Perth

Understand

History

The Perth region has been home to the Indigenous Nyoongar people for at least the past 60,000 years. British settlers established a free settler colony in 1829 as part of the Swan River Colony. The settlement was given the name "Perth" after the city of Perth, Scotland, the hometown of Sir George Murray, the British Colonial Secretary at that time. Lack of labour hampered its development until 1850, when convicts were brought in, at a time when transportation to other parts of Australia had ceased. This boosted the size of the colony and their labour helped shape the early architecture of the city, as well as other infrastructure. The discovery of gold in the 1890s triggered a boom which, with subsequent mineral discoveries, has been a major part of the state's economy. Western Australia joined the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901, after which Perth became its state capital. Once a small, isolated city, Perth's population overtook that of Adelaide in the 1980s. Perth remains one of Australia's fastest growing cities, and has been transformed from a relatively laid back city to a vibrant one. Perth's population has been growing more rapidly since the beginning of the 21st century. The development hasn't taken away completely the older parts of the city, and there are many parks and other green spaces within close proximity of the CBD. Perth's economy is intimately tied with the mining industry, and its skyline is fittingly dominated by the corporate offices of Australia's two largest mining conglomerates Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton. A large proportion of Perth's residents comprise of miners, who are transported to the mines in the vast interior of Western Australia via private "Fly-in Fly-out" services operated by the mining companies.

People

Despite its isolation, Perth is a surprisingly culturally diverse city. Due to the high rate of migration to Perth, slightly less than half of Perth's residents were born outside Australia. Its relative proximity to Southeast Asia and Africa has led to an influx of migrants from countries such as Malaysia, South Africa and Thailand, and this is reflected in the diversity of cuisine available in Perth. If you wish to experience a cosmopolitan culture without the hustle and bustle of larger cities, perhaps Perth would be your cup of tea.

Climate

The city has a temperate Mediterranean type climate. Summers are hot and dry, while winters are generally wet and mild. Average summer temperatures are around 30 °C (86 °F) for daytime highs and 19 °C (66 °F) for overnight lows. Maximum temperatures during the height of summer can reach and exceed 36 °C (97 °F) regularly and even surpass 40 °C (104 °F) from time to time. Very hot days tend to have very low humidity, making conditions more bearable, though overnight lows on such particularly hot days may not drop below 23 °C (73 °F) at night. Sunrise is at 5:15AM and it does not get dark until around 7:15PM during the summer months. In the Perth metropolitan area, the summertime temperature rises rapidly during the morning, relieved in the afternoon when the "Fremantle Doctor" blows inland from the ocean to cool the city by up to 15°C. The doctor runs out of puff before reaching the areas further inland, leaving the hills and beyond to swelter till after sunset. Winter (Jun-Aug) temperatures are usually around 15°C in the day, and usually fall to about 8-10°C at night. Minimum temperatures have been known to drop below 0°C on clear nights. Though Perth goes through lengthy dry spells, when it does rain, it pours. In the past storms with strong winds occasionally hammer a winter night, but they generally caused no more destruction than a toppled tree or flattened fence. Intense storms have created hail and more serious damage. Snow has never been known to fall in the Perth city centre, though very light dustings have been known to occur on higher elevations in the Perth Hills. Daylight hours run from 7:15AM to 5:15PM during winter.

What's inside

The official "City of Perth" is a small area on the north side of the Swan River, consisting of just the city centre. However, the Perth metropolitan area is much larger, spreading in all directions other than the ocean.

Getting there

By plane

All scheduled international and domestic flights arrive and depart from 1 Perth Airport (PER IATA). The airport has four terminals, which for ground transport purposes can be regarded as two precincts. T1 and T2 are side-by-side to the east of the runway, while T3 and T4 are side-by-side to the west. A free bus plies between the two precincts, taking 15 min. T1 and T2 have a direct rail link to the city, with fares a flat $5. The railway station serving T3 and T4 is Redcliffe Station about 15 minutes walk from the airport or you can use the shuttle bus which leaves from a lane about 20 metres outside the T4 entrance. Public buses also serve the airport, and taxis and rental cars are available. Perth is the most important gateway to the west coast of Australia. In addition to flights from Asia, there are nonstop flights from Mauritius, Johannesburg, Auckland and London Heathrow, the latter being the first regular nonstop route between Europe and Australia and at launch the world's longest nonstop passenger flight. There are domestic flights from the largest cities in Australia and regional flights from smaller airports in Western Australia. (updated Oct 2018) Jandakot Airport (JAD IATA) is Perth's main general aviation airport.

By boat

Once it was the only way to reach Perth and the rest of Australia, often in chains. Nowadays a dwindling number of freight ships have passenger places available to Fremantle from Southeast Asia, Los Angeles and San Diego USA, and very rarely all the way from Europe. Their facilities are pretty basic and mundane, more like a hostel bunkhouse with added sea-sickness than a Conradian salty adventure. For a luxurious arrival at a splurgy price, come on one of the cruise ships which call regularly at Fremantle, including the Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria. These often offer one-way cruises to and from Fremantle, usually to other Australian cities, to New Zealand, and to Southeast Asia. They sail most often in summer, seldom in winter. Check the schedule here and you'll need to book many months in advance.

By train

Most long-distance and regional trains run to East Perth, 1 km NE of the city. It's part of the Public Transport Centre so many city buses and suburban trains serve it, and there are taxis. The Australind train from Bunbury arrives at Platform 3 of Perth Station. The Indian Pacific runs to Perth from Sydney and Adelaide. It is more expensive than flying and takes longer than driving yourself, but this journey, which takes four days and three nights, is one of the world's great train journeys. The train traverses the longest stretch of straight track of any railway in the world (478 km) as it journeys across the Nullarbor. Regional train services are operated by Transwa. Their four routes are:

Getting around

By public transport

Perth has a fairly reliable and inexpensive public transport system operated by Transperth. The website and app can be used to plan a journey, including full navigation and real time updates. Apple Maps and Google Maps provide a similar experience.

Fares

There are three ways to pay for your journey: Contactless credit or debit card. A Visa or Mastercard is accepted, including those in a digital wallet like Apple Pay or Google Pay. Ensure you always tag on and tag off to avoid a default fare being charged. SmartRider card. A reusable smart card purchasable from Transperth InfoCentres at major stations, including the Airport station, and other retail sales outlets. The card costs $10, the value of which can be used for travel. Additional value can be added at the same locations. Ensure you always tag on and tag off to avoid a default fare being charged. Cash ticket. A paper ticket purchasable from ticket machines at train stations and ferry jetties, and from bus drivers. A $2.40 "2 Sections" fare applies to any journey under 3.2 kilometres, excluding transfers. A $3.50 "Go Anywhere" fare applies to any journey under three hours, including transfers. The Free Transit Zone applies to all train and bus services within the CBD and surrounds. Train passengers need a contactless credit or debit card or SmartRider card to avail of this service; just tag on and tag off and no funds will be deducted. Bus passengers do not need a card to avail of this service; just get on. In addition to the Free Transit Zone, Central Area Transit (CAT) buses are free for their entire route. There are five routes (red, blue, yellow, green, purple). Some buses match the colour, others will have the colour written on their front and side signs. Failing to have a proper ticket can cost you $100, and the fine doubles for every month it is overdue. Failing to pay your fine can result in you paying up to $20,000 and court costs. Always remember to tag on and tag off.

Trains

The suburban rail network is great for quickly getting to outlying suburban areas. All services stop at Perth station in the City on their way to or from the suburbs. The network consists of the following eight lines:

See

Individual listings can be found in Perth's district articles

Top sights in and around the city are:

The renovated WA Museum, the Art Gallery of WA and PICA, and the Perth Mint — see city centre page. Kings Park and Botanic Gardens — see city centre page Fremantle Prison, Maritime Museum and Shipwrecks gallery — see Fremantle page Outside of the metropolitan area are some unspoilt national parks, unpopulated coasts and other interesting locations.

Do

Individual listings can be found in Perth's district articles Cycle. Perth has excellent bike paths and fantastic weather almost all year round which makes it perfect for cycling. The paths that follow the Swan River are very scenic and mostly flat. You can take your own bike or hire a bicycle from one of the bike hire providers located near the Swan River. (updated Oct 2018) Perth's parks range from inner-city parks such as Kings Park, Bold Park, and Lake Monger, to outer city parks such as John Forrest and Whiteman Park. Watch a movie. In addition to the multiplexes showing Hollywood blockbusters at most major shopping centres, there are also some independent or European cinemas, including Paradiso in Northbridge and The Luna cinemas in either Leederville or Fremantle. These cinemas showcase a range of local, Bollywood, French and Italian productions, international film festivals and documentaries throughout the year. If you visit in summer, check out one of the many open air cinemas, located in Kings Park, Movies by Burswood, Luna Leederville, and Mundaring. There's even a rooftop cinema in Northbridge on top of a multi-storey carpark! Perth has one remaining drive-in, located in Kingsley. (updated Oct 2018) Get out. For a day in Fremantle; great for a walk around without a specific goal in mind or for some light shopping or why not enjoy a meal or coffee and cake whilst soaking in the atmosphere? Don't miss Fremantle Markets. Fremantle Prison, the Maritime Museum, the Round House and the statue of AC/DC's Bon Scott are popular attractions. (updated Oct 2018) See a concert. Perth has an enormous traditional arts scene. There are many world-class orchestras and opera companies, as well as theatre and jazz. The West Australian Symphony Orchestra is the premier orchestra in Perth and mostly performs every few weeks at the Perth Concert Hall. The WA Opera produces between 4 and 6 operas a year, performing at His Majesty’s Theatre. The WA Ballet also produces 4 ballets a year, most productions are at His Majesty’s. The Ellington Jazz Club is renowned for major acts and local jazz in an intimate setting. Sets are playing almost every day. Go wine tasting (Wine tour transport services), Swan Valley. Well renowned among locals and tourists alike, the Swan Valley in the hills boasts some of the country's best wineries and micro-breweries. Although the wine is perhaps not as highly regarded by seasoned wine buffs as that produced in regions such as Margaret River, the Swan Valley features the advantage of being close to the city. (updated Sep 2016) Golf: notable courses are Royal Perth, Maylands and Mount Lawley.

Take a day trip. As in any place with as low a density as Perth, you will spend a lot of time travelling between the sights. One of the best day trips in Perth is to visit Rottnest Island, a nature reserve off the coast of Fremantle. There is a huge variety of wildlife to see (including the famous Quokka) and opportunities to see whales, dolphins and fur seals off the coast, but this will always depend on the season. Another (closer, cheaper but smaller) option is to visit Penguin Island, home of the "Little Penguins" or "Fairy Penguins", located five minutes off the coast of Rockingham, a 45-minute drive south of Perth. (updated Oct 2018) Visit Weekend Markets. Sample local produce at Perth's weekend markets. Many weekend markets have appeared driven by demand by local Perth residents for quality goods. The markets normally consist of 20 to 50 individual stalls run by owners/producers/farmers and often specialise as farmers markets (fresh produce), Hawkers markets (street food), general markets (handcrafted wares, clothes, music, gifts etc.), or combinations of these. As opening hours and locations vary regularly, it is best to search online. (updated Oct 2018) Fremantle Markets are a "Fremantle institution" popular with tourists and locals for local crafts, fresh produce, food, and entertainment. Opens on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and is an easy 8 minute walk from Fremantle train station. Kalamunda Farmer’s Markets run every Sunday morning in Central Mall in Kalamunda, 30 min from the CBD. Parking is free and plentiful, with a large array of local produce and food for sale. Open 8AM-noon. Manning Farmers Markets are popular with locals for fresh local produce, breakfast and coffee. It has more than 50 stalls and is very busy before 10AM. Open Saturday 7:30AM-12:30PM. Regular public transport to Curtin University bus station (followed by a 15-minute walk through the uni grounds). Perth City Farmers Market focuses on fresh, ethical and sustainable produce. Open Saturday 8AM-noon. 3-minute walk from Claisbrook train station. Twilight Hawkers Markets have more than 50 food stalls in the centre of the city. Open Friday night 4:30-9:30PM from October to April.

Beaches

Perth boasts some of Australia's best beaches along the coast, which are ideal for swimming during the warmer months. Sunscreen is essential, and insect repellent may come in handy during the evening. As the beaches are on the open ocean, it is strongly advised that you only 'swim between the flags' at patrolled beaches. Cottesloe Beach is one of Perth's most famous, and a favourite among locals and tourists alike, with its heritage pavilion. It's also the easiest to access via public transport from the nearby Cottesloe station on the Fremantle line, making it the quickest and easiest to get to from the CBD. Scarborough beach is also quite popular and accessible.

Shopping

Individual listings can be found in Perth's district articles The largest concentration of boutique shops is in the City centre while adjacent Northbridge is the place for niche independent stores. Trendier suburbs such as Mount Lawley, Leederville and Subiaco have a number of offbeat designer fashion stores. Most of the top end luxury brands like Gucci, Chanel and Louis Vuitton are located on or around King Street in the CBD. Large shopping complexes located in the outer suburbs, such as in Morley (Galleria), Cannington (Westfield Carousel), Midland (Midland Gate), Joondalup, Booragoon (Westfield Booragoon), Innaloo and Karrinyup have the usual department and chain stores. Fremantle Markets offers an experience on its own with its over 150 independent stalls.

Hours

Shopping hours in the Perth metropolitan area for medium size shops to large supermarket/department stores are:

Monday to Friday 8AM-9PM Saturday 9AM-5PM Sunday and most public holidays 11AM-5PM Even at the larger shopping centres, many smaller stores do not remain open until 21:00 each night except Thursday, which is the traditional, and still busiest, night for "late night shopping" in Perth. All shops are required to close for Good Friday, Christmas and ANZAC Day. Small supermarkets such as IGA and other small shops can have more flexible shopping hours (some Petrol stations and small corner stores are open 24 hours). A 10% Goods and Services Tax is included in listed prices. WaterTown (formerly Harbour Town) is where manufacturers have their factory outlets; some good deals can be found had there. It's walking distance from the centre of Perth, or catch the free Yellow CAT bus. After Christmas and during June and July, many stores hold big sales with heavy discounting. Nearly all stores are open on Boxing Day, but some are not. Boxing Day sales attract massive crowds, so be prepared for long lines. Department stores like Myer and David Jones can be extremely busy on sale days, and shopping centre car parks reach capacity almost as soon as the doors open. Some retailers have started offering Black Friday deals in November, but this hasn't fully caught on yet.

Eat

Individual listings can be found in Perth's district articles One of Perth's drawbacks is that its people have not embraced late night dining. Very few places will serve food after 10PM, even on Friday or Saturday nights. Most restaurants in Perth do not cater for vegetarians or vegans, and if they do - the range is extremely limited. If you are looking for a place that embraces vegetarian food, Fremantle is great.

Restaurants

There is an extensive array of restaurants in Northbridge. You will find a great selection of Southern European and Asian restaurants. Northbridge gets very busy on Friday and Saturday nights as Perth goes into party mode. Neighbouring Mount Lawley and Highgate also have some good options. Victoria Park has a stretch of restaurants along Albany Hwy which is a fairly steady location with the locals and has a few high quality restaurants, although is lower key and more casual. Northbridge is also home to Perth's Chinatown. As most ethnic Chinese residents of Perth are descended from Malaysian Chinese immigrants, much of the Chinese food is based on Malaysian Chinese food.

Fremantle is a good eating option. Famous for its cappuccino strip lined with cafes next door to one another popular with the yuppie crowd. On weekends, a local tradition is to visit the Fisherman's Wharf on warm, sunny weekend evenings for fish and chips. There are a couple of options to choose from close to the beach. Just follow your nose or the seagulls. Further exploring in Fremantle, or "Freo" as it is locally known, can reveal lots of trendy, alternative restaurants that cater for the "careful" eaters. If you care about knowing what it is you are eating, (vegan, preservative free, fair trade, organic), try exploring the Freo markets area, or ask around, they are often not in the "touristy areas". Little Creatures is a decent brewery, but is also a yuppie pub. If you are looking for a decent fish and chip or seafood dinner, it is typically far more expensive by the coast (where the tourists are), excellent seafood at a better price can be sourced in the central and eastern suburbs. Subiaco is located a couple of kilometres from the city centre. It is a trendy but fun suburb which features some great food and entertainment, although it can be quite expensive. Claremont is a suburb on the Fremantle railway line where you will find some good restaurants as well (including authentic Italian), although, again, it can be quite expensive and there is a limited range. The Swan Valley, especially along West Swan Road contains various wineries, food producers and restaurants with stunning views over the vineyards. Particularly good are The Black Swan Cafe, Duckstein Brewery, Elmar's and The Mallard Duck Cafe. Kalamunda and other Eastern hills suburbs offer hidden gems of cafes, small shops and food producers in beautiful countryside with stunning city views. Perth locals used to go for picnics and produce festivals in these areas back in the 19th and early 20th century; however as the practice waned with fashions leading towards the coast, it is an excellent place to visit away from the touristy areas for a relaxing or peaceful trip to the bush with fine views and decent food not too far from the city. People often do DIY food tours to local orchards, vineyards, cheesemakers, bakeries and other cottage industries, arts and cafes as it's not really organised. It's usually best to visit during Spring or soon after the rains when the forest is at its best. Guildford has many antique stores (although like all Australian antique markets it is visited by many hundreds of tourists and locals, so real bargains can be rare), but you can get decent cafe morning teas and lunches in some fine old architecture. This area has some of Perths oldest residential houses and grand building museums & cafes. The old theatre now houses a large Asian textile and artworks store worth a visit and a quirky taxidermy museum a few doors down. Alfreds Kitchen is a tiny but legendary burger bar to the locals, who amass in large crowds that opens at night. Delis can be found scattered throughout the suburbs. These small stores, sometimes located in a converted houses, sell basic household supplies, magazines, and food cooked fresh to order. Menus mostly revolve around fish and chips. Servings are cheap, but can be larger than expected. Cooking times are often different than store hours, so check before hand.

Drink

Individual listings can be found in Perth's district articles

Coffee

Perth has an abundance of Gloria Jeans, Miss Mauds and Dome stores mainly in the city centre and suburban shopping areas. Clusters of independent European style cafes line the trendy streets of suburbs around the city centre. The most well known place for a decent espresso is the Cafe Strip in Fremantle closely followed by the districts of Subiaco, Leederville and South Perth. Perth culture has a high quality taste for coffee and demands very high standards in product.

Pubs and bars

Perth has bars scattered throughout the city but most bars are in the CBD, Northbridge, Subiaco, Leederville, Victoria Park, Mount Lawley & Fremantle areas. Bars usually become busy after 5PM with the afterwork crowd, but most locals tend to go to bars on Friday & Saturday nights. The CBD bars in particular get very busy on Friday nights with many of the popular bars forming long entry lines. Most bars open from around 11AM and close midnight (10PM on Sundays), a few bars do have special extended liquor trading hours to 1AM, 2AM, or 3AM. There has been an increase in small bars and bistro dining in niche areas of the CBD. However despite good quality, these are typically expensive, so browse around for a good value evening.

Sleep

Individual listings can be found in Perth's district articles

Hotels and motels

Most of Perth's hotels are concentrated in the city centre, the neighbouring suburb of East Perth (between the city centre and the Swan River), and the seaside suburb of Fremantle. Slightly further away, the coastal town of Mandurah, which is easily accessible by Perth's suburban railway system, is a popular weekend getaway for Perth's residents, and has several hotels and beach resorts to cater to that crowd.

Hostels and backpackers

Perth is very popular with backpackers, and there are a large number of backpackers' hostels located in the city, particularly in the Northbridge area. A few hostels in Perth are in terrible condition, so make sure to see your room or check the ratings online.

Stay safe

Weather

The main dangers that an overseas visitor to Perth faces are sunburn and dehydration. Make sure you cover yourself with SPF 30+ sunscreen and a hat, and preferably a shirt. In the warmer months, beware of dehydration in the hot weather, and keep a bottle of water with you. An insect repellent such as 'Aeroguard' will be useful on summer evenings if you are outdoors.

Security

Police are generally friendly and approachable. To contact the police, ambulance or fire brigade emergency service is "000" on the phone for emergencies. "☏ 131 444 (domestic)Country code missing" is the recommended number for 24/7 Police assistance and general enquiries.

Crime

Perth is generally a safe city, with crime rates lower than Sydney and Melbourne. However, there are still some areas best avoided late at night, such as Midland, which has higher crime rates due to being more economically depressed. Otherwise, most violent crime in Perth is fueled by alcohol, so be very careful when in bars and nightclubs, and stay clear of trouble.

Go next

Heading east from Perth:

Toodyay is a historical town on the Avon river, with regular festivals. It's a favourite place for day trips and overnight getaways from Perth, and once the home of Bushranger Moondyne Joe. Hyden is the closest town to Wave Rock, a granite rock formation that looks like a large breaking wave. Heading south, Margaret River (three hours from Perth) has some of the world's best wines. Good food and pristine beaches make the South West region a favourite destination. It's an ideal weekend getaway. Heading north, follow Coastal Highway 60 to Pinnacles Desert in Nambung National Park. Other places of interest are Jurien Bay, Cervantes with its odd stromatalites, and (poorly signposted just past Cervantes) Lesueur National Park for wildflowers. Cervantes is about the northern limit of a day-trip from Perth. From here on it becomes a road trip, and there's an awful lot of Australia ahead of you. Places within a day or so's drive are Dongara, Geraldton, Kalbarri National Park, Shark Bay and Monkey Mia, Carnarvon, and Exmouth & Coral Bay for Ningaloo Reef. And still the road stretches on ahead across this vast red continent.

More pictures of Perth

From this destination's category on Wikimedia Commons. Each photograph is credited to its own author under its own licence.