Perth travel guide

Having grown up in isolation from Melbourne and Sydney, Perth has neither the pretensions, nor the pace of eastern Australian cities. Instead, this cosmopolitan, Western Australian capital has forged its own identity.

Sure, it’s got the long days of summer sunshine, plentiful parklands and relaxed nature of its brethren across The Outback, but its tag as a boring backwater has long fallen off.

Instead, here is a city of high class living; a world of fine wines and farm to fork food. It serves up a sophisticated slice shopping serenity where pedestrianised streets and glimmering malls sit side by side with covered markets and indigenous art centres.

The long, wide city streets make exploring easy, so whether you’re wandering the banks of the Swan River, meandering through the Supreme Court gardens or listening to the ringing Bell Tower, getting lost is harder than finding your way.

Vivacious and culturally diverse, Perth has it all. The wonderful Kings Park offers stunning city views, sculptured gardens and an amazing display of wildflowers during spring, then come summer it’s alive with open air cinema and picnics.

The bicycle network meanders down from Kings Park’s botanic beauty to the spectacular Indian Ocean further west. Aqua blues glisten against unspoiled beaches as surfers, sunbathers and sand-side chefs make the most of the long, sunny days.

Gourmands should savour the bounties of the Swan Valley breadbasket. Cruise upstream to sample its impressive array of cheeses and chocolates or escape south to the famous Margaret River wine region for a drop of the finest plonks on earth.

So whether you're dune buggying in Lancelin, mixing with the quokkas of Rottnest Island, partying at Carnival Latino in multicultural Northbridge or revisiting the bygone beauty of Fremantle, the last thing the most isolated city on earth will leave you is lost for something to do.