Grand heritage meets modern energy
The cityscape’s timeline reveals itself in enchanting architectural chapters as you stroll along the main streets. Its humble beginnings sit quietly on the corner of Barrack Street at The Old Court House Law Museum, beside the bolder marks of the gold boom that followed with the Victorian Gothic grandeur of St George’s Cathedral and Perth Town Hall and the uniquely elaborate Jacobean style Government House.
These stand in striking contrast to the glittering 20th- and 21st-Century skyscrapers and the boundary-pushing award-winning design of the new ECU City Campus – home of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA).
Space that brings us closer together
Even at the commercial core, you’ll find a city casually connecting in generous open spaces. At the meeting point of Nyoongar and contemporary art and culture in Yagan Square. In Forrest Place, where the public art trail begins with “meet me under the Big Cactus” and Twilight Food Markets kick off summer weekends. In Elizabeth Quay / Goomap, the CBD’s waterfront loungeroom. And relaxing in the shade of the city’s first botanical garden - Stirling Gardens and Supreme Court Gardens.
Tasting Australia’s sunniest capital
Where else can you dine under a blue sky almost all year round, right in the heart of the city? No wonder Perth / Boorloo’s CBD restaurant scene is booming with opulent fine dining showcasing the State’s freshest and most coveted seasonal flavours. Popular coffee stops spilling onto the streets. Absolute waterfront brunch and lunch spots that lure you to linger longer. Rooftop bars with wine, craft beer and cocktail lists as expansive as the city-to-river views. And intimate in-between spaces concealing more hidden hangouts, from Wolf Lane’s kooky cafes and quietly sophisticated small bar scene to Shafto Lane’s lively eclectic mix of beers, burgers and funky Asian bites.
Shop the lot. Big brands and boutiques.
Browsing or hunting, a spree in the CBD lets you take it all in, in the glorious sunshine. The leafy open-air pedestrian-only malls of Murray Street and Hay Street run in parallel, so you can easily hop from major department stores and global brands to boutique-filled historic arcades and laneways. If high end is more your style, it’s a six-minute walk to the heritage cobblestone thoroughfare of King Street, where Mui Mui rubs shoulders with Tiffany, Chanel and Louis Vuitton.
A heart with artful soul
As a city firmly grounded in the oldest living culture on Earth, Perth / Boorloo celebrates ancient and modern storytelling and creative expression in all forms. You’ll see it woven through a rich seam of public art, enlightening cultural tours, a lively calendar of festivals and events and vibrant CBD venues. From the splendour of Edwardian-era architecture at His Majesty’s Theatre and the beautifully adapted heritage space of Cathedral Square Gallery, to the luxe cinema complex of Palace Raine Square, and cosy laneway bars and clubs.
Things to do in Central Perth
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2 Oct - 30 Apr 2027
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20 Dec - 21 Dec
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31 Dec - 1 Jan 2027
