10 reasons to visit (and love) Perth

Ok, so some of these are fairly random reasons to love Perth. I’m sure you know all the main reaons why you’re probably going to love this city – and if you don’t know yet, then visit the Tourist Information Centre and pick up a heap of brochures to guide you.

1.       Perth …It’s sleek, it’s smooth and it’s got a way of mixing the ultra mod with the old which makes the centre of the city such a pleasure. Look up (away from the shop windows) and see clouds reflected in the funky glass skyscrapers that seem to sprout around historic buildings like alien monsters. Walk down Barrack Street with your eyes fixed on the landmark icon, The Bell Tower (one of the largest musical instruments in the world, www.thebelltower.com.au) and be sure not to miss the big building on St George’s Terrace that changes colour at night.

2.       Suburbs are boring, right? Not in Perth. With many settlements on the banks of the Swan River, living in a suburb takes on a whole new meaning (if you can afford it). Last weekend I cycled through Dalkeith. My gosh,  that’s one sexy suburb.  Cycle or walk and discover the established look-at-me, quietly elegant out-of-reachness of sleek houses with gorgeous river views. But with enormous price tags, I remind myself that a roof here is definitely “not for the owning in this lifetime!” However, those sweeping views of the Swan River and the quiet green areas – ah, to die for!  www.realestate.com.au

3.       Northbridge – some love it, others hate it. But for sheer cosmopolitan gastronomic indulgence head to Northbridge and have a smorgersbord of choice when it comes to restaurants – oh, and hectic nightclubs my party-animal-offspring reliably tell me. www.northbridgealive.com.au Recently, I enjoyed great pizza and yummy crème brulee at Oliver’s on James Street (www.oliversonjamestreet.com.au)

4.       Couldn’t leave it out – Kings Park. Go there for a touch, smell and sight sensual experience. The 17ha Botanic Garden was opened in 1965 and there’s some 267ha of parkland to explore, comprising of jarrah, marri, tuart and banksia woodland. Avenues, cycle-ways and paths cut through the bush land on top of the escarpment, known as Mount Eliza, above the city. Once a favourite picnic spot and playground for the early settlers – the park was set aside for public purposes in 1831 it’s now a park for families – go find the child in yourself again and enjoy the cafes, the music and the soothing watery vistas. www.kingspark.com.au

5.       Ellingtons. OK, this is grown-up Northbridge.  If you enjoy the foot tapping, head nodding, smoochy sounds of late night jazz, then head to The Ellington Jazz Club in Beaufort Street – groovy, sophisticated but unpretensious. For an entrance fee of $10 – $15 on regular nights, your senses will be soothed with sultry sounds ….. what more could you want? It’s dark (not dingy) intimate and oh so cool.  www.ellingtonjazz.com.au. Pictured below are Birdland & the Retrosonics, Australia’s answer to the Commitments,  who appearead at Ellingtons in September. Gutsy, bold, in-your-face-like-em-or-leave-em with a fabulous brass section.

6.       Perth Zoo – grab your friends’ children, and an ice cream and head along to the Zoo in South Perth. A fun way to while away a weekend afternoon.

7.       The South Perth Ferry is a relaxing way to meander across the lazy Swan River. Not a bad commute to the city if this is where you live. London, Paris, New York – eat your hearts out!

9. Perth city centre is compact – it’s great for a girlie ‘power shopping’ spree, after which a light al-fresco lunch might be in order complimented by an ice cold glass of local wine.

10. I love Perth because policemen ride bicycles. It puts a whole new slant on the idea of a Hollywood action movie cop chase. And I like the fact that the inner city buses are free. I like being able to walk around the city at night and not feel scared. I like the crazy crossings where you can walk diagonally across a busy four-way intersection when the green man blinks!10

Where’s your favourite place in Perth?

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