What springs to mind when someone says Perth? Long golden beaches perhaps, dusty roads and remnants of a bygone gold mining era? Would it be a surprise to say that these days Perth is vibrant, contemporary and modern, fused with some historic leftovers all combined in a setting offering coast, city, rivers and greenery all nestling snugly together? Indeed, Perth has shaken off its reputation as a tourist afterthought and has worked its way up the rankings to becoming the next big thing!
 
Historically, Perth grew rapidly after the discovery of gold in the 19th century. Gold prospectors from Asia, Europe and the USA flocked to the city to find their fortune. Many did and the area around Kalgoorlie in particular was nicknamed the golden mile.
 
Today the city is small in comparison to Sydney or Melbourne, with only 4 major streets running east to west – but then again, could it just be the epitome of ‘small is beautiful’?
 
And besides, who would be complaining when they find out that Perth is the sunniest capital city in the world? Yes indeed, it has an average of 8 sunshine hours per day, 365 days of the year – incredible! You certainly wouldn’t want to be arriving here without your bathers, your sunnies and a large vat of sunscreen!
 
Perth certainly sits in a prime location, with the gorgeous Darling ranges to the east, the azure Indian Ocean to the west, the sandy beaches to the north and the ancient Jarrah and Karri forests to the south. This diversity lends a lot of scope to suit all manner of tastes when it comes to exploring!
 
In 1987, Fremantle was host of the Americas cup. To ensure Perth and the surrounding areas were worthy of hosting such a prestigious event the region underwent major renovations, elevating Perth’s status and well and truly putting it on the global tourist map.

 

What to do in Perth

Beaches: Well, you’d have been spot on if you’d answered beaches to the first question! Like many Australian coastal regions, Perth has more than its fair share of golden sands, including the well known Cottesloe Beach. There are beaches for everyone from hard core surf dudes seeking the waves at Scarborough Beach, to the calm peaceful waters of Rockingham sought out by families. A nod towards this region’s consistently high temperatures is the strip of beaches along the northern suburbs of Perth, known as Sunset Coast, where you will find a sociable fun vibe alongside the many shops, restaurants and cafes that flank this popular area. The place to be seen perhaps? And you never know who might be setting their towel down next to you – Perth has the highest population per capita of self made millionaires in the world!!!
 
Snorkelling and Scuba Diving: Perth is a popular dive area so don those fins and get paddling out to the reefs and limestone caves. There are curious coral formations to be discovered alongside the wealth of sea life and Perth is frequented by pods of bottlenose dolphins that may swim alongside you to check you out!
 
Kings Park: If too much sun is making you seek the shade, what better place to head to than Kings Park? Ask anyone on the street and they’ll point the way for this is Perth’s most iconic attraction, for both tourists and locals alike. You won’t question why once you discover the beauty that lies within! So, what’s the fuss about? A combination of natural bush, awesome panoramic views of the city, green park areas, a wealth of birdlife and the infamous Swan River is just the start. Add historic memorials, picnic lawns and sophisticated craft and design stores and you’re half way there. The icing on the cake though is the Lotterywest Federation Walkway, high up amongst the tree tops above the city, this epic glass and steel arched bridge appears suspended above a canopy of eucalypts, it is truly an awesome experience that you won’t want to miss out on! This is the largest city park in the world, bigger even than New York’s infamous Central Park, so wow your travelling companions with that little nugget of knowledge! 

Perth Zoo: Another of Perth’s favourite visitor attractions and it’s easy to see why. Much of Australia’s wildlife and reptiles is unique and fascinating to kids and adults alike. You’ll definitely be able to get up close and personal with all the iconic aussie cute and cuddlies (and the not so cute and cuddlies!), but did you know that Perth Zoo also offers a global wildlife experience? Here you can be transported to the African savannah and see the big cats on safari, or to the Asian rainforest where you might come face to face with orang-utans or pandas! There’s enough to keep everyone happy.
 
Swan River: In the late 17th century a Dutch captain named a river after the black swans he saw swimming on it. It was to be the river that formed the base for which Perth was gradually built around. The water of Swan River is vast, clean and calm – perfect for spectacular river cruises! There are a number of trips available, one of the most popular is up the Swan valley, stopping off at the wineries for lunch and a glass of your favourite tipple. Best of all, you don’t have to worry about how you’re going to get home as you just climb back on the boat and enjoy the sunset cruise back! Cruises from Perth to Fremantle will take you past ‘Millionaire’s Row’ where you can drift off into a daydream and imagine being Lord or Lady of the Manor! 

Train journeys: One of the world’s finest and most iconic rail journeys starts in Perth, namely the Indian Pacific. So settle back in relative luxury and enjoy the spectacular views. The windows of the train are shielded from the sun by a film of gold, not something you’d find on the average train carriage!!
 
Shopping: Make sure you take your credit card with you (or better still, take your husbands’!!) or you might miss out on some treats! This is high style shopping at its best, with a wide variety of opals, gold and diamonds for that someone special, down to traditional arts and crafts to take back home as a souvenir for Nanna Joan! And after a hard day’s shopping, kick off the heels and enjoy a well earned cocktail or a seafood bite in one of the many trendy eateries. 

The Perth Mint: Perth Mint is Australia’s oldest mint that is still in operation. It houses Australia’s largest collection of natural gold nuggets. Whilst you can’t take the nuggets home with you (!), you can make your own personalised gold medallion – that might come in useful for some serious posing on Sunset Coast later!!!! 

Getting to and around Perth

By Air: Perth International Airport receives more than 100 international flights per week from 4 main international routes – Asia, Dubai, South Africa and via Sydney or Melbourne. There are also numerous domestic routes to enable a quick trip inland.
 
By Road: Depending on time constraints, many visitors hire a car and drive to Perth , experiencing the scenery along the way by making side trips to the smaller towns and rural regions. It is important to bear in mind the vast distances between main cities however and to plan a realistic itinerary to ensure you have enough rest days in between driving. Nevertheless, Perth is serviced by an excellent network of roads. 

If you’d prefer someone else to do the driving then take one of the many bus or coaches that travel to and around Perth. There is a free inner city service once you get there. 

By Rail: Likewise, there is a great rail network both locally and nationally and this can be an enjoyable way of travelling longer distances. What better way than to take the infamous Indian Pacific rail journey from Sydney to Perth and make your journey to Perth one of the highlights of your trip! 

By Sea: Take a relaxing cruise into the nearby port of Fremantle. There are also regular ferries travelling the short distances between Perth and Fremantle, Perth to Rottnest Island and also across sections of the Swan River. 


Whatever you choose to do in and around Perth, you will undoubtedly leave with good memories of this friendly laid back city as it contains all the essential ingredients to make for a fantastic holiday. In fact some would say that Perth is constantly in a holiday mood!!