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Live Perth, Western Australia!

(Sources: www.perthtouristcentre.com.au, www.id.com.au)

Total Metropolitan Area: 6.100 km²
Population:  1.55 million 
Telephone Area Code: 08

Climate in Perth
Location and Population
Areas Within Perth

Perth City Centre is located alongside the peaceful waters of the Swan River, twenty Kilometres inland of the Indian Ocean on the West Coast of Australia.

Originally Perth was located for the safe inland position during colonial times, while the river provided an excellent means for transporting supplies from the coastal port to the fledgling colony. Much of Perth was originally built using convict labour and this can still be seen today in some of Perth's remaining historic buildings. These days however, the river and surrounding area provides a scenic outlook for the city of Perth as well as a place for recreational activities.

The area around the city also had significant historical meaning to the Aborigines of the region, and according to Aboriginal folklore the Swan River was created by a large mythical snake known as the Waggyl, which slithered its way through the area creating the bends and gullies which shaped the river. In winter came the rains which filled the empty channel with water, and the river we know today as "The Swan" came to be.

During your visit to Perth you will find many fun activities in Perth's city centre, many of which focus around the picturesque Swan River. You can enjoy one of the many river cruises which operate along the river, some offering dining and music as you spend a few hours cruising in and out of the city.
For spectacular panoramic views of Perth and the river, visit Kings Park and Botanic garden and take advantage of the many lookouts and vantage points available to the public, or enjoy a relaxing picnic in one of the many recreation areas of the park.

Spend a sunny day exploring the river by walking or cycling your way along the foreshore on one of the many cycle and walking tracks provided, or take part in waterfun sports and scenic flights.

The Swan River also provides an excellent scenic backdrop to enjoy while dining in Perth, and many restaurants have excellent river views where you can enjoy delicious meals while taking in the surrounding landscape.
The Perth City Centre also offers tourists a wealth of great shopping opportunities. Whether it is souvenirs, Aboriginal Art and crafts, fashion, swimming and beach wear, jewellery, cameras and high tech items, the vast array of shops available offer an extensive range of choices, from shopping malls and department stores, to cafes, restaurants and food halls. Some of the most popular shopping areas to visit include the The Hay St Mall, Murray St Mall, Raine Square, Forest Chase, Barrack St and Kings Street, however there are many other malls to visit as well.

While in the city visitors can also visit some or Perth's main tourists attractions including the Perth Zoo and the Old Mill, both just a short ferry ride from the city, as well as Barracks Arch and Kings Park both of which are located just on the edge of the Perth city centre, and are easily accessible by public transport. More information on what to see in Perth can be found in our Perth Attractions section.

Climate in Perth
Location and Population
Areas Within Perth

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Climate in Perth

Perth has a Mediterranean climate and is located in one of only five Mediterranean climate zones in the world. This means that for most of the year, the weather is fine and sunny, and even during the short mild winter the sun is often shining. It is because of these endless summers that many Perth activities revolve around the outdoors. So if you enjoy sight-seeing, outdoor activities, warm sunny days, or lazing on clean sandy beaches, Perth is the perfect destination for your next holiday.

The Seasons:

Springtime in Perth: Spring begins in September in Perth, and from this time on, the weather quickly warms to fine sunny conditions for the many months ahead. For the most part spring is sunny and warm, especially from October and November, the weather is generally fine and rain is usually minimal or absent.

Summer in Perth: The official start of summer in Perth is December, finishing 3 months later at the end of February. The weather is warm to hot over the summer months, although the hottest months are usually January and February. The weather is fine and dry, and rain at this time of year is very unusual. Perth also enjoys a refreshing afternoon sea breeze known as the Fremantle Doctor which brings welcome relief on hot days.

Autumn in Perth: Autumn begins in March and finishes at the end of May, although autumn in Perth is not typical of autumns most people would be familiar with. Autumn in Perth is like an extension of summer, or perhaps a second spring. With warm sunny days and cooler nights, there is still plenty of sunshine left before the onset of winter. Although the weather is still mostly fine, there may be an occasional shower or humidity.

Winter in Perth: The mild Perth winter begins at the start of June and finishes at the end of August. It is generally a rainy season, mingled with cool sunny days. There are however occasional storms, characterised by downpours of rain, lightning or thunder.

Climate in Perth
Location and Population
Areas Within Perth

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Location and Population in Perth

Perth City is situated between the Darling Ranges and the Indian Ocean, and along the banks of the Swan River, 12 km from the ocean. The river is named after the famous black swans which can be found along the river. The city is bound by the river to the east and south. To the west of the city is Kings Park, which has over 400 hectares of natural Australian bush overlooking the city center and the Swan River. The view from King's park is quite unique and is a must for any visitor to Perth.

The Swan River weaves its way through the metropolitan area to the Port of Fremantle, which has many beautiful houses, restaurants, and recreational areas along its banks. The river provides an ideal opportunity for the locals to enjoy the beautiful weather and participate in many different water sports such as boating, sailing, water skiing, wind surfing, rowing, fishing, parasailing, swimming, jet skiing, or just cruising the river on one of the many ferries.
The city center is quite small when compared to other cities in Australia such as Sydney or Melbourne. The city has four major streets running east to west - St George's Terrace, Hay Street, Murray Street, and Wellington Street.
In 2006, the largest ancestry groups in the Perth metropolitan areas were: English (534,555 or 28.6 per cent), "Australian" (479,174 or 25.6 per cent), Irish (115,384 or 6.2 per cent), Scottish (113,846 or 6.1 per cent), Italian (84,331 or 4.5 per cent) and Chinese (53,390 or 2.9 per cent). There were 3,101 Aboriginals in the city (0.2 per cent).

Perth's population is notable for the high proportion of British-born residents. At the 2006 Census 142,424 British-born Perth residents were counted, narrowly behind Sydney (145,261), despite having just 35% of the overall population of Sydney.

In the last three decades, South East Asia has become an increasingly important source of migrants, with communities from Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Mainland China, and India all now well-established. There were 53,390 persons of Chinese descent in Perth in 2006 — 2.9 per cent of the city's population.

The Indian community includes a substantial number of Parsees who emigrated from Bombay — Perth being the closest Australian city to India — and the India-born population of the city at the time of the 2006 census was 14,094 or 0.8 per cent.  Perth is also home to the largest population of Anglo-Burmese in the world; many settled here following the Independence of Burma in 1948 and the city is now the cultural hub for Anglo-Burmese worldwide. There is also a substantial Anglo-Indian population in Perth, who also settled in the city following the Independence of India.

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Areas Within Perth
(Source: www.aboutperth.net)

The Central Business District
The Central Business District or the CBD is Perth s commercial core, with St. George s Terrace as its heart and main business area. The Terrace is the home not just of big businesses, but of elegant hotels, quaint cafes and some of Perth s most historic buildings and modern skyscrapers as well. Central Business District is also where Hay and Murray Street Malls, the main shopping precincts, are located, as are many arcades and shopping centers including Forrest Chase and Carillon City.

The shopping areas offer major department stores, fashionable boutiques, a variety of homeware shops and art galleries. The city s jewelry stores feature Kalgoorlie gold, Broome pearls, Argyle diamonds and beautiful Australian opals. Close at had are such attractions as the Bell Tower, the Rottnest Ferries, a great selection of restaurants and fashionable bars. A lot of Perth s major cultural institutions, such as His Majesty s Theatre and the Perth Concert Hall are found in this precinct. The northern portion of the city is marked by the railway track, which divides it from Northbridge s eating region and popular accommodation.

This part of the city is very similar to Madrid, the capital of Spain: don't forget when you come to this city to do tourism stay in one of the hoteles en Madrid, which are very famous thanks of their comfort. There are a lot of beaches a short distance away from Perth s Central Business District.

A lot of these beaches (for example, Cottesloe, Floreat, Leighton, Port, Scarborough, Swanbourne and Trigg Island) are perfect for surfing, although some of these beaches can get rough at times. If you are looking for calmer beaches, you can also head for Como, Crawley or Peppermint Grove.

West Perth
West Perth spans west starting from King Street and ending at Thomas Street. King Street and its near surrounding areas are locally known as the West End, and forms the transition between the Central Business District and West Perth. Kings Park which is approximately 1,000 acres (or 406 hectares) in size is one of Perth s most stylish spots and it is where one finds designer shops amidst sidewalk café for a little taste of Europe. Kings Park, a favorite site for the lunchtime joggers and nature lovers makes for an ideal place to relax, enjoy a midday picnic or take a leisurely walk.

Here you can enjoy the sight of beautifully cultivated gardens, natural bushland, recreational spots and roughly three hundred species of local native plants and over eighty species of birds. Kings Park also boasts of a great view of Perth and of the Swan River, which is simply a must-see when visiting Perth. Hay Street West on the other hand is a business-centered precinct where mining companies and medical specialists are located. Hay Street features charming cafes and bakeries.

The streets running between Murray Street and Kings Park Road is where you can find a number of the best restaurants in Perth, a lot of which are in character houses that retained their original beauty. All of this is in close reach of King s Park.

Riverside
The Riverside precinct becomes the center of focus every 26th of January each year for the city s Australia Day celebrations. Riverside is a place dedicated first and foremost to recreation with paths around the river encouraging a stroll on the banks to enjoy Perth s stunning environment. The new wetlands at Point Fraser and the Kangaroo Colony on Heirisson Island are only two out of the many noteworthy areas located within the Riverside precinct.

East Perth
East Perth is set on the fringes of the Perth Central Business District. The eastern boundary is the Swan River and it is just a railway bridge crossing to the center of the City of Perth. East Perth is at the same time Perth s oldest and newest precinct. The Perth Mint, Australia s first purpose-built fire station and the Catholic Cathedral of St. Mary s are among the historic buildings in the area.

Formerly made up of light industries and warehouses, East Perth is now a landscaped region of architecturally elegant homes and well-tended public gardens that overlook the Swan River. The bustling inner suburbs of East Perth and Northbridge offer a wide variety of pubs, nightclubs, restaurants, and cafes. An abundance of public art and riverside restaurants has made East Perth a beautiful location for business and pleasure. Here you will find cuisine from practically all the countries in the world represented on the restaurant trail to tickle your gastronomic fancy. Besides all this though, East Perth s greater claim to fame is that it is home to one of Australia s most famous and beloved sporting grounds, the Western Australia Cricket Association s home ground, otherwise known to test cricket lovers around the world as the WACA (pronounced whacker).

East Perth is also host to Queen s Gardens, Gloucester Park (one of the world s trotting and pacing tracks), and more and is set to become a bustling, vibrant community offering a wide range of entertainment and commercial and residential developments. During the 1980 s the Western Australian Government began to rejuvenate and change East Perth and transformed and redeveloped the district to become a fully integrated urban village that is perfect for modern lifestyles and a trend toward inner city living. East Perth is today considered to be one of Australia s finest urban renewal projects and is an example as a model for town planning and environmental rehabilitation, which has led to similar developments nationwide.

Northbridge
Go north out of Sydney’s Central Business District over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and in no time you will find yourself in the upmarket suburb that is Northbridge. Northbridge lies east of the Warringah Freeway and slopes down to Sailors Bay and Long Bay on Middle Harbour.

Although Northbridge was not named until as late as the year 1977, it has a colorful history marked by a deluge of immigrants who have transformed it into the multicultural hub of Western Australia. Although Northbridge was only named in 1977, it has a colorful history marked by waves of immigrants who have made it the multicultural hub of Western Australia.

Northbridge is host to Western Australia s major cultural institutions such as the Western Australia Museum, the State Reference Library and the Art Gallery of Western Australia. Smaller innovative are venues found in Northbridge include the Perth Institute of Contemporary Art, the Bakery Gallery and the Blue Room Theater. Annual festivals such as the Chinese New Year Celebrations and the Pride Parade are being held here. Northbridge is also known as the core of Perth s dining and nightlife and boasts a thriving backpacking industry. Stand on the heights here at Northbridge or stroll down the shores of the harbor and you will see fleets of yachts sporting sails of every color imaginable, or dodge and weave among the jet skis, skiffs, ferries and power boats in the sparkling deep blue waters.

This portion of the harbor in fact, is the ideal platform from where you can witness how people live in multi-level homes of various imaginative designs clinging to the sandstone cliffs which rear up from out of the sea, while up on the ridges you will see where they are occupied by more the conventionally designed mansions. This is where the much-admired suspension bridge between Cammeray and Northbridge is located. The suspension bridge was completed by a developer wanting to open up land beyond the Flat Rock Creek Gorge and is regarded as one of Sydney s engineering marvels.
The bridge has ornately crenellated towers, suggestive of a medieval castle more than a gorge crossing into the New World. All in all, Northbridge is the place to go to if you are looking to enjoy a hearty meal of any international cuisine, swap tales with backpackers at a pub, shop for rare, hard-to-find ingredients or just hit the dance floor and dance the night away.

Climate in Perth
Location and Population
Areas Within Perth

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