Perth, Western Australia

- November 07, 2017

Perth has developed from a small, isolated city, to a big pulsating city with over one and a half million inhabitants, thanks to the mining boom in Western Australia It is the state's capital and the fastest growing city in Australia. Because Perth has expanded recently it is modern and neat with skyscrapers perched on both banks of the Swan River. Like most places in Australia, the Perth region has a rich aboriginal history. Nyoongar people called this a home for more than 40,000 years and until the British arrived and settled in the early 18-hundred. With the gold-rush, the settlement grew to a city and in time developed into what it is today. Regardless of its reputation as a big city, you will find that Perth is laid-back, quiet and safe. And most weekends can be spent on some of the many beaches located close to Perth.

Perth Skyline

The beaches are beautiful with pale sand and turquoise clear water. On a sunny summer day, there is nowhere better to be than on the beach, in the fresh air, enjoying life. But with the beaches being straight on the western coast of Australia you have to be careful when entering the waters. You should beware of the current all over Australia, and many thousands of people need to be rescued by lifeguards every year.

The most popular beach around Perth is Cottesloe Beach, which can be easily accessed by train. Get of the Fremantle line to Cottesloe Station, and walk down towards the beach. You can’t miss it. This is the perfect place to enjoy the sun, sand, and water. When you get tired of beaching, they have a big shady grassed area that is perfect for a picnic with the family or a date. Cottesloe is famous for its fish and chips, which you can take to-go and enjoy with a full view of the ocean.

Cottesloe Beach

Fremantle

Now, back on the train, next stop: Fremantle. It is a small port town quite famous in the area for its quaint and well-preserved architectural heritage. The city has basically decided to keep all their old buildings as they were in the colonial-era and convert them into a living museum with little plates all around explaining the town’s history. And like all Australia, it has been made cool and hip with sidewalks filled with art and vintage shops, and live music playing out of cafés and small urban bars that have also been made trendy.

Fremantle

This is one of the cities that were made up of convicts shipped over from Great Britain in the mid-1800s. We all joke about Australia’s population being bread from convicts, and here is the living proof. Visit the Fremantle Prison for a trip down history lane. The prison was functioning until the 90’s but is now a UNESCO-heritage site and worth a stop.

Fremantle

We fell in love with this little microbrewery: Little Creatures. You can sign up for a tour around the brewery and see how the beer is made. The “tour guide” is also the owner, and it’s hard to come across anything he doesn’t know about beer. He explains, with passion, how this place came into existence, and how they experiment with different products to perfect the taste. At the end of the tour, you get a small sample of all the beers produced by Little Creatures Brewing. If you want to dine, the brewery also functions as a trendy, kind of urban restaurant. If you aren’t much of a beer drinker, like me, why not try the wine instead? The Swan Valley in the hills is renowned for some of the best vineyards in Australia. They even offer a cycling-and-wine-tasting tour, for the active wine drinkers.

Hop on and enjoy one of the bush-capitals of Australia.