Hyde Park (Western Australia)

Hyde Park (formerly Third Swamp Reserve) is an inner-city park in Perth, Western Australia. Located within the Town of Vincent, the park is 2 km north of the CBD, surrounded by Vincent, William, Glendower and Throssell Streets.

Sloping grass areas run down to two central groundwater lakes. Shade is provided by mature introduced trees:
*Plane Trees - around the lakes
*Moreton Bay Figs - lawn area
*Port Jackson Fig - lawn area
*Pines - around the boundary
*Jacarandas - south-east corner
*Unusual tree species: Swamp Cypress, Red Cedar, Bunya Pine
*Remnant indigenous tree species: Eucalyptus and Melaleuca. [ [http://www.heritage.wa.gov.au/register/PDF_Files/H%20Reg/Hyde%20Park%20(I).PDF www.heritage.wa.gov.au] (PDF) "Register of Heritage Places - Interim Entry: Hyde Park". Accessed 21 March 2006.]

The Town of Vincent describes the primary use of the park as "Passive Recreation". Facilities include: public toilets, playground equipment, BBQs, drinking fountains and two gazebos. Electricity is available, which is used, for example, to power temporary fairground rides. [ [http://www.vincent.wa.gov.au/eservice/facilities/parks.htm www.vincent.wa.gov.au] "Parks and Sportsgrounds". Accessed March 21 2006.]

History

The area was originally approximately midway along a series of wetlands which stretched from Claisebrook through to Herdsman Lake and included Lake Monger. The lakes and the area in which they resided was known collectively known as the "Great Lakes District". Today, only a small proportion of those wetlands remain.

Prior to European settlement, the area was known to the local Noongar people as "Boodjamooling". After the establishment of the Swan River Colony in 1829, the European settlers gave it the name "Third Swamp". In 1897, 15.5 hectares of Third Swamp was gazetted as a public park and two years later renamed Hyde Park.

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