Swan River History 1831

Presented by Jenny Fawcett's Genseek Genealogy
Swan River Settlement 1831 originally from the Graham's Town Journal.Aug 3rd 1832. and republished in the Launceston Advertiser The following is an extract of a letter from the Commandant, Captain Irvine, 63rd Regt, Swan River,dated Perth Town, Australia, Nov 21st 1831. "As you desire my opinion respecting your having abandoned your visit to this Colony,I shall be happy to give it you in a few words, and I trust it may reach you in time to influence your future proceedings. The accounts so industriously circulated at the Cape,to the prejudice of this settlement, are without foundation,-whatever the motives may be of the circulatory, some of whom were here, but did not take any pains to gain information, nor even left the sandy district in this vicinity, and on the coast. The climate is truly excellent, if we may judge from it from the past year; since the commencement of April, the weather has been almost every thing the farmers could wish it; especially for six months past the rains have been regular, and the temperature such as to make fires morning and evening agreeable. Indeed I have such a large fire now blazing in my room, and till the beginning of the month I have had them throughout the day. The preceding year, however, was very different, the summer being very hot, with a deficiency of rain, and in winter the rains so escessive as to overflow the banks of the Swan for a considerable height. The year, however, was so marked in the neighboring colonies. With respect to the goodness of the land, and the fertility of the soil,I can bear strong testimony to both from ocular demonstration having about a dozen acres under cultivation,in garden, and under crops of wheat, barley,Indian corn, peas, and oats, on my farm,on the Upper Swan; and the crops that are now ripe are most encouraging. I have just come down the Swan, where the farmers are busy hay making and the scene is truly cheering and most gratifying. Such is the richness of the meadows, that on my farm I suppose 50 tons of hay could be cut this year,and 80 or 100 tons on a neighboring one. In that neighbourhood there are eight grants within a mile of a central point, on seven of which are erected farm-houses and offices, and the proprietors, gentlemen, some of considerable means; this is where the Swan ceases to be navigable for boats. I should add that some of the wheat crops are considered equal to prime samples in the English markets. We have farmers here from various counties in England and Ireland, and they are unanimous in the good opinion entertained of the land. There are very large tracts of land on this side of the Darling's Range that seem not worthy of cultivation, but the alluvial soils near the rivers are considered equal to the richest lands in England. Beyond the hills, in the district named Yorkshire, which is now settled near Mount Bakewell,there is a vast quantity of good land, not confined to the vicinity of rivers or lakes, 50 miles inland from Mount Bakewell and 100 miles inland from the Swan, the same country has been found interspersed here and there with barren tracts; such is the whole country to King George's Sound. To the westward of Darling's Range, are large districts on the banks of the Murray and other rivers, more to the Southward, still unoccupied,though, doubtless,some are as rich as those already occupied. The banks of the Swan and the country east of Darlings Range,resemble much an English Park,the trees being so distributed naturally. Our situation for commerce is,perhaps, unrivalled by other Colonies, and Cockburn Sound is a very safe anchorage in the most violent gales, which abound here in winter. The entrance is now bouyed off, and therefore, perfectly safe. Very fine fish are caught in abundance off _Island, where fishing establishments are for some time settled, and we expect shortly to be able to export. The letters of the settlers to their friends in England have now made known the real situation of this colony, and we hear of several ships coming in. source: LA Nov 22nd 1832 note from J.Fawcett: This is a newspaper article,and should only be used as a general reference. Original sources should always be accessed for family history purposes and information authenticated. copyright.Jenny Fawcett [Aust]. 2000.
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Presented by Jenny Fawcett's Genseek Genealogy


Swan River Settlement  1831

originally from the Graham's Town Journal.Aug 3rd 1832.
and republished in the Launceston Advertiser

The following is an extract of a letter from the Commandant,
Captain Irvine, 63rd Regt, Swan River,dated Perth Town,
Australia, Nov 21st 1831.

"As you desire my opinion respecting your having abandoned
your visit to this Colony,I shall be happy to give it you in 
a few words, and I trust it may reach you in time to influence
your future proceedings.

The accounts so industriously circulated at the Cape,to
the prejudice of this settlement, are without foundation,-whatever
the motives may be of the circulatory, some of whom were here, but 
did not take any pains to gain information, nor even left the
sandy district in this vicinity, and on the coast.

The climate is truly excellent, if we may judge from it from the
past year; since the commencement of April, the weather has been
almost every thing the farmers could wish it; especially for
six months past the rains have been regular, and the temperature
such as to make fires morning and evening agreeable. Indeed I have
such a large fire now blazing in my room, and till the beginning
of the month I have had them throughout the day.

The preceding year, however, was very different, the summer being
very hot, with a deficiency of rain, and in winter the rains so
escessive as to overflow the banks of the Swan for a considerable
height.

The year, however, was so marked in the neighboring colonies.
With respect to the goodness of the land, and the fertility of
the soil,I can bear strong testimony to both from ocular demonstration
having about a dozen acres under cultivation,in garden, and under
crops of wheat, barley,Indian corn, peas, and oats, on my farm,on
the Upper Swan; and the crops that are now ripe are most encouraging.
I have just come down the Swan, where the farmers are busy hay making 
and the scene is truly cheering and most gratifying.

Such is the richness of the meadows, that on my farm I suppose 50
tons of hay could be cut this year,and 80 or 100 tons on a 
neighboring one.

In that neighbourhood there are eight grants within a mile of a 
central point, on seven of which are erected farm-houses and offices,
and the proprietors, gentlemen, some of considerable means; this is 
where the Swan ceases to be navigable for boats. I should add that
some of the wheat crops are considered equal to prime samples in the
English markets.

We have farmers here from various counties in England and Ireland,
and they are unanimous in the good opinion entertained of the land.
There are very large tracts of land on this side of the Darling's
Range that seem not worthy of cultivation, but the alluvial soils
near the rivers are considered equal to the richest lands in England.
Beyond the hills, in the district named Yorkshire, which is now 
settled near Mount Bakewell,there is a vast quantity of good land,
not confined to the vicinity of rivers or lakes, 50 miles inland
from Mount Bakewell and 100 miles inland from the Swan, the same
country has been found interspersed here and there with barren
tracts; such is the whole country to King George's Sound.
To the westward of Darling's Range, are large districts on the banks
of the Murray and other rivers, more to the Southward, still 
unoccupied,though, doubtless,some are as rich as those already
occupied.

The banks of the Swan and the country east of Darlings Range,resemble
much an English Park,the trees being so distributed naturally.
Our situation for commerce is,perhaps, unrivalled by other Colonies,
and Cockburn Sound is a very safe anchorage in the most violent
gales, which abound here in winter.
The entrance is now bouyed off, and therefore, perfectly safe.
Very fine fish are caught in abundance off _Island, where fishing
establishments are for some time settled, and we expect shortly
to be able to export.
The letters of the settlers to their friends in England have now 
made known the real situation of this colony, and we hear of several
ships coming in.


source: LA Nov 22nd 1832

note from J.Fawcett: This is a newspaper article,and should only be
used as a general reference. Original sources should always
be accessed for family history purposes and information authenticated.
copyright.Jenny Fawcett [Aust]. 2000.

Back to Australian Links