What is the capital of Western Australia?

The capital of Western Australia is Perth. It is the state’s administrative, cultural, and economic centre, located on the Swan Coastal Plain beside the Swan River.

Perth was established in 1829 as the administrative centre of the Swan River Colony, a British settlement founded under Captain James Stirling. The city was named after Perth in Scotland, reportedly at the request of Sir George Murray, the British secretary of state associated with the colony’s creation.

Perth officially received city status in 1856. Its growth accelerated during the Western Australian gold rushes of the 1890s, when the city became a major supply and services hub for the goldfields. In the modern era, Perth has also served as the regional headquarters for mining and energy companies operating across the state.

A common mix-up is Fremantle, the historic port city near Perth. Fremantle is important to Western Australia’s maritime history, but it is not the state capital. Perth’s metropolitan area stretches far beyond the central City of Perth local-government district.