72 Hour City Guide: Perth | Australian Traveller

A perfect day in Perth might involve museums, art galleries and historical attractions. But the best of the Wild West can also be found everywhere from its hip hangouts to a lazy lap of the Swan River.

What to expect in Perth

The city of Perth straddles the Swan River, which snakes east to west through the middle of the WA capital. The most isolated city in the world is located in the ancient country of the Whadjuk Nyoongar people, and has the Indian Ocean on one side and Australian outback on the other.

While once regarded as a big country town, Perth’s plethora of restaurants, pubs, bars, night markets, galleries, cafes, theatres and festivals has repositioned it as a destination that is now as worldly as it is working class. Perth’s rebirth has seen the city expand outwards from the original settlement on the Swan River where the CBD and Port Of Fremantle are situated.

It’s continued with an abundance of new and refurbished properties, such as the Vibe Hotel, Subiaco, The Adnate Perth – Art Series, Quay Perth, Doubletree by Hilton, The Westin, The Ritz Carlton, Como The Treasury and Aloft Perth.

Hyde Perth Kitchen + Cocktails at The Adnate in Perth — Hyde Perth Kitchen + Cocktails at The Adnate Perth – Art Series. (Credit: Damien Smith)

See the scenic side of Perth with Captain Cook Cruises, which skirts the Swan River between Perth and Fremantle past the city’s Bell Tower, The Old Swan Brewery Precinct and Royal Perth Yacht Club.

Don’t miss the Swan River landmark the Crawley Edge Boatshed in Perth. (Credit: Tourism Western Australia)

Visit the snazzy new waterfront development of Elizabeth Quay, located on the Swan River and in the heart of the CBD, or join Perth locals making the pilgrimage to hip hubs such as Subiaco and Mount Hawthorn. Getting to know Perth’s laid-back and outdoorsy side means finding an expanse of lawn and some live entertainment.

Headlining the city’s cultural calendar is Perth Festival, the oldest arts festival in the southern hemisphere. Also worth pencilling in is Perth International Jazz Festival, St Jerome’s Laneway Festival, Fremantle International Street Art Festival, Perth Comedy Festival and Rottofest.

The city’s sophistication also shines at WA Museum Boola Bardip, located in the Perth Cultural Centre and a great place to get a feel for the influence of Indigenous culture on WA’s visual art offerings.

Join Two Feet And A Heartbeat for a progressive dinner and bar crawl to discover the city’s hidden dive bars, revitalised pubs and atmospheric eateries.

Perth has 19 metropolitan beaches, but its proximity to Rottnest Island is what put it on the world map for being home to the quokka, ‘the happiest animal in the world’. Perth is also renowned for its vineyards and valleys: head to Bickley Valley, Guildford and the Swan Valley for the best of them.

Swim at Little Salmon Bay, Rottnest Island. (Credit: Tourism Western Australia)

How to spend 72 hours in Perth

Beachside Fare

Odyssea at City Beach, Clancy’s Fish Bar and Hamptons City Beach are three top spots to take in the ambient sounds of the Indian Ocean while watching the waves roll in on the West Australian coast.

Cellar Doors

Some of WA’s oldest vineyards and newest cellar doors are located within easy reach of Perth. Drop a pin using your map app and plot a course to Oakover Wines, Pinelli Estate Wines and Olive Farm Wines.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

Visit Rottnest

Hire a bicycle and take it on the ferry to Rottnest Island, where you can cycle, swim, snorkel, and commune with the local population of quokkas, peacocks and pelicans. Stay overnight at The Samphire.

Elizabeth Quay

Perth’s newish precinct, Elizabeth Quay, has added some sparkle to its CBD. Choose between a range of elegant restaurants and casual cafes dotted along the river such as The Reveley or V Burger Bar.

Cottesloe

The Cott, as Cottesloe Beach is known colloquially, is popular with everyone from surfers to swimmers. There is also some great snorkelling to be had at North Cottesloe Beach.

Best places to stay in Perth

Affordable

The Vibe Hotel in Subiaco is near to a string of fashion boutiques and galleries.

Moderate

The Adnate, Perth – Art Series Hotels is a draw for arty types with its 25-storey mural.

The Adnate Perth – Art Series mural — Mural at The Adnate Perth – Art Series. (Credit: Damien Smith)

Luxe

Perth does posh well with Como The Treasury, the most indulgent digs in town.

Where to eat in Perth

Good food and wine permeates every aspect of life in the Western Australian capital so dive in headfirst with a visit to Wildflower, at Como The Treasury, where you can pull back the curtains and peep at the fine dining scene in Perth.

You can also eat like royalty downstairs at Long Chim, and at Silks in the Crown Metropol. Balthazar is another Perth institution, while Petition inside the State Buildings is a popular place to play ‘spot the politician’.

In country Australia, a ‘cooee’ is a call to gain attention, which is exactly what’s happening at the restaurant of the same name located on the site of the Old Swan Brewery.

Go for Albany rock oysters and Geraldton emperor at Cooee Perth, which is also open for Sunday brunch. For a more international focus, go for a wander down William Street or Washing Lane in Northbridge.

Out on the town in Northbridge, Perth. (Credit: Tourism Western Australia)

The Ramen Lab in Mount Lawley and Pinchos in Leederville also nod to Perth’s rich cultural heritage as does the pocket-sized French restaurant P’tite Ardoise Bistro, perfect for a romantic dinner.

An hour’s drive away, Flics Kitchen has put Mandurah on the map for foodies.

Weekly travel news, experiences
insider tips, offers, and more.

What to do in Perth

Head to the hip hubs of Mount Lawley, Leederville and Victoria Park to flit from vintage fashion boutiques and independent design stores to cafes and bars trending on Instagram.

Visit Scarborough on a Thursday night to check out the Sunset Markets where you can find everything from ceramics to jewellery, funky wares and food.

Scarborough Beach in Perth. (Credit: Tourism Western Australia)

Next, don’t miss the new $400 million WA Museum Boola Bardip, the living museum that celebrates WA’s rich Indigenous heritage. A day spent wandering around the boho enclave of Freo is also compulsory.

Best walks in Perth

You will find the paths in Kings Park full of Perth locals who climb the Jacob’s Ladder stairs for views of the Swan and Canning Rivers and Darling Ranges.

In addition to the beach walks to suit every mood, walk to Lions Lookout in Lesmurdie to get a great perspective over Perth. If you’re feeling adventurous, set out for Ellis Brook Valley Reserve where you will find Sixty Foot Falls and (seasonal) carpets of wildflowers.

Don’t miss: Northbridge

Northbridge is a Perth suburb that pulses with energy. You can start the day with morning yoga on a rooftop, followed by coffee at Flora & Fauna Laneway Cafe and lunch at Japanese pancake joint, Kumokumo. After carb-loading at Francoforte Spaghetti Bar enjoy a nightcap at No Mafia.

A Delish Ice pop-up in Northbridge. (Credit: Tourism Western Australia)

Conscious Traveller tip

The World Indigenous Tourism Summit is being held in Perth in 2021.

That’s huge news for the Noongar people, who have lived in the south-west of Western Australia for the last 45,000 years. Learn about Perth’s precincts from an Indigenous perspective with Go Cultural Aboriginal Tours & Experiences.

With unhurried mornings, long, sun-filled afternoons, evenings shaped around sunset, this iconic beach offers an all-day experience (and it’s about to get even better).

As the sun slowly rises over the languid waves and fine sand of Broome’s Cable Beach, the morning colours shift from rich apricot to pale gold and frosty pearl. Remnants of life reveal themselves in the subtle shadows – crab claw marks, towel impressions, footprints. Life here is unhurried, but don’t be fooled. This town is continually shifting like the desert dunes that surround it.

And with a $75 million upgrade – offering easier and more inclusive access for people of all abilities – it’s getting even better.

Cable Beach upgrade foreshore redevelopment stage 1 — Discover the Cable Beach redevelopment.

The addition of comfortable and welcoming spaces has begun (and will continue). This means visitors will be able to spend longer enjoying this beautiful environment, while knowing that the upgrade will create a more environmentally protected setting that preserves the natural character visitors come for. Come sunset, soak it in all the better thanks to the already improved foreshore areas, made for lingering while the light changes. And for the kids, a new splash park and accessible dry playground will make it easy to while away the hours.

Think you know what a day at this beach is like? Think again.

Morning colours

car on cable beach at sunrise — Cable Beach comes alive after sunrise. (Credit: Tourism WA)

As the sun colours the sky, Cable Beach shows signs of life (and not just the aquatic kind). Locals and visitors alike float in the cool water as it laps the shore, landlubbers explore the coast on foot, runners pace and beachside yoga classes bring quiet movement to the day.

When the sky is blue and the sun is firmly in position, head down to the well-known Cable Beach House for a long, slow breakfast overlooking the ocean. Think fresh tropical fruit, eggs cooked your way and strong coffee in the warm morning breeze.

Afternoon adventures

camel train on cable beach in broome at sunset — Join a camel train at sunset. (Credit: C J Maddock)

When you’re ready to explore, carve a path along the Minyirr Park Trail – a gentle 1.5-2km track through coastal bushland with spectacular views of the dunes. Refuel at the nearby Spinifex Brewery for lunch with its low-key, outdoor beer garden. There’s even an outdoor playground if you’re travelling with young humans.

Walk off your lazy lunch by watching (or joining) one of the beach soccer or volleyball games, or even try Silent Beats Broome – a silent walking disco through the dunes. Or book a spot on the famous camel trains, watching the sun drop below the horizon along the way. They’re a constant reminder of the fascinating history, landscape and cultural mix in this part of the country.

Evening degustation

server at Cable Beach Club — Stop into the Cable Beach Club. (Credit: Tourism WA)

As the day closes, watch the world-famous Cable Beach sunset from the appropriately named Sunset Grill at Cable Beach Club. This open-air terraced dining spot overlooking the beach is the kind of place where the view takes centre stage.

While you sip on a lychee, lime & lemonade mocktail or a local beer, enjoy the bustle of life and nature outside as the day comes to an end.

For dinner, nab a table at the Bali Hai Cafe, where they offer pan-fried crispy barramundi, Abrolhos Island scallops and deep-sea snow crab. When you’re ready for bed, check in to Pinctada Hotel Broome – a lush, tropical resort with palm-dotted gardens and a large, lagoon-style pool to cool off in.

Beyond the beach

Beyond the wide, open beach and never-ending sky of Cable Beach, there are many more reasons to visit North West Australia. These are just a few.

Unmatched experiences

Shinju Matsuri Festival's popular Long Table Dinner on cable beach — Join Shinju Matsuri Festival’s popular Long Table Dinner. (Credit: Tourism WA)

Engage with the history of the land and its people on an Indigenous cultural tour exploring everything from the local wildlife to the tastes of bush tucker. To understand the importance of pearling to this town, take a tour of Chinatown, or head outside of town to the live pearl harvests at Willie Creek or Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm, one of Australia’s oldest pearl farms.

Learn why Japanese pearlers were central to Broome’s pearling success and visit the largest Japanese cemetery in Australia, where 900 Japanese pearlers were buried – a testament to the risks and rewards of this dangerous profession.

And book ahead every spring for when communal tables, freshly cooked local fare and festoon lighting fill the beach for the extremely popular Long Table Dinner on Cable Beach. It’s a highlight of the Shinju Matsuri Festival, along with the Floating Lanterns Matsuri, where you can personalise a lantern and gently release it into the sea to honour those you love.

Dining discoveries

Further your culinary adventure at the laid-back Sunday Sesh at Matso’s Broome Brewery. Chow down on smoked crocodile or Aussie barramundi while kicking back to a local DJ as the heat of the day fades.

For more tunes, the beautiful outdoor Bay Club at the Mangrove Hotel is a great choice for dinner with live music, DJs or an event that stretches on into the early hours. Still hungry? Pop by Johnny Sausage for Italian-influenced meals paired with impeccable wines.

Natural beauties

Gantheaume Point cabnle beach broome — Experience the striking colours of Gantheaume Point. (Credit: Tourism WA)

Avoid the crowds and head to Town Beach for a quieter vantage point to see the phenomenal Staircase to the Moon – a natural illusion where the rising full moon is reflected on the tidal flats, creating a shimmering ‘staircase’ stretching up to the sky.

Just south of Cable Beach are the deep red cliffs and dramatic ocean views of Gantheaume Point, where 130-million-year-old dinosaur footprints can be seen, revealed at low tide. Or head to Roebuck Bay to visit the internationally significant wetlands, where vast tidal flats are home to shorebirds and coastal fauna.

Between October and March, watch turtles nesting and hatchlings emerge from the sand. You’ll be holding your breath as they make their way down to the shoreline, ready to start their life in one of Australia’s most beautiful landscapes.

For more on Cable Beach and Australia’s North West, visit australiasnorthwest.com.

City guide: 72 hours in Perth

A perfect day in Perth might involve museums, art galleries and historical attractions. But the best of the Wild West can also be found everywhere from its hip hangouts to a lazy lap of the Swan River.

What to expect in Perth