Perth
The locals like to describe it as the ‘sunniest Australian capital city’ and indeed summer temperatures average 29c (with gentle breezes to keep the climate manageable) and winter around 19 – 21c. Expect pleasant temperatures during the day with cooler evenings.
Just 30 minutes from the airport to the centre of the city, there is plenty to do in Perth itself, but it’s also a great base to explore further afield or even do a two-centre holiday. Qantas now fly non-stop to Perth (in under 17 hours) and onward flights to Brisbane and Sydney are around 4 hours and Melbourne 3 ½ hours.
The best way to explore somewhere is with a local, so I took advantage of a 3-hour guided walking tour to get my bearings. First, we headed up to Kings Park, beautiful and expansive botanical gardens overlooking the city, a favourite place for people to hang out and picnic or barbecue. Then we headed back into the city for a tour of the historical areas, including the government buildings and treasury. There’s a large arts and cultural area, with theatres and museums situated on the edge of the shopping area, in the Northbridge area, as well as many restaurants and bars. Note that many bars do close at around 10 – 11 pm, but later nightlife can be found.
We also visited the Elisabeth Quay, a new initiative linking the river and the city, where many local events take place (a weightlifting competition was on at the time!) and the Bell Tower, home to the famous 12 bells of St Martin in the Fields, sent over by us Brits to commemorate the Bicentennial of Australia in 1988.
A relatively new development, the Crown, is home to 3 hotels (4 and 5 star), casino, theatre, bars and restaurants about 5 mins drive from the city centre. This is a great cosmopolitan area to visit, even for just an evening and offers late night (or all night!) entertainment.
There are also many river cruises on the Swann river, where if you’re lucky, you can spot dolphins and you can get close up views of the many millionaire homes that adorn the banks. I couldn’t get over the number of moorings for personal use! You can also take part in many water sports, including windsurfing and sailing. Or visit the AQWA, Perth’s aquarium, a very interactive facility where you can dive in the Shipwreck coast aquarium and come face to face with sharks and stingrays.
Perth’s beaches are also worth a visit, particularly Trigg Beach, just a bit further up the river, with crystal clear waters and spots for swimming and surfing.
Perth has great food of all styles – an inside tip is to dine in the Hotel Como Treasury, a boutique hotel with just 48 bedrooms and fine dining. I had an amazing Italian meal here, just 69 AUD/£40. Or head for the Epicurean restaurant, a buffet restaurant in the 5 star Crown Towers, where for 79 AUD/£45, you can feast on seafood, sushi, Asian and international cuisine and breath-taking desserts.