Discover Perth’s gems as Mark McGowan reopens the border: things to do in the WA capital
Here are 10 reasons to explore Western Australia’s capital to mark the state’s reopening.
For east-coast residents visiting Western Australia, the opportunity to watch the sun sink over the horizon is a novel one to be savoured. Thanks to Covid, I recently had the chance to enjoy the spectacle on repeat. In March last year, I slipped across the Western Australian border for a quick trip. As lockdowns gripped the rest of the country, I cancelled my return flight and carried on travelling around the state until I settled in South Fremantle.
To mark Western Australia’s border reopening today, find 10 exceptional experiences to inspire your next trip to Perth.
Watch sunset at Cottesloe Beach Hotel
Every evening during my time in Western Australia, I watched the sunset over the Indian Ocean at a much more civilised time than I used to watch the sunrise over the Pacific. Perth’s most iconic spot for this essential activity is Cottesloe Beach Hotel. Scarborough is another contender, especially after a $100m makeover transformed the foreshore into a pedestrian-friendly square with a grassy knoll, helpfully named Sunset Hill. For a quieter scene with some rocky landscape, head up the road to Trigg Beach, North Beach or Watermans Bay.
Sample local seafood at Cooee
There’s something hypnotic about the stillness of the Swan River. In prime position for this calming effect is Cooee, the dining debut of Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest’s Tattarang, led by Thomas Haynes (formerly of Sydney’s Barangaroo House, Chiswick and Aria). Akoya, a Leeuwin Coast delicacy on the seafood-heavy menu, is gently confit in olive oil and thyme, and served in the half shell. Albany rock oysters, charred Fremantle octopus and the leek and jalapeño croquettes are other standouts. When I return for a riverside breakfast to this Old Swan Brewery site, I almost have the place to myself. Afterwards, cross the street to Kings Park for a scenic stroll through one of the largest and loveliest city parks in the world.
Take a walking tour with a twist
It might sound cheesy but the Fromage Walking Tour is a tasty way to explore the city’s main streets. The trail of treats begins at the deli of your dreams, Kakulas Brothers (established 1929), which is like an indoor bazaar crammed with sacks of spices, grains and teas surrounded by healthfoods, smallgoods and cheeses. At Yagan Square, more cheese and chocolate samples are presented, before we embark, unexpectedly, on a bar crawl with cheese on the side. At The Flour Factory, a former flour mill, we spin a wheel to select a gin cocktail, and at COMO The Treasury, we sip wine in the historic State Buildings’ Postal Hall. Underground is a martini, oyster and jazz bar – my favourite things in one classy place – called Pooles Temple; $110 a person including drinks and nibbles.
Barbecue-hop in the suburbs
To get out of the city, the Low and Slow BBQ Tour ventures into the suburbs, revealing Perth’s trend of American-style barbecue joints. This is a novel way to discover Highgate and East Victoria Park, while comparing the flavours and juiciness of 16-hour brisket, pulled pork, smoked beans and ribs. Frank’s Texas Smokehouse, in an old used-car yard, has retained the outdoor signage and mechanics’ outdoor wash basins, which are convenient after eating juicy ribs with your hands. At Porkie’s, in Bayswater, we gain tips about slow-cooked beef from the owner, who is a Bachelor of Barbecue Science and was trained in Kansas by the world’s most accomplished pitmaster. Side Door BBQ, in Highgate, serves sweeter pulled pork, cornbread and key lime pie. Great value at $89, this fun day out includes far too much food and a couple of drinks, such as whiskey infused with peanut butter. Visit Up Close and Local Tours for more.
Glimpse treasures at Perth Mint
Oh, the irony. Perth Mint has gone cashless. These days, it’s into precious metals, collectable coins and jewellery. That said, a credit card also won’t cut it when buying gold bullion bars. On my visit, I hear a customer trying to charge $74,000 for a 1kg purchase. (“Bank transfer only, sir.”) On display is the world’s largest gold coin, a one-tonne, 80cm-wide Australian Kangaroo, worth more than $90m on the day of my visit. Founded in 1899 to refine the gold discovered in WA, Australia’s oldest operating mint has retained one furnace in the original melt house, where visitors can watch a smelter pour liquid gold to make a shiny new bar. The renovated boutique has a new Pink Diamond Room, where the sales assistant almost convinces me that a half-million-dollar ring is a better, low-maintenance investment than property.
Get sky-high
If the AFL Grand Final sparked your interest in the Optus Stadium, book a rooftop tour on game day, where you can watch the footy from the highest seats, 42m above the ground. This year, a new viewing platform will extend beyond the edge of the roof, allowing people to walk out over the field of play. Next door, Matagarup Bridge Climb opened last year, offering another sky-high vista. Wearing a harness, we climb up the stairs to reach the vantage point over the Swan River, while two guides share fun facts about the city. For a fast way down, the 400m zip line delivers you to the eastern river bank.
Practice yoga at the museum
A 123-year-old blue whale skeleton is suspended in a dynamic lunge-feeding position inside the WA Boola Bardip Museum. This might explain why people are holding a lunge pose underneath it during a Saturday morning yoga class ($20 tickets available online). Entry is free to this vast museum, which reopened last year after a major expansion. Indigenous culture and history are weaved through all the exhibitions, rather than shoved in one section, with a $10 guided tour also available to learn more about the state’s Aboriginal people, their spirituality and achievements.
Toast to Perth’s reopening
Managing to deliver a sophisticated brand of Australiana is the Ritz-Carlton’s fifth-floor Songbird Bar & Lounge. Open to the public, the outdoor terrace has a fancy fire-pit with a circular lounge. It’s an elegant interpretation of sitting around the campfire, with views of the skyline, river and Elizabeth Quay. Colourful cocktails are inspired by native birds such as the blue wren and rainbow lorikeet, but the irresistible order is the namesake Songbird, served in the cutest custom-made glass shaped like a WA swan.
Indulge in a spa treatment
A delightful discovery has been Bodhi, where I escape for beauty and wellness treatments. The Marta Kodo massage uses warm Guberra rocks from the Kimberley region and starts with a smoking ritual inspired by traditional Indigenous healing. The brand has four locations in Perth, and the Cottesloe spa is a beautiful space to be pampered before heading to the beach for that west-coast sunset. The Highgate venue was refurbished in September and has a private garden to continue relaxing in outside. Bodhi Qantas at Perth International Airport has temporarily closed, but let’s hope it reopens soon.
Sleep in style
I have stayed in almost every five-star property in Perth, but the smaller Alex Hotel is a favourite for its affordability, independent vibe and rooftop terrace. Guests can borrow bicycles, but it’s only steps away from the cultural centre of museums, theatres, galleries and Northbridge’s Chinatown. The lobby cafe serves a good breakfast and freshly roasted coffee, and the mezzanine has a lounge area, record player and a self-serve kitchen with free tea and muffins. A few doors down is a fantastic foodie find, Double Rainbow Bar & Eating House. Sit at the counter to watch the chefs in action, before strolling back to your bed.
Louise Goldsbury was a guest of Tourism Australia.