Beeliar, Western Australia

Beeliar Perth, Western Australia
Thomsons Lake, Beeliar
Coordinates	32°08′28″S 115°49′18″E / 32.141207°S 115.821758°E / -32.141207; 115.821758 (Beeliar)
Population	8,617 (SAL 2021)[1]
Postcode(s)	6164
Area	11.4 km2 (4.4 sq mi)[2]
LGA(s)	City of Cockburn
State electorate(s)	Cockburn
Federal division(s)	Fremantle
Suburbs around Beeliar: Munster Yangebup Cockburn Central Munster Beeliar Atwell Wattleup Wattleup Success

Beeliar is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Cockburn. The name refers to the Beeliar people, a group of Aboriginal Australians who had^{[clarification needed]} land rights over the southern half of Perth's metropolitan area. The suburb contains the Thomsons Lake Nature Reserve.

"Beeliar" is a Noongar word that translates to "river" or "water running through".^[3][4][5] The suburb was named after an early settler-colonialist, Robert Menli Lyon,^{[clarification needed]} who recorded and interacted with the local Aboriginal group in the area circa the nineteenth century.^[5][6][7] Before European contact, the suburb was occupied by the Beeliar group of the Whadjuk nation, who are part of the broader Noongar language region.^[5] The Noongar peoples have Dreaming stories related to the creation of the landforms in Beeliar and had lore that outlined the maintenance and care of the land.^[5] Oral history records and archaeology account for the Beeliar-Noongar belonging to the Beeliar suburb and its neighbouring areas.^[5][8]

The region of Beeliar was also included in the Swan River Colony, which was the first colony not established for convicts.^[5][9] The suburb was first governed by Captain James Stirling.^[9] Following Stirling's retirement, Beeliar was part of the frontier wars.^[9] Beeliar was home to Yagan and his father, Midjegoorong, who were notable figures during this period.^[5][9]

From the twentieth century, the suburban boundaries of Beeliar were modified gradually. Bibra Lake, which was still a feature within the Beeliar boundary during this time, was a site for the Australian Women's Army Service station during World War Two.^[10]

Since the post-war era, Beeliar has undergone several council projects, such as the Wetlands Education Centre of Cockburn (established in the 1980s), and gradually developed into a modern metropolitan suburb by the 1990s.^[10] The 1990s were when the most modern changes to the Beeliar boundaries occurred, which partially split Beeliar's region into a new suburb, Yangebup.^[6][11]

Since the 1990s, environmental and land rights concerns have been a local geopolitical issue. Beeliar citizens have voiced their concerns to the council about protecting the suburban geographic features, such as the various wetlands (including Thomsons Lake).^[10]