
As some of you might be aware, I’ve been out of the country recently, visiting family on the other side of the world. Perth in Western Australia, to be precise.
This is a short review of Perth itself, but there will be more to follow about Fremantle.
Perth
I think Perth is one of the nicest cities I have ever visited. It’s so clean and well laid out, with wide, open pedestrianised streets, a lack of smog and importantly, sunshine!
While in Perth, I took a tour of the City Mint, where I watched a gold bar being produced; paused to enjoy the silence of St Mary’s Cathedral and wandered past the Swan Bells.
If you have time, I thoroughly recommend taking a walk round King’s Park too. Larger than Central Park in New York, you can walk for miles, watching parrots flying between the trees and discovering pretty fountains.
The war memorial in King’s Park definitely has the best views of Perth, straight down the Swan River, with sky scrapers on one side and houses on the other. It’s definitely worth coming up here at night too, because it’s such a peaceful spot and you can see the city all lit up.
If you want a good night out, try the Burswood Complex just outside Perth. Comprised of a theatre, casino and restaurant, there’s plenty to do. We tried Carvers smorgasbord restaurant inside the casino, which was surprisingly good. The food was well-cooked with there was endless choice. The chocolate fountain was definitely a highlight though!
While staying in Perth, I got to learn more about Australian Football (Aussie Rules) too, which is a fast-paced and often brutal sport. I just missed out on the Final between Collingwood and St Kilda, but the pilot of our plane announced the result on our way home.
To follow, a brief guide to Fremantle.