Lake Monger

This article is about Lake Monger in suburban Perth. It should not be confused with Mongers Lake, Perenjori, Western Australia
Lake Monger
Keiermulu

NASA World Wind image of Perth, Western Australia with Lake Monger centred at the crosshair
Location Perth, Western Australia
Coordinates 31°55′46″S 115°49′35″E / 31.9294°S 115.8265°E / -31.9294; 115.8265Coordinates: 31°55′46″S 115°49′35″E / 31.9294°S 115.8265°E / -31.9294; 115.8265
Type Wetland
Basin countries Australia
Designation Lake Monger Reserve
Surface area 0.7 km2 (0.27 sq mi)
Shore length1 4.5 km (2.8 mi)
Islands 1
References [1][2]
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Lake Monger (Noongar:Keiermulu[1]) is a large urban wetland on the Swan Coastal Plain in suburban Perth, Western Australia nestled between the suburbs of Leederville, Wembley and Glendalough.

Located less than 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from the city of Perth and situated alongside the Mitchell Freeway, it runs approximately north-west to south-east towards the Swan River and consists of 70 hectares (170 acres) of mainly open shallow water with an island of 1.3 hectares (3.2 acres) in the south-west corner. The 110 hectares (270 acres) of lake and the surrounding parklands are known as the Lake Monger Reserve.

The lake is used extensively for recreation and is a major tourist attraction with up to 12,000 visitors per week.[3] Activities include bird watching and exercise.

A 3.8-kilometre (2.4 mi) paved walking/cycling track encircles the lake which takes about 50 Minutes to traverse by foot at Normal waking speed. Ample car parking, playground equipment and barbecue facilities are also provided.

Etymology

The indigenous Noongar people of the south-western region call the area Keiermulu which translates to 'the home fires or camp', or Lake Galup or Lake Kalup.[1]

After European settlement, it became known as either Large Lake or Triangle Lake (based on its roughly triangular shape) before being named Monger's Lake in 1831. In April 1932 it was changed to its current name of Lake Monger.

Pre-European history

Little is known about the use of the lake by the Noongars prior to the British settlement other than the area was known to be within the area inhabited by those people. Given its geographical features, it could have been used regularly as a significant camping and hunting site with black swans and other wildfowl as well as turtles, frogs, gilgies and mudfish hunted as food.

Associated with the lake is the Wagyl, part of Noongar mythology. The myth describes the track of a serpent being, who in his journey towards the sea, deviates from his route and emerges from the ground which gives rise to Lake Monger. The lake and a significant part of the reserve are registered with the Department of Indigenous Affairs as an Aboriginal heritage site of historic and mythological significance to the Aboriginal people.[2]

History since 1832

Perth wetlands

Main article: Perth Wetlands
Looking south across the lake towards the city of Perth

The lake was originally part of a series of freshwater wetlands running north from the Swan River along the coastal plain for approximately 50 kilometres (31 mi). Lake Monger was grouped with the Georgiana Lake and Lake Sutherland (both near Mitchell Freeway, near Sutherland and Newcastle streets) and Herdsman Lake and together the area made up what was known as The Great Lakes District.

European settlement led to many of the wetlands areas being drained for land reclamation to take advantage of the fertile soil for farming enterprises, and for expansion of parks and recreation areas. Lake Monger and Herdsman Lake are the last two major wetlands remaining close to the city. The City of Perth itself sits on an area of reclaimed wetlands. It is thought that between 49%[4] and 80%[5] of the wetlands on the coastal plain have been drained, filled or cleared since 1832.

Other lakes and swamps in the immediate northern vicinity of the early Perth township were Lake Kingsford (site of the current Perth railway station), Lake Irwin (Perth Entertainment Centre) and further north were Stone's Lake (Perth Oval), Lake Poullet (First Swamp, part of what is now Birdwood Square), Lake Thomson (Mews Swamp, between Lake, Brisbane and Beaufort streets) and Lake Henderson (parts of what is now Robertson Park and Dorrien Gardens). Further north still lay Second Swamp (Bulwer Street, east of Lake Street), Third Swamp (Hyde Park) and Three Island Lake and Smith's Lake (now Charles Veryard Reserve). Many of these lakes formed a natural interconnected drainage system which found its way into the Swan River at East Perth through Claise Brook.

In 1833, water draining from Lakes Kingsford, Irwin, Sutherland and Henderson was used to drive a water-driven mill located in Mill Street.

Timeline

Lake Monger jetty promenade and pavilion ca. 1914

Flora and fauna

A reed island was constructed in the 1960s to provide a summer refuge for birds. 38 species of birds have been sighted including black swans, cormorants, spoonbills and pelicans.

The lake also supports southwestern snake-necked turtles, large skinks, and two species of frogs. Fish common to the lake are all introduced species including goldfish, carp, mosquito fish and English perch.

Vegetation in the 1800s comprised swampland trees; Melaleuca rhaphiophylla, Banksia littoralis, and Eucalyptus rudis. Xanthorrhoea (blackboy), rushes, wattle and tea tree were the common flora, but with land reclamation, rushes were removed to plant lawns and construct sandy beaches. None of the banksia and few paperbarks remain and trees are now generally confined to a narrow strip surrounding the shoreline, mainly on the northern and eastern sides.[31]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Collard, L.; Revell, G.; Palmer, D.; Leonard, L. (1999). Noongar Placenames associated with the Goordandalup (Crawley bay) area of the Gabee Derbalor Derbal Yaragan Beloo (Swan River).
  2. 1 2 "About Lake Monger Reserve". Town of Cambridge. 2009. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  3. Middle, G.J. (1988) A method to evaluate conservational and social value of lentic wetlands on the Swan Coastal Plain. Honours thesis, Murdoch University, Western Australia.
  4. Riggert, T.L. (1966) A study of the wetlands of the Swan Coastal Plain. Department of Fisheries and Fauna, Western Australia.
  5. Godfrey, N. (1989) The value of wetlands. In: Wetlands in crisis. What can Local Government do? (Ed. Anon), pp. 4–12. Environmental Protection Agency, Western Australia.
  6. 1 2 3 Miller, C. (1976) Old Battleground. Living Today (Western Australia), 29 January, 32-33.
  7. 1 2 Bekle, H. (1981) The wetlands lost: Drainage of the Perth lake systems. Western Geographer.
  8. Stannage, C.T. (1979) The People of Perth, Perth City Council.
  9. The Western Australian Times, 18 February 1876.
  10. The Inquirer and Commercial News, 6 December 1876.
  11. Evening News (Sydney), 31 December 1894.
  12. Kalgoorlie Miner, 22 October 1901.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Metcalfe, V.J. (1988) Development and management plan for Lake Monger. City of Perth, Western Australia.
  14. The West Australian, 2 June 1917.
  15. Kalgoorlie Miner, 21 October 1918.
  16. Kalgoorlie Miner, 5 April 1920.
  17. 1 2 City of Perth Correspondence File, 64/1937 & 57/1938.
  18. The Mercury (Hobart), 27 August 1929.
  19. City Planning Department (May 1969) A Short History of Planning in Perth, Perth City Council.
  20. Perth City Council (1960) Municipal Yearbook 1960. Perth City Council.
  21. Kalgoorlie Miner, 4 February 1937.
  22. The West Australian, 27 September 1937.
  23. Mirror, 2 September 1939.
  24. The West Australian, 8 October 1939.
  25. The Daily News, 5 January 1946.
  26. The West Australian, 12 October 1953.
  27. Slattery, 1963.
  28. Sydney Morning Herald, 22 January 1954.
  29. The West Australian, 24 June 1954.
  30. The Age, 19 August 1963.
  31. Town of Vincent, Wetlands Interpretation Project: Guide to Sources

External links

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