9 Of The Best Things To Do In Northbridge, Perth

Perth’s misfit district, Northbridge, has matured into a hipster’s paradise that buzzes well into the night. Having long loved its many facets, Fleur Bainger revisits.

Perth’s Northbridge is a place that divides people. Locals who have never been to the inner-city hub are put off by its reputation as a seedy zone that attracts society’s fringe-dwellers.

Those who do frequent its street art-splashed laneways, bars and boutiques are puzzled by the bogeyman hype, revelling in the creative spirit that mainstream neglect often gives rise to.

Much like Sydney’s Kings Cross and Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley, Northbridge’s rough edges have been softened. Its sex shops, strip clubs, beer barns and kebab takeaways still exist, but a low-grade gentrification has seen small bars with a cool-but-communal feel sneak into buildings with long backstories.

Home-grown designers sell their wares in rehabilitated shop spaces and restaurants inhabit former Chinese laundries, hairdressers and knock shops. But if you turned back the clock 188 years, you’d find nothing but freshwater swampland here.

Traditionally used by aboriginal Noongar people for food and ceremony, the saturated earth was leveraged by early Chinese arrivals for market gardens in the mid-19th century. The interconnected lake system even dictated the early suburb’s grid, with streets angled to accommodate the waterways.

In the 1860s, convict labour was used to drain them and permanent settlement began. The feverish 1890s gold rush fuelled the construction of grand hotels, WA’s first shopping arcade, elite private schools and enviable residences housing the wealthy, including the state’s Attorney-General.

Greek and Macedonian immigration before the First World War fuelled Northbridge’s multicultural flavour just as the upper class was moving out to Perth’s river-gazing western suburbs. Gambling dens, clubs, cafes and restaurants joined their grocery stores as the Italian wave hit the inner city after the Second World War, setting in motion the area’s reputation for entertainment.

All the while, Asian butchers, grocers, herbalists, bakeries and restaurants were popping up along William and Roe Streets, creating the Chinatown that still exists today.

In the meantime, here’s what else you should check out when you go..

1. Flora & Fauna

food vegan flowers perth — Flora & Fauna combine beautiful flowers with a vegan cafe that is perfect for you next Instagram upload (photo: @walkwithmoi).

What do you get when a former florist opens a pocket-sized vegan cafe?

The sort of edible flower-topped dishes that will send your Instagram feed into meltdown.

Try the French Canadian toast with real maple syrup, easily justified when you spy the mountain of berries and herbs it’s served with.

Everything’s made to order, pumped out of an open kitchen measuring less than 10 square metres, with eclectic upcycled seating dotting an easy-to-miss laneway.

2. Chicho Gelato

ice cream exotic flavours fremantle — Chico Gelato flavour mash-ups are as creative as one of Vincent Van Gough’s artworks.

Prickly pear foraged from Fremantle. Malted milk and cornflake cookie.

Lemon myrtle and roast macadamia.

Yep, the flavours at this artisan gelatEria are as crazy-town as they are tasty.

Aside from being insanely creative with their from-scratch ingredient mash-ups, the cute couple behind Chicho Gelato hold monthly chef collaborations to ensure their gelato goes further off the grid.

Hands down the best icy treat in Perth (and yes, get the melted chocolate cone).

3. Sneaky Tony’s

rum bar drinks Perth — Sneaking into Sneaky Tony’s is no easy feat, especially if you forgot the password.

Step one: find the unmarked black door hidden around the back of sister eatery, Pleased to Meet You.

Step two: knock. Step three: give the night’s password through the peephole slot (tip: it’s posted to Facebook, necessary on weekends only).

The challenge of getting in to this speakeasy rum bar only adds to the fun.

4. The Standard

Bar rooftop bar Perth — The spectacular view from The Standard Bar will have you skyscraper gazing.

A laneway entrance, rooftop views and a bar in a sea container: The Standard ticks a lot of boxes.

The kitchen’s mod-Oz fare is best eaten atop said sea container while gazing at skyscrapers and topping up tumblers with jugs of lime sherbet-pimped punch.

5. Alex Hotel

cultural centre hotel location perth — Alex Hotel’s, very un-hotel style get our thumbs up. Oh and check out their upstairs funky rooftop bar (photo: Anson Smart).

Better located hotels are hard to find, particularly ones that have an honour system wine bar, designer interiors and midday check-out.

In its un-hotel style, Alex Hotel is all about communal spaces (like the funky rooftop) so rooms are compact.

Explore nearby Perth Cultural Centre by day, and slink into Alex’s sexy restaurant, Shadow, by night. Check out our guide to accommodation in Perth for more.

6. William Topp

gifts presents jewellery towels toys — Gift shop William Topp houses everything an indie person would dream about (photo: @williamtopp).

Totally worth the stroll, gift shop William Topp is at the northern end of William Street, and is brimming with thoughtfully sourced treasures.

Think handcrafted ceramics, Third Drawer Down tea towels stretched onto frames, retro board games, soft wood kids’ toys and Elk jewellery.

7. Periscope

William street fashion vintage designer boutiques — Periscope Store is a must visit for vintage fashion on William Street, Perth.

William Street blends wonderful vintage fashion with edgy designer boutiques, but if you could only visit one, make it Periscope.

Having relocated from luxe brand strip King Street, it brings elegant tailoring, expert draping and classic silhouettes to Northbridge’s shabby-chic uniform.

More individual than trendy, it houses its own label among local, Australian and international designers.

8. Northbridge Piazza

movies food srinks bar wi-fi perth Northbridge Piazza — Beanbags, light up seating, outdoor movie screenings and brewpub on the side, Northbridge Piazza has it all!

Free fitness classes, big-screen outdoor flicks for nix, complimentary beanbags on the grass and glowing pouf seating.

If that’s not enough to get you excited, there’s also a brewpub on one side of the green, Northbridge Brewing Co., and the entire zone enjoys free wi-fi. #winning.

This remote corner of Australia is one of the world’s last frontiers. This is how to see it properly.

Vast, rugged and deeply spiritual, the Kimberley coast in Australia’s North West feels a world away from everyday Australia – and there are countless ways to explore it. But if you want to reach ancient rock art, hidden gorges and lonely waterfalls, it has to be by boat. Whether you’re aboard a nimble expedition vessel or a luxury yacht with all the trimmings, exploring by the water brings exclusive experiences, shows unique views and makes travel easier than any other mode. And that’s just the beginning of Australia’s North West cruises.

The True North Adventure Cruise in between sandstone cliffs. — Adventure starts where the road ends.

1. Discover Broome, and beyond

Explore your launchpad before you set sail: Broome. Here camels and their riders stride along the 22 kilometres of powdery Cable Beach at sunset. That’s just the start.

At Gantheaume Point, red pindan cliffs plunge into the turquoise sea, whose low tide uncovers fossilised dinosaur footprints. Broome’s pearling history runs deep. Japanese, Chinese, Malay and Aboriginal divers once worked these waters, and their legacy lives on in boutiques where South Sea pearls still shine.

If the moon’s right, you may catch the Staircase to the Moon over Roebuck Bay. Or simply kick back with a cold beverage and a film under the stars at Sun Pictures , screening since 1916.

Ride a camel along Cable Beach as the sun sinks into the Indian Ocean, casting golden light across the sand and sea. — Ride a camel along Cable Beach. (Image: Nick Dunn)

2. Unmatched access to The Kimberley

Once you’re onboard, expect a backstage pass to some of the most isolated places on Earth. No roads. No ports. No phone reception.

At Horizontal Falls/ Garaanngaddim, 10-metre tides surge through twin gorges like a natural waterpark ride that’ll make your palms sweat. Then there’s Montgomery Reef/ Yowjab: a giant living platform of coral and seagrass, where the sea pulls back to reveal waterfalls, sea turtles and ospreys.

Up north, King George Falls/ Oomari rage 80 metres down red cliffs. Zodiac boats often nudge in closer so you can feel the spray on your sun-warmed cheeks. You might even fly in to reach Mitchell Falls/ Punamii-unpuu, a four-tiered cascade where you can swim in freshwater pools above the drop.

Come spring, some itineraries veer west to Rowley Shoals: an atoll chain of white sand and reef walls. Then it’s up the winding Prince Regent River to King Cascade/ Maamboolbadda, tumbling over rock terraces, and into a Zodiac to view the Gwion Gwion rock art, whose slender, ochre-painted figures are older than the pyramids.

A cruise drifts beneath King George Falls, where sheer sandstone cliffs frame the thunderous plunge into turquoise waters. — Get closer to the Kimberley than ever before.

3. Taste the Kimberley with onboard hospitality

You might spend your days clambering over slippery rocks or charging past waterfalls. But when you’re back on the water, it’s a different story. Meals are chef-prepared and regionally inspired: grilled barramundi, pearl meat sashimi, mango tarts, and bush tomato chutney. One night it’s barefoot beach barbecues with your shipmates; the next, alfresco dining on the ship.

Small expedition ships each have their own personality, but many carry just 12 to 36 guests, making being out on the water a whole other experience. You might sink into a spa on the foredeck or sip coffee in a lounge while watching crocodiles cruise by. It’s choose-your-own-relaxation, Kimberley style.

4. Expert-led excursions through the Kimberley

These voyages are led by people who know the Kimberley like the back of their sunburnt hand. Attenborough-esque naturalists might gently tap your shoulder to point out rare birds or tell the story beneath a slab of rock. Historians can explain exactly how that rusted World War II relic came to rest here.

If your ship has a helipad, you might chopper straight to a waterfall-fed swimming hole. If not, you’ll still be hopping ashore for that wet landing at a secret creek.

Then come the evenings: songlines shared by Traditional Owners under the stars, or astronomy sessions that link what’s overhead with what’s underfoot and what’s within.

A small group glides through Kimberley’s rugged coastline by boat, passing ancient cliffs. — Explore with naturalists and historians by your side.

5. Relax in luxurious lodgings

Just because you’re off-grid doesn’t mean you have to rough it. These Kimberley vessels are small in size, but mighty in luxury. True North’s ships come with their own helicopters and a no-sea-days policy, so you’re always in the thick of it. Try the luxurious offerings from Ocean Dream Charters for exploration in style. Kimberley Quest offers a fast boat for easy, off-ship adventures. On the larger end of the scale, Coral Expeditions has open-deck bars and curated wine cellars. And then there’s Ponant’s luxury yachts – sleek and incredibly stylish French sailing yachts.

A helicopter soars above the sea, with a sleek cruise ship gliding in the distance. — See the Kimberley from sky to shore.

6. The adventure continues with pre- and post-cruise experiences

You’ve already come this far – so, why not go further? Broome makes it easy to ease in before you board, or wind down when your voyage ends, and there is no reason to stop there.

Head an hour and a half south to Eco Beach to stay off-grid and off the clock. Join a Yawuru guide for a mangrove walk or ocean forage. Dive even deeper into Broome’s pearling past at Willie Creek or Cygnet Bay, where divers and craftspeople still pull the seawater-slicked gems from the deep.

If you’re still craving adventure, it’s time to go further. Soar over the Buccaneer Archipelago, or detour inland with a 4WD trip along the Gibb River Road. Book a scenic flight over the Bungle Bungles. Or – because you never know when you’ll be back – do all three.

aerial of people walking on eco beach in the kimberley western australia — Stay off grid at Eco Beach. (Image: Tourism WA)

Find out more about your trip to Australia’s North West at australiasnorthwest.com .

8 of the best things to do in Northbridge, Perth