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Guide to Perth, Australia
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Click to go to Flight Prices for Perth
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Perth
Sparkling on Australias expansive west coast, Perth is a truly modern city with an influential history. Walk along the coast and youll see skyscrapers jutting into the sky behind you, but step back a few blocks and youll find 19th century colonial buildings. Despite rapid expansion, there is a quaint Aussie-town feel about Perth, especially in the parks and greenery. Perths location sets it apart from any other major city by hundreds of miles, giving an atmosphere of quiet independence.
How To Get There
Perth Airport is a major Australian flight hub, but many international cities dont have direct access. Depending on which airline you chose, you may have a stop-over in Singapore, Hong Kong or Bangkok. Perth Airport is 8 kilometres (5 miles) from the city a short bus ride away. Flying time from London is around nineteen hours.
Travelling Around
Travelling around Perth is mostly done by bus or taxi, though bicycles are becoming popular. The city has an extensive network of cycle paths especially in the park, and rentals are very affordable. Cycling is a great way to enjoy the ocean breezes. Taxis arent cheap, but are more frequently available than buses.
When To Go
The ideal times to visit Perth are spring and autumn (which are the opposite sides of the year to the northern hemispheres seasons) when the weather is pleasant and tourists are few.
What To See
The Aquarium of Western Australia is one of Perths top attractions. The AQWA was constructed as a 98 metre tunnel surrounded by ocean life, from tropical fish to sharks and stingrays. Further along is the Discovery Pool where you can interact directly with the animals. Snorkellers and qualified divers can swim with the sharks.
The Western Australian Museum has everything from Aboriginal art to prehistoric specimens. The marine section is famous for the 25-metre skeleton of a blue whale, and the 11-tonne Mundrabilla rock is the centrepiece of the meteorites display. Also popular is the preserved Megamouth, one of the largest species of shark ever discovered.
Culture seekers should pay a visit to the Art Gallery of Western Australia on James Street which has great permanent exhibitions of European, Pacific and Australian art as well as many temporary displays.
For something a bit different, head to the Fremantle Motor Museum at Victoria Quay. The museum houses the automobile collection of a mining tycoon, and features vintage motorcycles, a Ferrari, the first Holden prototype, and Wally's chariot from Crocodile Dundee.
Overlooking the Swan River, Kings Park attracts many picnickers, cyclists and strollers during the warmer months. Within the greenery lies the Botanic Garden, as well as wildflower meadows and bush land.
Hotspot
If youve hired a car and dont mind a bit of a drive, you should take a trip down the coast to Busselton Jetty. This wooden construction is the longest wooden pier in the southern hemisphere. It stretches over a mile out into Geographe Bay from the town of Busselton, 130 miles south west of Perth. Near the seaward end of the jetty is an underwater observatory which has attracted over a quarter of a million visitors since it was opened in 2003. Guests descend eight metres in a viewing chamber to see coral and marine life.
A trip down to Busselton is a great way to see some of Australias stunning western coast, as well as seeing an interesting feat of marine engineering.
Night Life
Nightlife in Perth is pretty sedate. Younger folk usually go to Northbridge, Subiaco, or Fremantle to party. Pubs and bars generally close at 11pm, and the action moves to the clubs which are open until the early hours. Most of the top hotels in Perth have exclusive nightclubs which are favoured by over-30s.
For detailed listings of cultural events in Perth, get your hands on the West Australian newspaper on Saturdays, and X-Press Magazine which is a comprehensive entertainment guide for the city.
fast facts
- Perth is the largest city in Western Australia and home to three quarters of the states residents
- Perths average of eight hours of sunshine a day has earned it the title of sunniest state capital in Australia
- when the first Mercury space craft passed over the city in 1962, Perth residents switched on all their lights to greet astronaut John Glenn
- Perth is the most isolated city on earth, and is actually closer to Jakarta than Canberra
- Perth has eight sister cities including San Diego, Houston and Taipei
Quick History
Archaeological findings on the Upper Swan River suggest that the Perth area had been inhabited for over 40,000 years. Before the Europeans settled, the land belonged to the Whadjuk Noongar Aboriginals who called in Boorloo.
Perth began as the Swan River Colony, and became the first full scale European settlement in the west of Australia when Captain James Stirling arrived aboard the Parmelia in 1829. Stirling eventually named the city after the Scottish birthplace of Sir George Murray, Secretary of State for the Colonies. The 1830s were violent years in Perths history, with hostilities bubbling between settlers and Noongar Aborigines. The colonists overthrew the natives in the 1834 Battle of Pinjarra, and killed the son of a tribal chief. In 1850, Western Australia began to accept convicts to provide cheap labour to farms and businesses. Perth was declared a city by Queen Victoria in 1856, and Western Australia was the last colony to join the Federation of Australia, in 1901. Perths economy thrives due to its closeness to reserves of metals and fossil fuels, and is a centre for major international engineering firms. As a result, the city is ethnically diverse, with nearly 30% of its people born overseas.
Money
Up-to-date exchange rates can be found on this currency converter.
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