This is a story of a river. Now called the Swan, the river was known to the local Nyungar people as the Durbal Yaragan.

The Nyungar had used the river and its environs for thousands of years, but in 1650 they witnessed the arrival of the first European ships off the coast, an event that was eventually to bring big changes to their way life. In this book, Western Australian maritime historian, Jill Worsley, explores the traditional use of the river and charts the changes that took place with the arrival of Europeans between 1650 and 1850.

Dutch, and later french, explorers visited the area but it wasn t until 1829 that British colonists settled along the river. The arrival of the first convicts in 1850 began a new phase of development, as labour became available to begin building the city of Perth we know today.

Use of the river may have changed but it remains important in the lives of those who live here. Understanding the ways in which the river has been used over this particular 200 year period may lead to a greater appreciation of our different connections with it.