Perth, Western Australia

View of the Perth skyline
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Perth_foreshore_panorama.jpg
Author: Thewinchester
photo licensing

Perth is the capital of the state of Western Australia. With a population of 1.6 million people, it is the fourth largest city in Australia after Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Perth was founded on 12 June, 1829 by Captain James Stirling, who had already decided on calling a settlement Perth, probably in honour of Sir George Murray, the then Secretary of State for the Colonies, who was born in Perth, Scotland.

The site for Perth is on the north bank of the Swan River, 19 kilometers upriver from the port city of Fremantle, which was founded a few months earlier, on 25 April, 1829. For an Australian city, Perth is extremely far from other major Australian metropolitan areas. It is in fact closer to Singapore than to Sydney.

View of London Court in foreground and BankWest Tower in the background, at Hay Street Mall, Perth
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BankWest_Tower_with_London_Court.jpg
Author: Pascal Subtil
photo licensing

The climate of Perth can be classified as Mediterranean. It is characterized by seasonal rainfall. The summers, which run from December to late March are hot and dry, but not devoid of rain. Warmest months are January and February, with daily high temperatures averaging 31.5°C (89°F). There is occasional thunderstorms during the summer. The winters are cool and wet. The wettest months in Perth are between May and September. Coldest months are July to August, when the average temperature may drop to 8°C (46°F).

The Central Business District, or CBD, of Perth is where you find most of the businesses and shopping centre. The Northbridge neighbourhood is a major entertainment precinct.

Wesley Church in Perth, Western Australia
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wesley_Church_001.jpg
Author: Dingo dude
photo licensing

Travel to Perth

Perth Airport (PER) is the main gateway for most tourists and visitors to the city. There are three terminals. Terminal 1 is the international terminal. It is located some 10 km from the two domestic terminals, Terminal 2 and 3.

You can transfer between terminals using the hourly Connect bus. The bus is exclusively for passengers transferring to flights on the same day. You must show your itinerary to ride the bus. Passengers flying Qantas, One World or Qantas code-share can get complimentary transfer voucher at the Qantas Ticketing Counter for a free ride. Other passengers have to pay the fare of A$8.

There are shuttle buses from all the three terminals to downtown Perth. The fare is A$15 per person. It may be cheaper to take a taxi if you're in a group of two or more, as the taxi fare is A$30 for the same journey.

There are public buses to the domestic terminals. They only cost A$3.60 to go to the Perth Esplanade Busport or the Midland train station.

View of the ocean at Mullaloo Beach, a suburb of Perth
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mullaloo_Beach.jpg
Author: Agrobert
photo licensing

Travel within Perth

The public transport operator in Perth is Transperth, which runs the buses and trains. You can get details also by calling their Infocentres at 13 62 13. Buses running within the Free Transit Zone are free of charge. This zone extends north to Newcastle Street and west to Kings Park.

Places of Interest in Perth

Barracks Archway
Remains of the 1863 barracks that housed the soldiers managing the convict colony.
Perth Cultural Centre
Complex housing the Art Gallery of Western Australia, the Perth Institute of Contemporary Art and the State Library.
Western Australian Museum
Museum within the historic precinct that includes the Old Perth Gaol, and one of the colony's first homes, the Roe Street Cottage.
St George's Anglican Cathedral
Mother church of the Anglican Diocese of Perth, consecrated in 1888.
Perth Mint
Facility to refine gold from the gold fields of Western Australia, stands today as Australia's oldest operating mint.
Fire Brigade Museum
The old fire station that today houses exhibits related to the fire services.
Swan Bells Tower
Bell tower with 12 bells from London's St Martin-in-the-Fields Church .

Sights in Greater Perth

Kings Park
400-hectare park comprising both wild and cultivated parkland, with scenic views of Perth.
Aquarium of Western Australia (AQWA)
Magnificent aquarium complex with transparent observation tunnel.
Museum of Childhood
Museum on the history of childhood in Australia.
Sunset Coast
A stretch of 30 km of sandy beaches.
Perth Zoo
International-standard zoo with attractions including a Nocturnal House, Australian walkabout and an African savannah exhibit.
Hills Forest
A conservation and recreation area in the Darling Range.
Whiteman Park
A park with crafts village and motor museum, among others.

Excursions from Perth

Rottnest Island
An island of scenic beauty and rich bird life, reachable by ferry from Perth.
Fremantle
Historic port city of Western Australia, with many sights of its own.

Back to Discover Australia

Latest updates on Penang Travel Tips

Discover with Timothy YouTube Channel

PG Food Channel

Learn Penang Hokkien YouTube Channel

SojiMart Videos

Latest from Discover with Timothy: Gurney Bay - what to see and do there

About this website

Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.

Robbie's Roadmap

Terms & Condition of Use | Privacy Policy