Cottesloe, Western Australia
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55 °F. 731.1 mm. 28.8 in. Perth ( Nyungar: Boorloo) is the capital city of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth. It is part of the South West Land Division of Western Australia, with the majority of Perth's metropolitan area on the Swan Coastal Plain ...
2 days ago · Guide to Perth. Aboriginal name: Boorloo (pronounced Boor-loo) Embrace the best of both worlds in Perth, where soft-sand beaches and scenic parks meet a thriving metropolis of small bars, creative restaurants and curated street art. Australia's urban oasis of Perth is nestled within the vast nature of Western Australia – and that's why the ...
Nestled on the banks of the stunning Swan River, Perth is amongst the world's top travel destinations of the the world. Joining the heavyweights with recent urban developments, Perth is brimming with foodie festivals, major exhibitions, sporting events, music and theatre. Exciting things are happening, come and explore Perth city.
Plan Your Trip to Perth City. Perth is a cosmopolitan city surrounded by the natural beauty of the Swan River and Kings Park. Perth City is the perfect base from which to explore surrounding destinations and regions with many tour operators departing from the CBD, a wide range of accommodation to choose from and plenty of attractions and activities for all travellers.
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A transformation of the Western Australian capital has seen a revitalised riverfront and laneways, cultural developments and closer ties with the port of Fremantle.
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
It’s hard to believe now, but Perth was dubbed ‘Dullsville’ back in 2000. The city has spent the last two decades flipping the script.
Wrapped around the broad blue swathe of the Swan River, its streets have an ego-free blend of street art, speakeasy-style bars and excellent restaurants headed up by top chefs. It’s home to an oddly charming clashof old and new architecture, from the mock-Tudor alleyway of shops called London Court, comparable to Diagon Alley in Harry Potter, to the skyline of mirrored skyscrapers.
Oh, and this is Australia’s sunniest state capital — with an urban green space bigger than New York’s Central Park. Its refashioning started a decade ago when construction of Elizabeth Quay broke ground, transforming the riverfront into an illuminated pedestrianised loop, lined with restaurants and hotels.
For the first time in a century, the government buried the train tracks separating the nightlife hub of Northbridge and the Central Business District (CBD) and connected the two with the new Yagan Square. This is named after a Nyoongar warrior in recognition of the Whadjuk Nyoongar, the traditional owners of the region. The area now also breezily merges with the little-sister suburb of Fremantle (‘Freo’), whose lively calendar of artistic and musical offerings set amid gold rush and convict-era heritage buildings make it the place to hang out on weekends.
Oh Hey WA
There’s no better way of getting to know a city than putting trainers to cement. Vivacious local sisters, Adie and Robyn Chapman, crackle with enthusiasm on their walking tours, uncovering quirky corners of art in the laneways while delivering a punchy historical overview. The best bit? They have such a rich stream of connections that they don’t just take you to the newest bars and restaurants — they’ll have you hobnobbing with the owners over cocktails.
WA Museum Boola Bardip
Boola Bardip means ‘many stories’ in Whadjuk Nyoongar — the regional Aboriginal language — and that’s exactly what’s on offer at this unmissable museum. Start with the ground-floor display of Western Australia’s Aboriginal culture, then seek out Otto — the 79ft-long blue whale skeleton found on Busselton beach in 1897.
GoGo Active Tours
Slip into the Swan River on a ‘Cliffs and Caves’ inflatable kayaking tour that explores a side of the city few see. This gentle two-hour paddle is led by Matt Baldock and Kevin Lampard, whose narrative of the city’s history is brilliantly interrupted by cameos from cormorants, Australian darters and — if you’re lucky — grey bottlenose dolphins. The clear waters are even home to a resident seahorse colony.
Hostel G Perth
In the centre of Perth, this high-end, design-led hostel offers a mix of shared and private rooms. Come for the buzzing social spaces, including a café/bar serving toasties and craft beer and a cinema room with tiered cushion areas.
Warders Hotel
The former home of warders for the now UNESCO-listed Fremantle Prison, this historical row of limestone cottages has been repurposed as a hotel. Boutique rooms have quaint features and come with vouchers for a breakfast pastry and coffee from the attached bar, Gimlet.
The Ritz-Carlton Perth
A beacon of shimmering copper in prime position on Elizabeth Quay, the Ritz is flawless. Of the different room styles — all with Frette linens and Asprey toiletries — plump for Swan River King Studios with a curve of floor-to-ceiling views. Watch sunset from the Songbird rooftop bar, refresh in the open-air vitality pools and book dinner at the Hearth’s open grill.
FOUND
Squirrelled away on the grounds of the Fremantle Arts Centre, FOUND sells the creations of WA-based artists, from ceramics and woodworks to books and art. Visit on a Sunday between October and March and you can browse to the soundtrack of free concerts by touring and local bands performing in the centre’s beautiful front garden.
Fi & Co
Lovers of vintage should make a beeline for this bijou shop, beloved of locals in Northbridge. They come for its urbane and curated selection of vintage and pre-loved clothes, crates of vinyl records, soy candles and cold-pressed soaps.
Japingka Aboriginal Art
If you want to invest in Aboriginal Australian art, this is the place to start. Displaying the works of Indigenous artists from across Australia, this gallery sells mesmerising canvases. Many of them are vast, but there are smaller, suitcase-friendly pieces too. Prices range from the thousands to under A$300 (£160).
Terrarium
Barely a year old and already a firm favourite with locals, this city-centre two-level kitchen, bar and terrace combines owner and award-winning bartender Xander’s love of booze and partner Verity’s love of plants. Be sure to try the Ananas, a twist on a dirty martini starring pickled pineapple.
Republic of Fremantle
Jason Townes and friends Matt Giudice and John McVeigh set up this gin distillery using two-storey-high brass stills from Germany. The refined on-site bar prepares faultless martinis and sumptuous small plates, such as pickled mussels and buttermilk-soaked leeks, rustled up by Emily Jones, the 2021 Best Young Chef of the Year.
Foxtrot Unicorn
Housed in an underground 1887 bank vault and decked out like a hunting cabin with Chesterfield couches and stuffed animals, Foxtrot avoids being kitschy because their bartenders are reputed to shake, or stir, the best cocktails in town. Try one with a toasted cheese sandwich, to stop things getting too highfalutin’.
Young George
This restaurant with black-and-white decor, just south of the river, is named after the brother of AC/DC’s lead guitarist Angus Young — whose hit song Highway to Hell was based on the nearby Canning Highway. Run by chef Melissa Palinkas and her wife Susan Wheelan, it offers mains and great-value sharing plates with a dash of Asian flair. The ramen-fried chicken milk bun is unmissable.
Emily Taylor
Named after an 1800s ship that sailed from England to Fremantle via Asia, this hangout in the Warders Hotel has upbeat funk music, fruity cocktails and a fast-served fusion menu. Try the lobster-and-truffle dumplings and coconut-based massaman curry.
ANY
A newcomer with a bijou cocktail bar whose motion-sensor door slides back to reveal an intimate dining room and open kitchen ruled by the dynamic Josh Gray — one of Perth’s rising star chefs. Ditch the a la carte options, grab a barstool at the open kitchen and splurge on the delectable five-course tasting menu that changes with the seasons.
Nyoongar Dance
Every Saturday at 11am, Aboriginal Nyoongar performers put on a free 45-minute boomerang dance and smoking ceremony outside WA Museum Boola Bardip to showcase their culture and history. It always stops locals and visitors in their tracks.
Mooonlight Cinema
From Tuesday to Sunday in summer, pack a picnic and head to Kings Park and Botanic Garden after dark to watch screenings of films from blockbusters to corny classics beneath the starry sky. Hire bean-bag beds for extra comfort. Book ahead.
Fremantle Markets
One of Australia’s last remaining market halls, this 1897 institution is well known, but still the place to spend a Saturday or Sunday sipping Bloody Mary’s while listening to buskers, or shopping for boho dresses and fresh fruit.
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Australia, Australia & Pacific. In Wadjuk country, way out west in the Indian Ocean breeze, Perth regularly attracts that most easy-going of adjectives – 'livable'. Under a near-permanent canopy of blue sky, life here unfolds at a pleasing pace. Throw in superb beaches, global eats and booming small-bar and street-art scenes, and Perth seems ...
Dec 18, 2023 · Explore the cultural precinct of Perth either by CAT Buses or on a walking tour, visiting the Perth Cultural Centre, Western Australia Museum, Art Gallery of Western Australia and the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts. While the iconic Perth Mint is sheer gold, see the towering Swam Bell Tower with its 18 bells.
