8 of the best free things to do in Perth, Western Australia

Perth averages 3000 hours of sunshine each year, which means you don’t have to spend up big on indoor entertainment – or spend anything at all – to enjoy a visit to this nature playground.

Western Australia’s capital city is filled with 19 beautiful metropolitan beaches, botanical gardens, bush walking trails, wine regions, marine parks and the allure of a vibrant city life.

Thanks to the abundance of activities on offer, you don’t need to spend a dollar to take in the highlights. Here are our picks of the best free things to do in Perth.

1. Enjoy a stroll through Kings Park

At a scale of 4.06 km², the world’s largest inner-city park not only boasts expansive views over the Swan and Canning rivers, but also provides the opportunity to marvel at Perth’s city skyline. (Central Park in the US, with its meagre 3.41kms2, doesn’t even come close, by the way.)

The surrounding flora and fauna is equally spectacular, which you can learn about on one of the volunteer-guided tours that depart three times a day. You’ll snake through The Botanical Gardens display of a whopping 2000 of WA’s local plant species, including wildflowers found nowhere else on Earth. You’ll also find Indigenous Australian art throughout the park and sold in the gallery, as well as a war memorial and educational parkland for the kids. Another hidden gem, Central Lake is where you’ll find an island ringed with replicas of some of the world’s first trees, the Lycopods.

Pack your picnic basket and enjoy a day out, or book tickets for some of the concerts, movies or plays performed in the park right under the stars. This is inner-city living at its best.

2. Explore Fremantle by bike

The seaside town of Fremantle is about a 30-minute drive from the CBD. Grab a free bike from Little Creatures Brewery and take your time exploring the area on two wheels. There are great restaurants, open air bars and shops to explore, right on the water. They often have music on a Sunday in summer at the Fremantle Arts Centre .

Little Creatures bike Fremantle — Explore Fremantle by Little Creatures bike.

3. Take your pick of premium coastal walks

We doubt we need to remind you that Perth lays claim to some of the best coastline in the country.

But the city has gone a step further and paved walking paths alongside the most picturesque beaches to ensure easy access and a non-stop dose of those views. Ticking off at least one these walks is a must on every visit to Perth.

Zamia Trail

Beginning in the beautiful Bold Park, this city beach walk weaves through both city skyline and coastal trails.

Leighton Beach to Cottesloe

Starting in Fremantle and ending in Cottesloe, this is a picturesque, 5.5km walk for all fitness abilities.

Mosman Park Heritage Trail

Tucked between river and ocean, this walk will see you navigate the best bits of this cute little suburb.

Coogee Beach Trail

West Coast sunsets are hard to beat – and you’ll be rewarded with plenty on this trail . The 3km track starts from the Powell Road Carpark.

Perth coastal walks — There are coastal walks aplenty in Perth.

4. Watch the sunset

Speaking of those famous, jaw-dropping West Coast sunsets, be one of the last humans on the continent to see the sun before it sinks into the Indian Ocean.

There are a few places where Perthies get their sunset fix – all of which are equal in relaxing and breathtaking measure.

Zig Zag Scenic Drive

Arguably home to the best views over the Swan Coastal Plain and the panoramic CBD, Zig zag Scenic Drive in Gooseberry Hill is a must for a dose of those yellow-orange hues.

Kings Park

A picnic-lovers hotspot, the often boasted about King’s Park provides views over the bustling city centre, Elizabeth Quay and Swan River.

Scarborough Sunset Hill

The expansive foreshore of Scarborough’s beachfront is practically begging you to revel in a sunset. Take a seat on the grassy area overlooking the ocean below.

Bold Park Perry Lakes Drive

Located a mere stones throw from the CBD, this viewing point at the top of Red Hill gives you the chance to watch the sunset over Rottnest Island.

Scarborough sunset Perth — Sunset at Scarborough.

5. Take a day trip to Swan Valley

If green pastures and vast vineyard landscapes are your thing (as well as bottomless food and wine) then this is the day out for you. Just 25 minutes from Perth, Swan Valley is home to some great breweries and producers.

Drop into the visitors at Guilford and allow the helpful staff to plan a free itinerary for you. Whether that means visiting some famous estates, tiny cellar doors or perhaps just a spot for a picnic, they shall find something for you there that is free or next to nothing – if you can resist purchasing the food and wine that is.

Swan Valley Perth — Swan Valley is home to some greener pastures.

6. Visit the Bell Tower

Located at Barrack Square, The Bell Tower is one of the largest musical instruments on Earth.

Dating back to the 14th century, this historically significant site was custom built to house the historically significant bells of Saint Martin-in-the-Fields Church, the parish church of Buckingham Palace in Trafalgar Square, London.

A visit here grants tourists the opportunity to marvel at fascinating exhibitions of these famous bells and the ancient art of bell ringing, as well as stunning views of the Swan River from the sixth floor open air observation deck.

The Bell Tower is the only place in the world where you can view bell ringing in action – and you can even have a go yourself.

The Bell Tower Perth — Visit The Bell Tower.

7. Peruse the Fremantle Markets

In any other list, this would normally be the time where I would convince you of the prowess of the city’s plentiful market scene – however, I think the Fremantle Markets deserve a bullet point all on their own.

Built in 1897, the Fremantle Markets serve as the cultural fabric of the city and a visit here is a rite of passage for anyone who calls this city home. You can find over 150 stalls – both pop-up and permanent – hocking homewares, pottery, jewellery and vintage goods.

Foodies, convene at The Yard. Here you’ll find everything from paella to fresh fruit, cupcakes and homemade jams. And while it certainly does cost money to support local, it’s worth the trip here for the people watching alone.

8. And all the other markets, too

While Fremantle Markets command a lot of the attention, Perth is lucky enough to hold an abundance of markets, free for your perusing pleasure.

Subi Farmers Markets

Housed in Subiaco, one of Perth’s popular urban villages, these Farmers Markets are filled with friends, community and plenty of fresh food.

Perth City Farm

Sustainable shoppers unite at the Perth City Farm , a purveyor of all things organic, biodynamic and ethical.

Perth Upmarket

Held four times a year, this market showcases about 180 independent and handmade artists, craftspeople and food specialists.

Subiaco Perth — Subiaco is filled with community and plenty of fresh food.

Discover the perfect road trip stopover between Perth and wine country.

Western Australia punches above its weight when it comes to coastal hot spots, but no other town or city has seen a tourism boom quite like Mandurah. Named Australia’s Top Tourism Town in 2023 , it’s the relaxed, beachside break you’ve been searching for. And it’s perfectly placed, sitting between Margaret River and Perth, as it’s just a 55-minute drive from Perth’s CBD. Which is why we’ve put together your ultimate Mandurah guide.

Aerial view of Mandurah. — Plan your perfect coastal escape to Australia’s Top Tourism Town of 2023.

The best things to do in Mandurah

Wetlands and rivers, ocean and inlet; Mandurah’s laid-back lifestyle centres around the aquatic. Its waterways cover twice the ground of Sydney Harbour – measuring some 134 square kilometres in total – and form a unique environment for oceanic and estuarine flora and fauna to thrive.

In the city’s estuary lives perhaps the region’s most famed inhabitants – a resident pod of 100 bottlenose dolphins – and the inlet’s silty bottom is home to the prized blue manna crab. Spot the former breaching and playing on an hour-long dolphin cruise through the channels, or try your hand at catching the latter by wading through the estuary’s shallows with a scoop net in hand.

While swimming at the circular Kwillena Gabi Pool, chance encounters with the local wildlife aren’t uncommon. The sheltered estuarine pool takes its name from the traditional custodians of the land, the Bindjareb people, and directly translates to ‘dolphin waters’. Jutting out of the eastern foreshore, it’s enclosed by a ring of net-free floating pontoons, which allow the dolphins to swim freely through the attraction.

If that’s a little too close for comfort, book a kayak tour with Down Under Discoveries . The dolphins have been known to cruise beside the paddle-powered crafts, which are a fun, family-friendly way to explore the city’s inner waterways.

Dolphins swimming in Mandurah. — Watch dolphins glide by as you explore Mandurah.

You don’t have to be on the water to appreciate the coastal city’s aquatic beauty, with 600 kilometres of cycleways and scenic walking trails traversing Mandurah’s estuary, inlet and coast.

Follow the 30-kilometre coastal trail and you’ll come face to face with one of Thomas Dambo’s headline-making ‘Giants of Mandurah sculptures, Santi Ikto, along the way. There are five sculptures around Mandurah in total, hidden among gum-filled reserves or sitting sentry over the water.

Head to the Mandurah Visitor Centre to pick up a map to pinpoint their exact location and download the traveller’s companion to learn more about the sights along the way. Or join a three-hour e-bike tour from The Bike Kiosk and you’ll stop by two of the giants – Santi Ikto and Yaburgurt Winjan Cirkelstone – as you sightsee central Mandurah.

The towering Santi Ikto, one of Thomas Dambo’s iconic Giants of Mandurah. — Meet Santi Ikto, one of the legendary Giants of Mandurah.

Where to eat in Mandurah

Mandurah’s culinary scene reflects its laid-back lifestyle, with large, honest meals and locally brewed beer. After visiting Lake Clifton’s 2000-year-old thrombolites, head to the peppermint and gum-shaded beer garden at Thorny Devil Brewery . Tuck into a platter of house-smoked meats and an ale pulled fresh from the tanks. Closer to town and right on the waterfront is Boundary Island Brewery ; here, woodfired pizza, pub-style seafood dishes and easy-drinking brews are centre stage.

On a Murray River Lunch Cruise , the focus is as much on the environment around you as the food you’re filling up on. Help yourself to the colourful salads and freshly cooked meats on the buffet as you meander up the winding, jarrah tree-lined waterway, stopping at the heritage Cooper’s Mill for a quick walking tour along the way.

Keep your eyes trained on the Creery Wetlands as you pass – you’ll spot much of the region’s migratory birdlife, and, as always, might see the playful bottlenose dolphins in the inlet.

The most memorable meals aren’t necessarily always the fanciest, and lunch aboard a self-skippered Mandurah BBQ Boat is a testament to that. All food and beverage prep is left up to you as you cruise through the canals, sausages and steaks sizzling away on the central hot plate.

If seafood is more your kind of fare, board the Wild Seafood Experience , where dolphin cruise meets long table lunch. Eight courses of crab, crayfish and scallops await.

A table filled with plates of crab, crayfish, and scallops. — Dine on the water with eight courses of ocean-fresh fare.

Where to stay in Mandurah

With so many waterways comes abundant waterside stays. Like the self-contained Seashells Mandurah on the shores of Comet Bay. The calm, oceanic outlook from the one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and villas is as close to Maldivian as Mandurah gets. Families especially enjoy the property, bouncing between the protected cove and the beachfront pool for endless hours of fun.

The Sebel Mandurah , just a hop, skip and jump from the Mandurah Ocean Marina, has a different outlook entirely, overlooking the estuary and lively foreshore on the other side. It’s also within walking distance of the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre , cinema and a swathe of waterfront bars and eateries.

But you can’t get any closer to the water than on a vessel from Mandurah Houseboats . You don’t need a skipper’s ticket to hire one, nor do you need comprehensive boating experience; just a full driver’s license and your undivided attention during the pre-departure tuition will do. Then you’re free to take to the estuaries and tributaries for a few nights of peaceful rest, surrounded by the very element that makes Mandurah so special.

A houseboat cruising in Mandurah along the river — Captain a houseboat to explore Mandurah at your own pace.

Plan your next WA getaway in Mandurah.

8 of the best free things to do in Perth