The black swan is the bird emblem of Western Australia. The swan in the Forrest foyer is made from local timbers: jarrah, marri, wandoo and blackbutt. It also includes mother of pearl, banded ironstone, agate and iron ore. The timber industry in Western Australia was established in 1829, on the arrival of European settlers and establishment of the Swan River Colony. The names of the timber—jarrah, marri and wandoo—are of Noongar origin, honouring the traditional owners and custodians of this land. Mother of pearl represents the pearling industry, in particular the early Aboriginal, Chinese, Japanese and Malay pearl divers in the north of Western Australia. The semi-precious minerals—banded iron stone, agate and iron ore—represent the mining industry.

The swan was installed in 1992 when the parquetry floor was replaced. The previous floor also included a swan.