Heading to Perth? Here 5 Places to Visit in Perth !
ROTTNEST ISLAND
Rottnest Island was the highlight of my Perth trip. This paradise has soft sand beaches and the water is amazingly clear and blue, making every photo angle breathtaking. We took a 45mins ferry ride from Hillarys Boat Harbour which cost AUD85.50 per pax. Click here for the price guide to the ferry rides. Once we arrived, we opted for the hop on hop off bus to tour around the island which cost another AUD20. Cycling around the island is also another popular option. Of course there are also other fun activities such as surfing, snorkeling or enjoying a scenic helicopter ride.
SWAN VALLEY
The swan valley is just 25 minutes drive from Perth CBD and we were greeted by lovely vineyards, award-winning wineries, gourmet sweet treats like chocolates, sorbet and nougats, Many of these wineries also offer al fresco dining serving their finest wine. There are many options to choose from for a good Sunday breakfast as well.
CAVERSHAM WILDLIFE PARK
Caversham wildlife park is located near Swan Valley, so you may wish to plan these 2 places on the same day. The park is opened from 9am in the morning to 5.30pm everyday. Admission prices are AUD28 for adults and AUD12.50 for children 3 to 14 years old. The admission price includes all attractions, animal feed and photo opportunities!
I have been to similar wildlife sanctuaries in Gold Coast and Melbourne namely the Currumbin Widlife Sanctuary and Moonlit Sanctuary respectively, and I conclude Caversham is the best!! There are a variety of interesting animals to see, abundant photo taking opportunities, even a farmshow! All these fun activities are already included in the ticket price.
CRAWLEY EDGE BOATSHED
This is one of Perth’s icon which is also known as the blue boathouse. This beautiful boatshed is located at the end of a timber boardwalk on the banks of Matilda Bay on the Swan River. I am surprised to find that it is built in the middle of nowhere with thousands of motorists driving past everyday.
According to Wiki, it is thought to have been originally constructed in the early 1930s and has changed hands several times and refurbished in the early 2000s. It was then re-launched by solo-circumnavigator of the world, Jon Sanders, and David Dicks. Swan River was used for communication between Fremantle and Guildford and these boatsheds were used by people to keep their boats. Be careful visiting this attraction and not leave your belongings on the car. Even though the parking space is just 7 minutes walk ahead, there are many instances of rented cars being broken into here.
FREMANTLE PRISON
Explore Frementle Prison from its convict origins in 1950s to its closure in 1991. We took their classic tour “Doing Time” which lasted about 1.5 hours. The tour brought us through the main cell blocks and yards to understand how life was for prisoners back then. The initial offenders committed petty crimes such as stealing loaves of breads but increasingly they were brought in for more serious offences. Some of these structures had been embellished by prisoners with graffiti which created vivid insights of their lives.
If I had more time, I would loved to join the other tour “Great Escapes” which will bring you to stories of dangerous and daring attempts of escapes, both successful and unsuccessful ones. There is also a torchlight tour which is conducted at night (on Wednesdays and Fridays) to explore the darker and spookier side of the prison.
Paintings on the walls of the cells
Afterword