Pingelly and Wagin...
. The other major tributary is the Williams River
Williams River (Western Australia)
The Williams River is one of the two major tributaries of the Murray River in Western Australia, the other being the Hotham River.It starts between Williams and Narrogin and flows in a general westerly direction before it joins the Hotham River to become the Murray River near Mount Saddleback.The...
which starts between Williams
Williams, Western Australia
Williams is a town located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, south-southeast of the state capital, Perth along Albany Highway and 32 kilometres west of Narrogin. The Williams River passes through the town. At the 2006 census, Williams had a population of 338.-History:Williams is...
and Narrogin. These two tributaries are the main rivers which drain the eastern wheat-belt.
The Murray River then flows through forested high rainfall parts of the Darling Range to emerge near Pinjarra.
Another tributary, the Dandalup River
Dandalup River
Dandalup River is one of the shortest rivers in Western Australia. Nominally located at in the Shire of Murray, it begins at the confluence of the South Dandalup River and the North Dandalup River north of Pinjarra, and flows for just four kilometres before emptying into the Murray River....
joins the Murray a short distance downstream of Pinjarra. This section is known as the lower Murray and is navigable in small boats. The river then flows across the sand plain between the Darling Scarp and the coast to empty into the Peel Estuary
Peel-Harvey Estuary
The Peel Harvey Estuary is a natural estuary which lies roughly parallel to the coast of Western Australia and south of the town of Mandurah. The strip of land between the Indian Ocean and the estuary carries the Old Coast Road and to the east is the Forrest Highway which is the main thoroughfare...
near Mandurah
Mandurah, Western Australia
Mandurah is the second-largest city in Western Australia and is located approximately south of the state capital, Perth.The city attracts a large number of tourists, including many international visitors...
.
The canal development of North
North Yunderup, Western Australia
North Yunderup is a locality near Mandurah, Western Australia, located on the north bank of the Murray River within the Shire of Murray. Its postcode is 6208, and in the 2006 Census, it had a population of 792 with a median age of 44, nearly all of whom live in separate dwellings....
and
South
South Yunderup, Western Australia
South Yunderup is a township near Mandurah, Western Australia, located on the south bank of the Murray River within the Shire of Murray. Its postcode is 6208, and in the 2006 Census, it had a population of 1,965 with a median age of 50...
Yunderup is situated several kilometers upstream from the estuary.
History
The first European exploration of the area was in July 1829 when a group, led by Captain CurrieMark John Currie
Captain Mark John Currie RN played a significant role in the exploration of Australia and the foundation of the Swan River Colony, later named 'Western Australia'....
of the HMS Challenger and accompanied by botanist James Drummond
James Drummond (botanist)
James Drummond was a botanist and naturalist who was an early settler in Western Australia.-Early life:...
marched a short distance inland from present day Rockingham
Rockingham, Western Australia
Rockingham is a suburb and primary centre in Western Australia south-west of the Perth city centre and south of Fremantle. It has a beachside location at Mangles Bay, the southern extremity of Cockburn Sound. To its north stretches the maritime and resource-industry installations of Kwinana and...
and after climbing a small hill at what is now Baldivis
Baldivis, Western Australia
Baldivis is a semi-rural residential suburb south of the central business district of Perth, the capital of Western Australia, and southeast of the regional centre of Rockingham...
, sighted a river in the distance. This was later named the Serpentine River
Serpentine River (Western Australia)
The Serpentine River is a river in the South West region of Western Australia.The river rises in the Darling Scarp below Bowerling Hill and flows westward crossing Albany Highway North of North Bannister. The river continues North West through the Youarling State Forest then the Serpentine National...
which is to the north of the Murray and for some time was confused with the Murray which was not encountered until later that year.
In November, Dr Alexander Collie
Alexander Collie
Dr Alexander Collie was a Scottish surgeon and botanist who journeyed to Western Australia in 1829, where he was an explorer and Colonial Surgeon.-Early life:...
and Lieutenant William Preston and crew from HMS Sulphur piloted two whaleboats out of Cockburn Sound and at midday on 17 November 1829 crossed the ocean bar at present day Mandurah
Mandurah, Western Australia
Mandurah is the second-largest city in Western Australia and is located approximately south of the state capital, Perth.The city attracts a large number of tourists, including many international visitors...
. After camping overnight, they sailed south down the Peel-Harvey Estuary
Peel-Harvey Estuary
The Peel Harvey Estuary is a natural estuary which lies roughly parallel to the coast of Western Australia and south of the town of Mandurah. The strip of land between the Indian Ocean and the estuary carries the Old Coast Road and to the east is the Forrest Highway which is the main thoroughfare...
to the southern extreme near the delta of the Harvey River
Harvey River
The Harvey River is a river in Western Australia and is the southernmost of the three major waterways which drain into the Peel-Harvey Estuary, with its delta in the southern extreme of the Harvey Estuary. It is about 90 km in length, rising near Mount Keats...
where they had an amicable encounter with some local aborigines
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
.
Due to strong winds, they sailed north out of the estuary without exploring the western shore where the Murray River enters the estuary. The group then exited through the ocean bar and sailed south along the coast as far as the Collie
Collie River
The Collie River is a river in the South West region of Western Australia.The river was named after Dr Alexander Collie who, along with Lt. William Preston, was the first European explorer to find the river in 1829....
and Preston River
Preston River
The Preston River is a river in the South West region of Western Australia.The river has a total length of and rises near Goonac siding then flows in a North Westerly direction until discharging into the Leschenault Estuary....
s and the Leschenault Inlet before returning to the Peel-Harvey estuary on the 28 November 1829. From there they explored the Murray River delta which at the time included five entrances into the estuary. The boats managed to navigate about two miles (3 km) up the river before returning to Fremantle
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
after the 12 day trip.
This was the first actual encounter with the Murray River and was named by Governor James Stirling
James Stirling (Australian governor)
Admiral Sir James Stirling RN was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. His enthusiasm and persistence persuaded the British Government to establish the Swan River Colony and he became the first Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Western Australia...
after the Secretary of State for the Colonial Office
Colonial Office
Colonial Office is the government agency which serves to oversee and supervise their colony* Colonial Office - The British Government department* Office of Insular Affairs - the American government agency* Reichskolonialamt - the German Colonial Office...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Sir George Murray
George Murray (Lieutenant-Governor)
Sir George Murray, GCB, GCH, FRS was a Scottish soldier and politician.-Background and education:Murray was born in Perth, the second son of Sir William Murray, of Ochtertyre, 5th Baronet , and was educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh and the University of Edinburgh.-Military career:In...
.
Within a few months, settlers from the Swan River had started to explore the river and choose blocks along its banks.
Thomas Peel
Thomas PeelThomas Peel
Mr. Peel, he moans, took him from England to Swan River, West Australia, means of subsistence and of production to the amount of £50,000. Mr. Peel had the foresight to bring with him, besides, 300 persons of the working-class, men, women, and children. Once arrived at his destination, "Mr. Peel was...
had left Britain with a promise that if he arrived at Fremantle by the beginning of November 1829 with 400 settlers, he would be allocated a grant of 250000 acres (1,011.7 km²) comprising much of the land on the south bank of the Swan River to Cockburn Sound
Cockburn Sound
Cockburn Sound is an inlet of the Indian Ocean on the coast of Western Australia. It extends from the south of the mouth of the Swan River at Fremantle for about 25 km to Cape Peron near Rockingham and is located at...
. As he arrived six weeks late and with only 169 settlers, the offer was withdrawn by Governor Stirling as the land had been granted to established settlers. Peel was offered an alternative grant from Woodman Point to the north bank of the Murray River and from the ocean to the Darling Scarp
Darling Scarp
The Darling Scarp, also referred to as the Darling Range or Darling Ranges, is a low escarpment running north-south to the east of the Swan Coastal Plain and Perth, Western Australia...
.
Peel's remaining settlers arrived shortly after and settled initially at Clarence
Clarence
Clarence may refer to:* Clarence * Clarence , a type of carriage* Clarence House, a royal home in London-Australia:* Clarence, New South Wales, a place near Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia...
before moving to the site of present day Mandurah which he named Peeltown.
Despite many problems faced by the settlers, the area was gradually expanded and a settlement at Pinjarra
Pinjarra, Western Australia
Pinjarra is a town in the Peel region of Western Australia along the South Western Highway, from the state capital, Perth and south-east of the coastal city of Mandurah. Its local government area is the Shire of Murray. At the 2006 census, Pinjarra had a population of 3,279.Pinjarra is an area...
had been established by late 1830. Pinjarra was approximately the upper limit of navigable water along the Murray River. It also had a natural ford for travellers at nearby Oakley Brook.
More land allocations along the southern bank of the river were made however settlement seemed to be limited to no further south that the Murray River grants, partly because of continuing and increasing conflicts with local aborigines. These conflicts culminated in the infamous Battle of Pinjarra
Battle of Pinjarra
The Battle of Pinjarra or Pinjarra Massacre was a conflict that occurred in Pinjarra, Western Australia between a group of 60 to 80 Australian Aborigines and a detachment of 25 soldiers and policemen led by Governor James Stirling in 1834...
in October 1834 where up to 40 Noongar
Noongar
The Noongar are an indigenous Australian people who live in the south-west corner of Western Australia from Geraldton on the west coast to Esperance on the south coast...
people of the local Pindjarup
Pindjarup
The Binjareb, Pindjarup or Pinjareb is the name of the Indigenous Australian group of Noongar speakers, living in the region of Southwest, Western Australia between Port Kennedy on the coast, between Rockingham and Mandurah to Australind on the Leschenault Inlet, and between a point between Byford...
tribal group were killed by white settlers. The battle had followed a raid in Perth by members of the Murray River tribe. The following year a formal truce was made between the Murray River and the Swan River Noongars and the white settlers.
Relative peace was established and expansion around the towns of Pinjarra increased. The opening of the Perth to Bunbury
Bunbury, Western Australia
The port city of Bunbury is the third largest city in Western Australia after the State Capital Perth and Mandurah. It is situated south of Perth's central business district...
railway in 1893 further expanded the area.
Almost immediately after farming commenced, settlers realised that the soils surrounding the lower reaches of the river suffered badly from annual flooding caused by a very low fall between the base of the scarp and the estuary, a distance of about 40 km. The problem was exacerbated by extensive clearing of trees in the foothills which would have otherwise helped in removing the excess water. Settlers described a giant wetland with travel impossible for several months each year.
From 1900 to about the end of the Second World War, a concerted effort at draining the flood prone areas was made and today, about one-third of all land with the Peel-Harvey catchment is within 100 m of a constructed drain, stream or river.