Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954), Thursday 25 November 1937, page 15


SHADY--and Storied Spots

PLACE NAMES WITH

A HISTORY.

THE naming of Perth Water is obvious,

but how few know how Melville Water, the largest stretch of the Swan River, received its name. It was named after Viscount Melville, who was Secretary for State in 1827 and who must have been closely associated with the scheme for the settlement of the Swan River.

Writing of Melville Water in January, 1827, Captain Stirling said:

"This magnificent basin would be the first harbour in the world if it had an entrance and such an entrance might be made without difficulty or great expense."

French Names.

The Lower reaches of the Canning River are named Moreau Water but that name is rarely used. The name was given by Ensign Heirisson, who visited the Swan River with the French Expedition in 1801-03, and was so named in memory of the French general Moreau who fought at Hohenlinden and was afterwards killed in the battle of Dresden. At the time Moreau Water was named it was thought to be another entrance to the sea. Only later was it found to be the confluence of the Canning and the Swan rivers.

Ensign Heirsson left his own name upon the island to the west of the Causeway that has been lengthened and broadened by the recent reclamation work. That was called Heirisson Island and was so known by the earliest settlers.

The reason for the naming of Rocky Bay is obvious but Blackwall Reach re-mains unidentified.

Frenchman's Bay, on the south side, of the river, got its name from the fact that it was a camp during the French visit to and exploration of the Swan River.

After Early Settlers.

Mt. Eliza was so called after the wife of General Darling, then Governor of New South Wales. Captain Stirling was responsible for the naming.

Mt. Henry on the Canning River per-petuates the name of Lieutenant John Henry, who was second lieutenant on H.M.S. Challenger and was with the party that explored the Canning River in

1829.

Matilda Bay is believed to have been named after the wife of Mr. J. S. Roe who was one of the earliest settlers.

Bull Creek commemorates the name of Lieutenant Henry Bull, R.N., who was master of the Colonial schooner Champion and an early Swan River colonist.

Point Walter and Walter Brook are be-lieved to have been named after Sir Walter Stirling, who was an uncle of the first Governor of the State.

Mosman Bay was originally known as Samson Bay and was so named after the old Fremantle family of that name who were the original holders of the land in the vicinity.

Bricklanding.

Known to yachtsmen of several gene-rations as a turning and timing point, for races on the river, the significance of Bricklanding in Lucky Bay is realised by few.

There is an old disused jetty reaching out a little way into the water and a track from the jetty leads inland, for a few hundred yards. This was the place where the clay for making bricks from which some of Perth's earliest buildings were constructed. For a reason, not now apparent, clay obtained from that site was prized for brick-making. It was con-veyed to Perth in barges and landed about where is now the foot of Mill-street where there was a rough type of kiln.

Later it was found that the clay on the foreshore at the foot of Mt. Eliza was of sufficiently good quality to be used for brick-making. For some time the jetty was used by wood cutters but apart from occasional visits from yachtsmen has long since failed into disuse.

The Old Mill.

A source of inspiration in artists and photographers, the old mill on Mill Point was erected during 1833. In the "Perth Gazette" of June 8, 1833, the following reference apepars:

"We alluded in a previous number to the erection of a watermill at Perth which, it is to be regretted from a want of sufficient funds to complete the de-sign, is only partly effective. We have now to notice a windmill in rapid pro-gress under the direction of Mr. W. K. Shenton at Belches Point, opposite Mt. Eliza. The advantages which pre-sent themselves to the colony at large from these establishments call forth the liveliest interest in their success and every facility has been afforded by the Government in the appropriation of sites or allotments of land adapted

for the purposes contemplated. Al-though Mr. Shenton's windmill is at present erected on a comparatively small scale, we think that the gentle-man is entitled to every consideration for the activity and exertions he has

displayed in this undertaking. Our in-creased supply of colonial produce ren-ders a mill indispensable and when we state, as we do with confidence, that four, six and even eight shillings per bushel has been paid for grinding corn by horse power, we consider no weightier argument can be adduced for the necessity of such enterprises; in-deed, it can only be a matter for sur-prise and astonishment that capital-ists have not turned their attention lo this lucrative source of unquestionable return."

The old mill, of course, gave its name to Mill Point.

A safe and pleasant bathing spot at Crawley.