Perth is the capital of WA and the nation’s largest state. The area around the city has significant historical meaning to the Aborigines of the region, and according to Aboriginal folklore the Swan River was created by a large mythical snake known as the Waggyl, which slithered its way through the area creating the bends and gullies which shaped the river. In winter, the rains came and filled the empty channel with water, and the river we know today as "The Swan" came to be.