Perth, Australia
Perth is the world’s most isolated of Australia's capital cities. Situated on the southwestern edge of the Australian continent, Perth, capital of Western Australia, sits between the blue of the Indian Ocean and the desert sands of the Nullarbor.
Perth's nearest state capital neighbor is Adelaide in South Australia which is 2750 kilometres or at least two days away by car.
But No worries, mate, as we Aussies say.
Perth is in Australia's sunniest state
However far it may be from the rest of the country, and the rest of the world, Perth has a reputation of being in the sunniest Australian state, the surf is at its backdoor, and many are envious of its nice-and-easy lifestyle.
The story is: Perth life is so laid back there's always time for a bit of surfing even before or after work on weekdays (and lots of surfing on weekends) and there's always a barbecue or two going on. Have a taste of Perth life and get introduced to surfing.
Nearly 4000 kilometres by road from Sydney (taking the shortest route), Perth can be reached from the east coast through a leisurely train ride on the famed Indian Pacific. Of course, you can always take a plane.
Take a walking tour
Perth's various attractions are probably best viewed in the course of a walking tour of the city from the banks of the Swan River — named after the black swan, which has become West Australia's bird emblem — to the city's historic buildings and on to the malls and gardens.
A number of Perth's standing fine buildings were built by convict labor in the second half of the 1800s. Convicts sent to Australia reached Western Australia in 1850.
Perth's historic buildings add considerably — despite the harshness surrounding their construction — to the city's charm, but a West Australian economic boom and the growth of an aggressive entrepreneurial spirit brought wealth and more modern edifices to Perth. So it's not surprising to find some of these old buildings modified or repurposed, or no longer existent.
Huge 400-hectare park
In the course of your tour of Perth, you may wish to veer northwest from the environs of Hay St to the Entertainment Centre on Wellington St, then south and west to Harvest Terrace for Western Australia’s Parliament House, where tours can be arranged.
Somehow you’ll have to get to Mount St, but needing a few turns from Parliament House, if you then wish to proceed to Kings Park and the 17-hectare Botanic Garden there.
If nothing else, they say you must visit this mammoth 400-hectare park for its views of the city, its walking and bike tracks, vast and leafy picnic grounds, and the splendor of Nature at her finest.
September festival
If you’re in Perth in September you can catch the Wildflower Festival at Kings Park.
The next day, you may want to travel south to the Perth Zoo or north to the Aquarium of Western Australia (formerly Underwater World), or simply go to the beaches and enjoy the Western Australia sun.
Take time to visit the port of Fremantle which is practically a Perth suburb, and drop by the Maritime Museum, or travel much farther north to Monkey Mia, wade out to sea and cavort with the dolphins.
Life. Live it.
