Restaurants

Bilya Café

Bilya Cafe

Wanji Nidja Bilya Café

Welcome to Bilya Café
Proudly supported by Burswood Park

Stop by Bilya Café on your next visit to Burswood Park, ideally located just near the playground, and enjoy takeaway coffee, iced drinks, sandwiches, ice cream and a selection of delicious snacks while you take in the stunning surrounds.

We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which Bilya Café is located, the Noongar people on Whadjuk Country, and their ongoing connection to this land, waters and community.

As we continue to acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this region, local Elder, Bruce Loo from Bruce Loo Consultancy, was engaged to research historical links to appropriately name the café situated on Burswood Peninsula Matagarup. In consultation with cultural leaders, Bruce identified that the location of the café is part of Goonagar, Kakaroomup and Yoondoorup Islands which all make up the Matagarup, giving access to Beerloo from Joorolup. This saw him name the café, Bilya, which in Noongar language simply means ‘river’, representing the café’s location beside the Swan River, an area that has been a special gathering place for many generations.

Following the naming, Bruce worked closely with Western Australian Noongar artist, Linda Lee Loo, who created the café’s artwork to incorporate the story and history of this location into the piece. Through her artwork “Our River, Our Meeting Place” which can be seen on the exterior of the café, Linda depicts the meaning of this location to her ancestors and its ongoing significance today.

Any profits from Bilya Café will be donated to Prepare Produce Provide, a not-for-profit organisation whose Djinda Ngardak Program provides culinary training to Indigenous youth leaders in WA. Crown has proudly supported Prepare Produce Provide since 2013.

Artwork & Story

Gnulla Bilya, Gnulla Kambarnup

Our River, Our Meeting Place

Artwork & Story by Linda Loo

The dark blue background represents the water and the sky. The water and sky are connected by changes of the moons, and the white specks represent our ancestors and stars. Our ancestors and the stars are the good spirits protecting all and guiding us and our journeys.

The U shapes represent people and the people represent all cultures. The centre circle is the community meeting place. The meeting place is surrounded by the sound of flowing water on the banks of the river. The meeting place is a place of spiritual connection and the safe place for telling stories and sharing of knowledge.

The light blue circles acknowledge and represent our eleven lakes around the Beerloo (Perth) area and dark blue lines represents our river.

The light blue lines represent our Noongar seasons. People gather at the meeting place through all the Noongar seasons for celebration. Celebrations always connect to the surroundings. The Noongar seasons also bring change, the change of seasons is connected by the river to the land.

The small light blue lines represent the bridges connected to all access points of the river, leading people to the meeting place.

The orange circles with dots represent the plants and reeds on the riverbanks. The plants and reeds play an important role to the people. The multiple small coloured dots represent the colours of plants changing through the seasons.

The coloured circles with dots represent the campsites (home) of people travelling to the meeting place on the riverbanks always returning home safely. The circles with white dots are water holes by our campsites with abundance of resources and food.

The aqua coloured lines represent our relationships to the land and people we meet on our travel to the many campsites and important areas along the river.

LOCATION

Wandju Nidja Noongar Boodjah

WELCOME TO NOONGAR COUNTRY

Bilya Café  is located near the playground in Burswood Park.

Through research conducted by Elder, Bruce Loo, it was identified that the location of Bilya Café is part of Goonagar, Kakaroomup and Yoondoorup Islands. These small Islands were surrounded by mud flats, together making up the Matta Gerup.

Meaning ‘one leg deep’ in Noongar, the shallow mud flats of Matta Gerup were the only major crossing point to the other side of the Swan River (Bilya), giving access to Beerloo (Perth CBD) and Kaata Koomba (Kings Park) from Joorolup (Victoria Park).

As a main access point across the Bilya, this region was a traditional area for family gatherings and hunting during the Noongar season of Djeran (April - May).

This site is an important part in the journey of the Waugyl, the giant rainbow snake of the Noongar creation story. As the Waugyl journeyed towards the ocean, creating the course of the Bilya, it became stuck in the Matta Gerup mud flats and had to shake off its scales to move through. Noongar storytelling tells us that the Islands of this region were the scales that the Waugyl shed.

Reference: Gnarla Boodja Mili Mili 

Image: View of the mudflats. Causeway Bridge 1890-1900. State Library of Western Australia 230443PD.
IEP Program

Indigenous Employment Program

Creating opportunities

Bilya Café was identified as an opportunity to extend existing employment pathways for current and future Indigenous Employment Program team members.

Since its inception, Crown's Indigenous Employment Program has supported more than 1,000 Indigenous Australians in finding employment across Crown Resorts.

Today, we’re proud to see five new team members working in Bilya Café, who have been employed directly through Crown’s Indigenous Employment Program, a number which we’re looking forward to building upon as the café continues to serve as a meeting place for our local WA community.

Learn More
OPENING HOURS

Daily

8am - 1pm (Mon - Fri)

8am - 3pm (Sat, Sun)

Opening hours are subject to change.
A 10% surcharge applies on Sundays. A 15% surcharge applies on all Public Holidays (one surcharge fee of 15% applies if Public Holiday falls on a Sunday). A 1.15% surcharge applies to all payments made via credit cards.

LOCATION

Next to the playground at Burswood Park, Resort Drive, Burswood, WA, 6100, Australia

This content appears at the bottom of the Venue Details Widget