Look up! At street level, Perth city centre resembles any other Australian city, but Perth’s uniqueness lies in the storeys above the shop fronts. Delight in the architectural touches and flourishes of the classical, Romanesque, gothic and art deco styles that those measly Modernists so hated. For those of an art deco bent, there’s a city walk leaflet especially for you. Heritage Perth is bringing history alive and attempting to keep the bulldozers at bay in the CBD. And not before time.
Getting around
Public transport in the central city area, from West Perth to East Perth and Northbridge to Port of Perth, comes under the Free Transit Zone and is free. The blue CAT (City Area Transit) buses will whip you north-south, and the red and yellow CATs will whip you east-west.
Hot house
The Governor of WA gets the best digs in town;
Government House on St Georges Terrace sports Gothic arches and turrets, tennis courts and rolling lawns, and its high-maintenance gardens are open to the public on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 12 to 2pm.
Go veg-o
Annalakshmi restaurant at Perth Port at the end of Barrack Street operates on the principle "eat what you like and pay what you feel". The vegetarian food is cooked by volunteers, mostly mothers and grandmothers, and the restaurant's mandate is service to humanity through culinary and performing arts, guided by the inspiration of a Hindu monk,
Swami Shantanand Saraswathi. Indian dancers also feature to help you get your Bollywood groove on.
Activities
Bushwalking in the city centre? Acres of scrub on prime real estate? Best views in town? Welcome to
King’s Park. Lace up your boots for a 20-minute stroll through manicured gardens or a two-hour hike through untamed bush. Skip over the treetop walk, go through your paces on Jacob’s Ladder, keep an ear out for black cockies, and take in the magnificent vista of where the Swan and Canning Rivers collide. Guided walks depart at 10am and 2pm from outside
Aspect’s gift shop.
In summer there’s the
Moonlight Cinema and
Shakespeare in the Park, in spring there’s the
wildflower festival, and across the seasons (barring winter) there are
concerts aplenty.
Stickybeaks Café
off Kings Park Drive adjoins the ripper
Ivey Watson Playground and
Lotterywest Family Area so you can have a coffee and some cake while the kids have the time of their lives in and around, over and under, up and down this monumental play area.
Culture vultures
The Museum of Performing Arts downstairs at
His Majesty's Theatre on Hay Street has changing exhibitions showcasing its extensive collection of theatrical costumes, scripts, posters, programs, photographs and press clippings. The museum is open 10am — 4pm Monday to Friday and entry is by gold coin donation.
Fremantle
Drop into indie music favourite
Mojo's at 237 Queen Victoria Street seven nights a week for your chance to say, ‘I saw them play before they were famous.’ Anything goes at
Mojo's and depending on the band, the bar can be packed or only have a few punters.
Got any more near the beaten track suggestions? Have your say using the comments form below.
Next: Where the locals dine
