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Skyline of Perth, a must-visit in western Australia

© Creative Commons / Derrick Coetzee

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Things to see in Perth

Tourist information: 

Western Australian Visitors Centre

Corner Wellington Street and Forrest Chase, Perth
Tel: 08 9483 1111.
Website: www.bestofwa.com.au
Opening hours: Mon- Fri 0900-1730, Sat 0930-1630, Sun 1100-1630.

There is a City of Perth Information Kiosk (tel: (08) 9461 3444; www.cityofperth.wa.gov.au) in the Murray Street Mall near Forrest Place where i-City volunteer hosts help visitors with information and answer questions about the city. Kiosk opening hours: Mon-Thurs 0930-1630, Fri 0930-2000, Sat 0930-1630, Sun 1100-1530.

Passes: 

The Perth Sightseeing Pass (tel: (02) 9191 6450, in Australia only; www.viator.com) offers a range of tour options for Perth visitors. Or the Perth Attractions Pass (tel: (08) 9421 7515; www.perthmint.com.au) will get you discounted access to the Perth Mint, The Bell Tower and Captain Cook Cruises.

AQWA - The Aquarium of Western Australia

This impressive aquarium boasts a wealth of fascinating marine life. Visitors can explore 12,000km (7,456 miles) of Western Australia's coastline in just a few hundred metres and then enter the Dangerzone, where they can safely see some of the deadliest and strangest marine creatures in the world. The main aquarium's 98m (328ft) glass tunnel is the largest in Australia. Sea creatures can even be touched at the interactive Discovery Pool. Dives and snorkels are held at 1300 and 1600 daily.

Opening Times: Daily 1000-1700.
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Unesco: No
Address: Hillarys Boat Harbour, Perth, Australia
Telephone: (08) 9447 7500.
Website: www.aqwa.com.au
Art Gallery of Western Australia

Perth's major gallery has a permanent collection of Australian and international art and one of the finest collections of Aboriginal art in the world. The gallery is also the venue for major national and international touring exhibitions. Free guided tours are conducted frequently - bookings are required.

Opening Times: Wed-Mon 1000-1700.
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Unesco: No
Address: James Street, Northbridge, Australia
Telephone: (08) 9492 6622.
Website: www.artgallery.wa.gov.au
Bell Tower

Perth's postmodern celebration of Australia’s Bicentenary in 1988, the Bell Tower, is located at the foot of Barrack Street, on the Swan River Foreshore. Home to the Swan Bells, the 80m (260ft) tower is a unique design resulting from an architectural competition and houses the 18 historic bells from St Martin-in-the-Fields - a gift to Perth from the City of London for Australia’s Bicentenary. Visitors can go up the tower. The surrounding development contains shops, restaurants, cafes, a pub, a tourist information centre, cruise boat offices and docks. You can hear the bells ring daily (check website for times).

Opening Times: Daily 1000-1545.
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Unesco: No
Address: Barrack Square, Riverside Drive, Perth, Australia
Telephone: (08) 6210 0444.
Website: www.swanbells.com.au
His Majesty's Theatre

Short-sighted policies may have seen the demolition of many of Australia's old theatres but the Maj – as it’s affectionately known - still stands in all its Edwardian glory. Thought to be the only theatre of the era still standing in Australia, it features a magnificent staircase, a domed, three-tiered auditorium, and opulent foyers - tours of the theatre leave here Monday through Friday. A venue for plays, opera, musicals, concerts and dance, the theatre is home to the West Australian Ballet, the West Australian Opera and the Museum of Performing Arts (MOPA), which has a collection of performing arts memorabilia.

Opening Times: Mon-Fri 1000-1600 (tours).
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
Unesco: No
Address: 825 Hay Street, Perth, Australia
Telephone: (08) 9265 0900.
Website: www.hismajestystheatre.com.au
Kings Park & Botanic Garden

Lined by towering gum trees, the entrance leads to the State War Memorial commemorating ANZACs killed in WWII, there are impressive views of the city and Swan River. Kings Park is a tranquil escape in the heart of the city. Covering 400 hectares (990 acres) on Mount Eliza, the park is crisscrossed by walking trails and bicycle paths (bikes are available for hire). Free daily guided walks depart at 1000 and 1400 from the Karri Log. The West Australian Botanic Garden is worth a visit. There’s a restaurant, cafe, Aboriginal art gallery and children's playgrounds. During summer, the park hosts open-air film screenings, plays and concerts.

Opening Times: Daily 24 hours.
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
Unesco: No
Address: Kings Park Road, West Perth, Australia
Telephone: (08) 9480 3600.
Website: www.kingspark.com.au
Mundaring Weir

For those exploring by car, this destination in the Perth Hills is both a fascinating piece of engineering history and a picturesque picnic opportunity. The weir and its pumping station were constructed in the 1890s to supply water to the goldfields. The weir and its bush-land surroundings are an impressive sight. A museum housed in the original pumping station honours C Y O'Connor, the visionary engineer who designed the scheme but committed suicide before its completion. Nearby are an arts and crafts shop, the Lavender Patch tea rooms, an outdoor summer cinema and the Mundaring Weir Hotel, a delightfully rustic pub.

Opening Times: Wed-Sun 1000-1600.
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Unesco: No
Address: Mundaring Weir Road, Perth, Australia
Telephone: (08) 9295 0202.
Website: www.ntwa.com.au/places/perthproperties/pump1.shtml
Perth Mint

A well-preserved remnant of the gold rush era, Perth's Mint is over 100 years old and offers a range of activities and experiences. See A$225,000 pure gold bars being poured and be invited to touch them. See the world’s largest permanent gold bar exhibition. Or, if you’ve ever wondered what your weight is worth in gold, use their special scales to find out. You can also mint your own personalised medallions and witness the production of gold, silver and platinum coins. Join a regular hourly guided tour of the mint to make the most of your visit.

Opening Times: Daily 0900-1700 (Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day, Good Friday, ANZAC Day).
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
Unesco: No
Address: 310 Hay Street, Perth, Australia
Telephone: 08 9421 7277.
Website: www.perthmint.com.au
Perth Zoo

Perth's small, but popular and conveniently located, zoo has been open every day since it opened its doors in 1898. It boasts an Australian Bushwalk, Rainforest Retreat and African Savannah among other interesting exhibits where visitors can observe native animals in their natural habitat. Daily keeper talks allow you to get up close and personal with animals. Don’t miss meeting a numbat Western Australia’s own marsupial emblem. Just five minutes from the CBD on the southern banks of the Swan River, the Perth Zoo is easily accessible by any mode of transport.

Opening Times: Daily 0900-1700.
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Unesco: No
Address: 20 Labouchere Road, South Perth, Australia
Telephone: (08) 9474 3551.
Website: www.perthzoo.wa.gov.au
Scitech Discovery Centre

Science meets showbiz at this glitzy attraction featuring over 160 hands-on exhibits covering such topics as electricity, magnetism and acoustics. Horizon - The Planetarium is a spectacular indoor theatre that presents high-tech multi-media shows about stars, planets and other celestial bodies on a dome screen. New exhibits are introduced every six months. For scientists and science buffs both young and young at heart.

Opening Times: Mon-Fri 0930-1600, Weekends, Public and school holidays 1000-1700.
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Unesco: No
Address: Corner of Sutherland Street and Railway Parade, West Perth, Australia
Telephone: (08) 9215 0700.
Website: www.scitech.org.au
Western Australian Museum

Housed in a complex containing some of Perth's oldest buildings, the Western Australian Museum specialises in natural history, with mammal, bird, dinosaur, marine and butterfly displays. The Aboriginal Gallery is outstanding, as is the museum's collection of meteorites, while the 25m (82ft) skeleton of a blue whale is another highlight. The Land And People exhibit, which brings to life Western Australian history from prehistoric times to present day, is also popular.

Opening Times: Daily 0930-1700 (except ANZAC Day 1300-1700).
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Unesco: No
Address: Perth Cultural Centre, Perth, Australia
Telephone: (08) 9212 3700.
Website: www.museum.wa.gov.au
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