Traditional Owners

The original inhabitants of the EMRC area were the Nyungar Aboriginal people.

Settlement history

European settlement of the area dates from the 1820s, with land used mainly for timber-getting, farming, orcharding and market gardening. Population was minimal until the 1880s. Residential growth took place during the late 1800s and early 1900s, spurred by gold discoveries, the construction of railway lines and the Mundaring Weir, industrial growth and tourism. Significant development occurred during the post-war years, particularly during the 1950s and 1960s, aided by immigration and public housing construction. The population increased from the early 1990s, rising from about 221,000 in 1991 to about 305,000 in 2011. Most of the growth in recent years has been in the City of Swan.

Land use

The EMRC area is a residential and rural area, with some commercial and industrial areas. The EMRC area constitutes around one-third of Perth's metropolitan area and is one of Perth's fastest growing areas. The EMRC area encompasses a land area of about 2,100 square kilometres, including substantial parklands, river foreshore areas, national parks, state forests and water catchments. Rural areas are used mainly for general farming, poultry farming, orcharding, grazing, sawmilling and viticulture.

Transport

Home to Western Australia's major transport hub, the area hosts both of Perth’s international and domestic airports, the Graham Farmer Freeway, the Great Eastern Highway, the Great Northern Highway, the Leach Highway, the Reid Highway, the Roe Highway, the Tonkin Highway, Guildford Road, the Midland passenger railway line and Kewdale rail freight terminal.

Major features

• Major features of the EMRC area include the Swan River,
• Avon Valley National Park,
• Beelu National Park,
• Gooseberry Hill National Park,
• Greenmount National Park,
• John Forrest National Park,
• Kalamunda National Park,
• Korung National Park,
• Lesmurdie Falls National Park,
• Walyunga National Park,
• Mundaring Weir,
• Lake Leschenaultia,
• The wine regions of Swan Valley and Perth Hills,
• Swan District Hospital,
• Polytechnic West (Midland Campus),
• Pearce RAAF Base,
• Palmer (Navy) Barracks,
• Ascot Racecourse,
• SpeedDome,
• Whiteman Park,
• Perth Observatory,
• numerous state forests,
• The Bibbulmun Track for long distance walkers,
• and the Munda Biddi Trail for mountain bike riders.

Included areas