LOCAL wetland fans Sally Lake and Dudley Maier are leading a tour on the history of Perth’s wetlands from the pre-colonisation days to when development north of town saw most disappear.
The WA Naturalists’ Club asked the retired Vincent councillors to dig into their memory banks to lead the tour and spin a few history yarns, starting at Smith’s Lake.
Known as Danjabnerup to local Aboriginal people, the Smith’s Lake wetland was a market garden site owned by the Gooey family before Perth city council resumed it in 1959. The council reduced the size by one-thirtieth and turned over most land to industrial and residential use.
From there the tour will head up to the old Hamilton interchange, another site of massive wetland reclamation.
They’re meeting at Smith’s Lake on Kayle Street in North Perth Wednesday May 27. Call Donald Poynton from the naturalists on 0419 460 301 to book.
by DAVID BELL
Perth Voice Interactive 
Leave a comment