Mardalup

Mardal'up / Merdalup / Murdalup / Mur'dalup

Description & Location

The name given to the slope extending in a westerly direction along Adelaide Terrace from the Police Headquarters building through to Bennett Street where the land levels out. Rising from Dyeedyallup, the lowlands abutted the Swan River to the south and may have extended as far north as the prominent hill upon which the East Perth cemetery is now located.

Mardalup was the higher ground above the valley of Goongoongup (Claise Brook) and provided a good lookout to the bilya (Swan River) as well as to the mudflats and associated islands. 

The understanding of Mardalup varies due to differing language interpretations and uses of the site. Mardalup may stem from the Noongar term mardanginy (to hunt by moonlight). The bilya waters around Mardalup were teeming with goodinyal (cobbler fish), which Noongar men would have traditionally speared at night by the light of campfires near the bilya. The name Mardalup could also possibly derive from the Noongar word for mouse, ‘mardoo’, which may have been present in the area.  

In 1997, a large parkland was created nearby and given the name ‘Mardalup Park’ in recognition of the Noongar connection to the area.

References - Mardalup

Bates, D. Manuscript 365/4/174, Notebook 20, page 57.

Bates, D. Manuscript 365/4/178, Notebook 20, page 57a.

Bates, D. Manuscript 365/4/179, Notebook 20, page 63.

Bates, D. Manuscript 365/4/172, Notebook 20, page 19.

Bates, D. Manuscript 97/583.

Bates, D. (1909, December 25). Oldest Perth. Western Mail, p. 16. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37401699.

Bates, D. (1907, June 1). Fanny Balbuk-Yooreel. Western Mail, p. 44. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37393844.

Bates, D. (1929, July 4). Aboriginal Perth. Western Mail, p. 70. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38887581.

City of Perth. Mardalup Park. Retrieved from https://www.visitperth.com.au/see-and-do/parks-gardens-and-reserves/Venues/mardalup-park.

Department of Parks and Wildlife (n.d.). Precinct 8: Burswood Island to Maylands Peninsula _Causeway to Bath Street Reserve, p.11. Retrieved from https://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/images/documents/conservation-management/riverpark/about/Landscape%20description%20precinct%208.pdf.

Rooney, B. (2011). Nyoongar Dictionary. Batchelor Press: New Norcia.

West Australian, (1936, 28 December), p. 11.

“Western Australia: In Days Lang Syne.” The Daily News, 5 Apr. 1927, p.2.