At Boorloo Bridge, Hassell has created a place where the city, river, and culture meet on Whadjuk Noongar Country, Perth.

A bridge can define a city skyline, but what happens on either side can shape how people experience it. 

Extending across the Swan River, the Boorloo Bridge connects Perth’s Victoria Park over Heirisson Island to Point Fraser, welcoming thousands of pedestrians and cyclists each day. Yet the experience of Boorloo begins before you even step foot on the pathway. Hassell’s landscape and urban design seamlessly ties the bridge to the city and the river’s edge in ways that encourage pedestrians to pause and connect.

Every turn and step tells a story. The design draws on a deep collaboration with the local Matagarup Elders Group, embedding Whadjuk Noongar culture into the landscape. Public art and interpretive design elements in the form of mini bronze sculptures and paving patterns weave narratives of people, animals (turtles, fish, pelicans, oysters and crabs), and place — so crossing the bridge becomes a journey of connection to First Nations culture as much as a route of passage. Seating and terrace steps invite people to linger and immerse themselves in the river’s rhythm.

The bridge curves gently to preserve groves of mature Eucalyptus, while newly sculpted embankments help restore and rewild the riverbank through native groundcover flora. Over 100,000 plants now frame the journey, and a new tree canopy promises shade, habitat and a greener city for generations to come.

The outcome is a shared landmark where landscape and infrastructure converge, providing a template for how Perth’s open spaces might better serve an evolving city.