The Swan River estuary flows through the city of Perth, in the south west of Western Australia. Its lower reaches are relatively wide and deep, with few constrictions, while the upper reaches are usually quite narrow and shallow.
The Swan River drains the Avon and coastal plain catchments, which have a total area of about 121,000 km². The Avon River contributes the majority of its freshwater flow. The climate of the catchment is Mediterranean, with mild wet winters, hot dry summers, and the associated highly seasonal rainfall and flow regime.
The Canning River rises not far from North Bannister, 100 km southeast of Perth and joins the Swan at Applecross, opening into Melville Water. The Swan and Canning rivers are salt water tidal rivers; Melville Water is their estuary, and is ideal for sailing of almost every description. Blackwall Reach is narrow and deeper, leading the river through Fremantle Harbour to the sea.The Noongar believe that the Darling Scarp is said to represent the body of a Wagyl - a snakelike being from Dreamtime that meandered over the land creating rivers, waterways and lakes. It is thought that the Waugal created the Swan River.
While the Swan River has not been dammed, two of its tributary rivers - the Helena River and the Canning River - have been dammed for collection of water supplies, at Mundaring Weir and Canning Dam.
The river was named Swarte Swaene-Revier by Dutch explorer, Willem de Vlamingh in 1697 , after the famous black swans of the area. Vlamingh sailed with a small party up the river to around Heirisson Island. A French expedition under Nicholas Baudin also sailed up the river in 1801.
Governor Stirling's intention was that the name 'Swan River' refer only to the watercourse upstream of the Heirisson Islands.mute swan pictures
