Welcome to Wadjuk City We stand on ancient ground
To celebrate NAIDOC 2016 the State Library of Western Australia invites you to explore the history of Perth and the Cultural Centre, and recognise that we all stand on ancient ground.
Visit the First Peoples | First Stories exhibition at the State Library to discover more, july 3-29 2016.
The Perth CBD area was originally home to a chain of seasonal wetlands and lakes.
These water sources sustained Noongar Wadjuk people for thousands of generations but were drained to make way for the Swan River Colony. The surrounding area was then quickly flattened and reshaped.
The ground on which the State Library stands was part of the shore of Lake Kingsford which encompassed the Train Station and Perth Cultural Centre.
These ancient wetlands continue to have a presence in the city, and some large buildings still operate basement pumps to keep the rising waters at bay.
Women like Fanny Balbuk were the custodians of this area and were devastated by the destruction wrought on their traditional boodjar (Country).
In the span of only a few decades the entire landscape was altered and cleared, destroying the traditional sources of food and water that Noongar people had kept in balance for tens of thousands of years.
As the city grew noongar people were forced to adapt, but the songlines and ancient features of noongar boodjar can still be seen, you just need to look down.
The State Library proudly acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Perth lands and waters, and offers our deepest respect to Elders past and present.
happy naidoc 2016
Photographs, articles and content have been drawn from the State Library of Western Australia collections.