Perth

All Saints Anglican Church

Western Australia's oldest church, set on reasonably large grounds with a historic cemetery attached. Part of the Parish of Swan, church services are still held each week. The Swan River can be accessed on foot from the church. Entry is free but donations are requested.

Art Gallery of Western Australia

Rotating exhibitions of contemporary Australian, International and Indigenous art and design drawn from the state collection. Exhibitions can be a bit heavy on Indigenous art (though there are some fantastic Indigenous works represented) but you could easily fill a few hours here surveying 150 years of Australian Art.

Wed-Mon 10AM-5PM, closed Tue·Free (except special exhibits)

Barracks Arch

Equally loved and loathed by residents this arch is all that remains of the 1866 Tudor style accommodations for soldiers of the Enrolled Pensioner Guard. The two wings were demolished in 1966 to make way for the Mitchel Freeway but public protests held back the wrecking ball from dispatching this part of Perth's history.

Free

Cantonment Hill

A terrific view of Fremantle Harbour and beyond. The Signal Station at the top is now home to the Fremantle Volunteer Sea Rescue (the building is not open to the public). The Army Museum is at the foot of the hill as well and is easily visited at the same time.

free

Chinatown

Perth's little Chinatown, with its own Chinese gate, is a good spot for picking up Asian groceries and also the best place for late night dining in Perth. Most venues are BYO. Chinese businesses in Northbridge are not confined to Chinatown but can be found throughout Northbridge, and most visibly along William St.

Claisebrook Cove

A major urban redevelopment area on the Swan River, on the fringe of the city centre. Spend an hour or so wandering about the brightly coloured, modern and strikingly unusual architecture before you wind down with a meal and a hot or cold bevy. Views of the city centre from the footbridge that runs above the cove are particularly stunning at night. (Take the yellow CAT to the Haig Park Circle stop during daylight hours or take the Midland, Armadale or Thornlie line to Claisebrook transfer station which is located within the Free Transit Zone).

Crown Perth Complex

Crown Perth Casino

An all-in-one entertainment precinct. The casino offers all games, the theatre provides a venue for some of the best touring productions, while the Dome is a 20,000 capacity arena that regularly hosts tennis tournaments and international concerts. Also included within the complex are a number of bars and pubs, including Paddy Hannan's (named after the first person to strike gold in West Australia) and the infamous nightclub The Eve. Take the Thornlie line (platform 4) from the central station, McIver or Claisebrook (platform 2).

Fremantle Prison

The convicts that were transported to Australia from the UK built it in 1851 to house themselves. Following the end of convict transportation in 1868, Fremantle Prison served as Western Australia's main maximum security prison until its closure in 1991. Today it remains as a UNESCO World Heritage Site building as part of the Australian Convict Sites and is used for several purposes including as an art gallery, museum and conference center. Basic tours run throughout the day, and a 'Torchlight tour' runs on Wednesday and Friday nights, which explores the history of prison hauntings. For the adventurous, the tunnels tour will take you through the tunnel network underneath the prison.

Open every day of the year except Good Fri and Christmas day·$18.50 (basic), $59 (tunnel tour), less for students and children

Guildford

Perched on the banks of both the Swan and Helena Rivers it is described as the gateway to the Swan Valley. Guildford is one of Western Australia's oldest settlements. While it has been absorbed into the Perth metropolitan area, it still retains its distinctiveness with many historical buildings and excellent pubs, restaurants and cafes. The whole of Guildford is now a designated heritage locality, with the quaint James St shopping strip being a good example of the streetscape of the older Guildford.

Heirisson Island

Five to six wild kangaroos roam around this island in the Swan River. They are usually hiding in the bushes, but can come out so have your cameras ready. You can even get close and pet them! Take Red Cat bus to Queen's Gardens and walk to the Causeway bridge. Cross the bridge, then turn right for the kangaroos.

Free.

John Forrest National Park

Named after an influential Western Australian Premier (the first, in fact), in 1947. Before its naming, government dole workers during the Great Depression constructed fountains, benches, etc. which are typical of national parks today. The park is situated in the beautiful area on either side of Jane Brook as it passes through the Darling Range to the Scarp. The park is made up of thick bush and is home to many small forest creatures.

Some roads in the Park are closed before sundown

Kalamunda Zig Zag Trail

A popular scenic drive with great views over Perth. Also walkable, since traffic is slow moving, as long as you are careful. The route is a converted rail line.

Kangaroos in the City

If you don't get the chance to see some real ones, do like everyone else and take a photo with these friendly Roos. The larger than life size bronze kangaroo sculptures were installed in 1997, and have become a magnet for international visitors, who are subsequently disappointed with the diminutive size of their real life counterparts.

Free

Kings Park & Botanic Gardens

Ranged along the ridge of Mount Moira, this large and lush park is the perfect place to escape the city and enjoy a panorama of the Swan River and surrounds. Multiple paths wind through gardens showcasing flora from different regions of WA including a boab tree brought down on the back of a truck from the Kimberly. The striking War Memorial and Flame of Remembrance are also here. It's a hot, uphill, 2-km walk from downtown, but its northern boundary at Kings Park Rd is within the Free Transit Zone. The handiest bus is the Green CAT, M-F only, to Stop 16. The Red CAT (7 days) also runs nearby, use Stop 19 on Ord Street.

Open now · open 24 hours·Free

Lesmurdie Falls

One of the more spectacular waterfalls on the Darling Range escarpment. Waterfalls only flow after rains in this region, so the best time to observe the falling water is in winter. From July to October you'll see a lot of wildflowers, including some rare orchids not found anywhere else in the world.

Mettam's Pool

This naturally formed lagoon is a sheltered spot, perfect for snorkelling and swimming, where you can see marine plants and animals close to shore.

Mundaring Weir

A scenic reservoir surrounded by hills and forests. Good for a picnic, and there are hiking trails nearby. The weir (a large dam) was completed in 1903. Visitors may walk over or around the Weir, and the surroundings have picnic areas featuring public barbecues. There is also a museum nearby which documents the history of the Weir and the Pipeline project. The Mundaring Weir Hotel is also a historic landmark and offers good food, accommodation and often live (usually classical) music.

Perth Cultural Centre

Adjacent to the Perth Train Station on the Northbridge side, this is the hub of cultural activity in Perth. Including the Art gallery, Museum, State Library and the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA) (See listings below). In addition, the amphitheatre (under the video screen screening ongoing visual confectionery) is an excellent vantage point for watching people flow between Perth's railway station and places of work and play around Northbridge. A 2-min walk from the Perth Train Station. Blue CAT Stops 7 and 15 both service the Cultural Centre, as well as Yellow 24 and Red 31.

Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts

PICA

Rotating exhibitions of local and international artists work that focuses toward the more experimental end of contemporary art.

11AM-6PM (closed Mondays)·Free

Perth Mint

The nation's oldest operating mint and one of the oldest mints in the world. Even today it still produces coins and gold bullion from its original premises, albeit now restricted to producing non-circulating coins (which are still legal tender, but worth more than their face value in market value). You can buy and sell gold, jewellery and souvenirs, see the mint in operation and watch molten gold being poured to create gold bars. (Walk from City Centre along Hay Street east or catch the red CAT)

$19

Perth Stadium

Optus Stadium

With a capacity of 60,000, this is now Western Australia's main cricket ground, though WACA in city centre is still in use. Opened in 2018, it hosts the WA State team, Perth Scorchers in Big Blast League, and AFL.

Perth Zoo

Open since 1898 and has an excellent reputation with both tourists and locals alike. Free guided tours are provided at 11AM and 1:30PM daily. Thirty-six animal fact files, featuring some of Perth Zoo's most popular species, are available for you to download free before your visit. Buses 30, 31 and 34 provide a quick and easy means by which to get to the zoo. But if you feel like a short walk, take the Transperth ferry from Elizabeth Quay. Once at Mends St Jetty, head up the hill along Mends St to the first major road (Mill Point Rd), cross at the traffic lights, turn left and then quickly right through the park to reach the zoo entrance.

Children (4-15 yr) $12.50, adults $24.50

Round House

Western Australia's first permanent building. Built as a prison in the 1830s, the Round House now serves as a small, but informative museum, that focuses on the convict lifestyle of the 1800s. Now restored and updated with more detailed information, maps and volunteer guides (although the tour of the building is mostly self-guided).

Entry is free, gold coin donations encouraged.

Swan Valley Visitor Centre

Situated in historic Guildford, the Swan Valley Visitor Centre has lots of information about Swan Valley attractions and events and can assist with bookings, tourist maps, and souvenirs. It is attached to an interesting museum, and is amongst buildings of a former prison.

Daily 9AM-4PM

The Aquarium of Western Australia

AQWA

AQWA features an underwater observatory that takes the shape of a tunnel. You can get up-close with sharks, stingrays and a huge variety of marine life without the slightest chance of getting wet or eaten. Interact with aquatic creatures in the touch pool, and stand amongst one of the largest living coral reef exhibits in the world.

10AM-5PM daily·$28, child $16, child under 4 free

The Old Mill

Built in 1835, the mill is the oldest surviving industrial building from Perth's colonial days. Left to ruin over the years, it has been restored along with the adjoining millhouse containing various colonial artifacts. It's a 15-min walk from the Mill Point Jetty, or take bus 34 from Wellington St Bus station.

Tue-Fri 10AM-4PM, Sat Sun 1-4PM·Free

The Swan Bells

A bell tower is at the foot of Barrack Street, in front of the ferry wharf. The bells are from the church of St Martin-in-the-Field in London, and were a gift from the London to the people of Perth. The bell tower has a modern design, and is somewhat controversially regarded by locals. Inside the tower you get a view over the river and city or you can look around the outside of the tower, and hear the bells at noon.

$11, child $7

WA Maritime Museum

A wonderful collection of vessels, including the winged-keel Australia II, which won the America's Cup. You'll also find a full history of marine activity on the West Australian coast. A tour of HMAS Ovens, a retired Oberon-class submarine, is well worth the time.

Daily 9:30AM–5PM·Museum $15, museum and submarine $25

WA Shipwrecks Museum

Shipwreck Galleries

Recognised as the foremost maritime archaeology museum in the southern hemisphere. The Museum is housed in 1850s-era Commissariat building and has since been restored to its historic glory. Steeped in history, the galleries house hundreds of relics from ships wrecked along WA’s treacherous coastline, including the original timbers from the Batavia (wrecked in 1629), the de Vlamingh plate, and also countless artifacts from the Dutch shipwrecks Zuytdorp, Zeewijk and Vergulde Draeck.

Entry is free, gold coin donations appreciated

Walyunga National Park

Walyunga National Park covers 1,800 hectares of the Darling Range, tucked behind the Darling Scarp, covering both sides of a steep valley.

Mon-Fri 8:30AM-4:30PM, closed weekends and public holidays