PERTH – THE AUSTRALIAN TRAVELLER GUIDE

Save your Perth dollars for getting out and about. These heart-of-the-city hotels have everything you need for a bargain price. Parmelia Hilton Spacious rooms and amenities at your fingertips deem the Parmelia Hilton a good choice for short stays. The rooms are well-equipped with a hairdryer, safe, mini bar, iron and Foxtel. There is also a pool, fitness centre, steakhouse, and wi-fi is complimentary in the public areas. The location is convenient; across the road from the Exhibition and Convention Centre, and close to Kings Park, shopping and dining. Prices from $165 per night. hilton.com Pensione Perth If you plan...

In a former newspaper house lies Perth’s newest fine dining restaurant. So, are headlines still produced within these walls? asks Rachel Hanson. There’s no doubt about it. The lofty, character-laden, Gatsby-esque foyer bar of Perth’s first dining precinct, Print Hall, falls squarely into ‘take your breath away’ territory. The heritage-listed art deco building, originally home to the West Australian newspaper, has been restored and revamped, and it’s clear plenty of tender loving cash has been devoted to the cause. A massive marble-topped bar, with dark wood and black light fixtures, dominates the stately white-walled interior atrium, while the vertical garden rising...

A private entrance, high security and a secret exit… but is it enough to attract the clientele The Terrace is after?, asks Fleur Bainger. It ain’t always easy getting a hotel room in Perth. In fact, the dire bed shortage is a constant point of contention in the WA capital. Business travellers connected to the mining and resources sector pour through the city each week, monopolising accommodation and driving room rates up to levels that dissuade conventional travellers from visiting – last year travel website eglobaltravelmedia.com.au even advised its readers to bypass Perth because of it. So when new boutique...

As the mercury rises, rooftop bars are being added to Perth’s skyline. Fleur Bainger takes the elevator up.   There are few Australians who don’t admire Bob Hawke’s larrikin line, “Any boss who sacks anyone for not turning up to work today is a bum!” Delivered by the wavy-haired Prime Minister after we whipped the America’s Cup from the Yanks in 1983, he celebrated at the Royal Perth Yacht Club until the early hours and cancelled his cabinet meeting the next day. Nearly 30 years later, his words have been suspended in neon at a new rooftop bar in the...

Perth’s answer to the Guillaume brand of restaurants is a jewel in the new Crown Perth, writes Rachel Hanson. Things don’t begin well. “Can we make sure there’s a McDonald’s or something nearby? Last time I ate French food, I needed a burger afterwards,” says my lovely boyfriend (LB). “When was that?” Long pause. “Mid-80s sometime, with my first girlfriend,” comes the eventual reply. It’s a retort-worthy comment, but a stern look is enough to silence him as we pull into Perth’s revamped gambling complex. Or so I’d like to think. He may simply be impressed by the looming view....

Andrea Black takes time out to explore a rock legend’s formative (and criminal) years in Fremantle, WA   There’s a seagull perched on Bon Scott’s ripple-soled desert boot, but Bon doesn’t seem to mind. He is standing atop a Marshall amp, shoulders back, microphone in hand, paused in the classic Bon Scott stance as he gazes past Cicerello’s fish and chip shop towards the sky. He’s wearing denim, with jeans so tight the creases encircle his manhood. A finger points to the bulge, in the unlikely event you’ve missed it. You can almost hear him belt out one of his...

It’s the kind of place you wouldn’t mind living in, but this beautiful old Subiaco residence is actually one of city’s best hotels. Elisabeth Knowles drops by It’s a Saturday morning in early March and I’ve just arrived in Perth for a relaxed weekend away from rain-soaked Sydney and its washed-out summer. It’s 9am, blue-skied and already hitting 30°C in the inner-city suburb of Subiaco. At last, I’ve found a place where the weather matches the season. I wander up Rokeby Road on the way to my “hotel”, taking time stop for a coffee, and browse in a few small boutiques...

Morgan Pettersson gets away from the suburban streets of Perth and kayaks her way to Penguin Island Set amongst some of the beautiful Western Australian coastline, Penguin Island and Seal Island offer an escape for those wanting to venture out and get an island feel close to home. Both islands form part of the Shoalwater Marine Park located 50 kilometres south of Perth, and are home to diverse native wildlife such as dolphins, little penguins, sea lions and a variety of underwater wildlife.   Penguin Island is a tourist mecca, with people visiting to witness the small and unique little penguins...

Where is it? Overlooking the Canning River in Mount Pleasant, 10km south of Perth’s CBD How to see it for yourself? This shot was captured at sunrise from the sand right next to Deep Water Point Jetty. Get there at least 20 minutes before sunrise to see the colour changes in the sky. Why I love it “Deepwater Point is my favourite location to visit in Perth, especially at sunrise. The jetty is a unique structure and points directly at the city, making for great photographs.” – Mark Gray Image by Mark Gray...

Where is it? 100km north-east of Perth How to see it for yourself? Windward Balloon Adventures start at Northam Airfield and fly over the west coast of Perth, Mount Ommaney, Mount Bakewell and the township of Northam. Why I love it “The countryside is a beautiful patchwork of colours. You feel utter peace as you float gently along. Pure enjoyment.” – Heather Meiklem, Windward Balloon Adventures Image by Wendy Slee...

Western Australia's affordable beach accommodation - backpacker hostel Where is it? Perth, WA South Coast. Just 15-minutes’ drive from Perth CBD, Ocean Beach Backpackers is situated right on Cottesloe Beach, overlooking the Indian Ocean. Convenient to local beaches, shops, restaurants and bars, it makes an affordable beachside base from which to explore the city. What’s it like? In addition to waterfront views, Ocean Beach Backpackers features an internet café and a fully-equipped kitchen for guests. There is also bike, surfboard and fishing gear hire, TV lounges, and movie and video game rooms. All rooms include an ensuite bathroom and private...

At this wildlife park, you can really get up close to our favourite ferocious little Aussies. Liz Schaffer drops in. Even for local Tasmanians, the easiest way to see a Tasmanian devil is to visit one in captivity. These nocturnal, shy little creatures do their best not to be seen. The Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park in Taranna was established in 1978 for the study of these fascinating carnivorous marsupials. Just 15 minutes from Port Arthur, the wildlife park is a popular family day trip. The park is located on the Tasman Peninsula, a part of Tassie that is free from the...

 On a night walking tour, Fleur Bainger discovers that the streets of her adopted city are entirely free of rolling tumbleweed. “What’s the city of Perth known as?” our guide Gary Twomey asks the group. “Dullsville,” I blurt without thinking. Whoops. “No!” he exclaims, looking dismayed. Not too shocked, though. I think he’s heard that one before. It’s 6.30pm and we’re standing on the esplanade of the Western capital, a skyline of skyscrapers illuminating our faces and the lightly lapping Swan River at our backs. Just half an hour into Two Feet and a Heartbeat’s Perth Urban Adventure tour, which...