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Your Ultimate Guide to Perth and Its Famous Attractions
- Attractions You Can Visit in the Perth Metropolitan Area
- Kings Park and Botanic Garden
- Perth Mint
- Fremantle Prison
- Perth Zoo
- Cottesloe Beach
- Hillarys Boat Harbour
- Swan Bell Tower
- St. Mary’s Cathedral
- Art Gallery of Western Australia
- Attractions Outside the Perth Metropolitan Area
- Swan Valley
- Rottnest Island
- Yanchep National Park
- Pinnacles Desert
Wondering if Perth has its own attractions on par with tourist cities like Tokyo and Paris? Mull about it no longer because my city is full of natural and man-made attractions you can visit!
Let’s take a closer look and discuss why they’re worth a visit.
Attractions You Can Visit in the Perth Metropolitan Area
1. Kings Park and Botanic Garden
Website: https://www.bgpa.wa.gov.au/kings-park
Address: Fraser Ave, Perth WA 6005, Australia
Contact details: +61 8 9480 3600
The first attraction on our list is Kings Park and Botanic Garden, one of the largest city parks in the world with a total land size of 399.9 hectares. It’s one of Perth’s most visited attractions, attracting more than five million visitors every year.
The park lets you see the natural beauty of Western Australia within the confines of the city. The botanic garden hosts more than 3,000 different species of plants native to the state!
My personal favourite spots in the park are the Lotterywest Federation Walkway and the DNA Tower. These two provide you with some great views of the Perth CBD’s skyline and Swan River.
The park is also a great place for a picnic and a leisurely walk thanks to its covered walkways and picnic spots. Entrance is completely free, so you have zero reasons not to try this place out!
| Pro tip: Kings Park and Botanic Garden offers free walking tours to visitors daily. Join one so you can enjoy exploring this huge park without the fear of getting lost. |
2. Perth Mint
Website: https://www.perthmint.com/
Address: 310 Hay St, East Perth WA 6004, Australia
Contact details: +61 8 9421 7222
Operating hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (MON-SUN)
Price:
- Adult – $22
- Child – $12
Next up on our list is the famous Perth Mint, an important institution that serves as Australia’s official bullion mint. Originally established in 1899, the mint is a great place to learn more about the history of the British Empire.
Join any of their guided tours to make your visit here a memorable one. Their guided tour includes an opportunity for visitors to see how they process gold and other precious metals.
However, the main highlight of the tour is the largest gold coin in the world. The 1-tonne kangaroo coin is a 12-centimetre-thick gold coin with a diameter of 80 centimetres!
The kangaroo coin has a face value of one million dollars!
| Pro tip: The Perth Mint has an official store where they sell some rare collector coins. Buy one as a souvenir to show off to your friends and family back home. |
3. Fremantle Prison
Website: https://fremantleprison.com.au/
Address: 1 The Terrace, Fremantle WA 6160, Australia
Contact details: +61 8 9336 9200
Operating hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (MON-SUN)
Price:
- Adult – $22
- Child – $12
Another awesome historic site you can visit here is Fremantle Prison. Built in 1855, this former maximum security prison is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Fremantle Prison is full of artefacts and documentation about Perth’s Convict Era. It even has a gift shop where you can score some cool souvenirs to show off to your friends.
I visited this place a couple of times, and the best tour for me was the True Crime tour, where I learned about the most dangerous bushrangers.
| Pro tip: If you’re a big fan of the supernatural, join Fremantle Prison’s Torchlight Tour. This tour is conducted at night, and it explores the most popular ghost stories and sightings in the prison. |
4. Perth Zoo
Website: https://perthzoo.wa.gov.au/
Address: 20 Labouchere Rd, South Perth WA 6151, Australia
Contact details: +61 8 9474 0444
Operating hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (MON-SUN)
Price:
Adult – $34.60
Child – $17.30
Senior – $27.50
Concession members (veterans, students, and healthcare card holders) – $27.50
After seeing the exotic plants in Kings Park and Botanic Garden, it’s time for us to see Western Australia’s exotic wildlife at Perth Zoo. Located in South Perth, this zoo hosts 1,258 animals from 164 species all around the world!
The animals are grouped based on the biome or environment they used to live in. Some of my favourite exhibitions here are the African Savannah and the Asian Rainforest.
As a local, I’m already used to seeing some of the zoo’s animals, like the kangaroos. However, my visit to the Asian Rainforest was a special experience because I got to see the cute red pandas and small-clawed otters.
| Pro tip: Sign up for Perth Zoo’s Close Encounter sessions to have the chance to touch and get a selfie with their exotic animals, like the rhinoceros. |
5. Cottesloe Beach
Website: https://www.westernaustralia.com/en/attraction/cottesloe-beach/56b2678fd5f1565045daabd8
Address: Marine Parade, Cottesloe, Western Australia, 6011
Life’s a beach here in Perth. That statement is especially true at Cottesloe Beach, one of the city’s most beautiful beaches.
Cottesloe Beach’s pristine blue water and white, sand offer visitors an amazing experience. Its consistent swells are awesome for surfing, and the calmer waters near the shore are excellent for swimming.
The waters near the beach also have reefs that you can explore while snorkelling. Cottesloe Beach is my favourite hangout spot during the summer, especially for a fun beachside picnic session with my friends.
| Pro tip: Visit Cottesloe Beach in March so you can check out the beach’s yearly event, Sculpture by the Sea. This features some amazing sculptures made by the best artists in Western Australia. |
6. Hillarys Boat Harbour
Website: https://hillarysboatharbour.com.au/
Address: 86 Southside Dr, Hillarys WA 6025, Australia
Hillarys Boat Harbour is a beachside attraction that’s full of stuff you can do both during the day and at night. Here you can try out a wide range of exciting activities, including boat tours, jet skiing, diving, and more.
This place is also great for relaxation thanks to the restaurants and bars scattered in the area. There’s also the nearby Sorrento Beach if you fancy a simple beachside picnic.
Hillarys Boat Harbour is also where you’ll find the Aquarium of Western Australia. It’s one of the largest aquariums in Australia, with an underwater glass tunnel that allows you to see the state’s unique marine life.
| Pro tip: Don’t forget to make a wish at the Dolphin Fountain before leaving Hillarys Boat Harbour. Inserting $2 into the wishing well will make the massive dolphin sculpture do a 360° rotation. |
7. Swan Bell Tower
Website: https://www.thebelltower.com.au/
Address: Barrack Square, Riverside Dr, Perth WA 6000, Australia
Contact details: +61 8 6210 0444
Operating hours: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (WED-SUN)
Price (general entrance):
Adult – $10
Child – $8
Concession members (veterans, students, and healthcare card holders) – $9
Let’s go and visit the Swan Bell Tower, a famous attraction you’ll find at Elizabeth Quay. Here you’ll find a sixteen-bell set, which is the second-largest set of changing bells in the world.
Twelve of those bells actually came from the St. Martin-in-the-Fields church in Trafalgar Square in London. You’ll get the chance to ring them yourself if you sign up for The Bell Tower Experience tour, which is $18.
Swan Bell Tower also hosts the ANZAC Bell, a massive bell weighing 6,500 kilogrammes. Don’t miss out on its daily ringing session, which is held at midday.
| Pro tip: You can make a date here more special by availing Swan Bell Tower’s Romance Package. This package includes tickets for The Bell Tower Experience and a personalised, engraved love lock. |
8. St. Mary’s Cathedral
Website: https://stmaryscathedralperth.com.au/
Address: 41 Victoria Square, Perth WA 6000, Australia
Contact details: +61 8 9223 1350
Operating hours:
7:00 AM – 6:00 PM (SUN-FRI)
7:00 AM – 7:00 PM (SAT)
Price (Public tours):
Adult – $10
Child – $6
Concession members (veterans, students, and healthcare card holders) – $8
St. Mary’s Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church you’ll find in the Perth CBD. It was built in 1865 to serve as a replacement for the St. John’s Pro-Cathedral, which could no longer accommodate the city’s growing Catholic population.
This cathedral is a must-visit place for history buffs thanks to its academic Gothic-style architecture. It’s the oldest church in the Perth CBD, and it still continues to hold masses to this day.
Make sure to be respectful and observe silence during your visit here, even if there’s no ongoing mass.
| Pro tip: Join one of St. Mary’s Cathedral’s public tours to learn more about the church’s history in detail. The tours are held every Tuesday from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM. |
9. Art Gallery of Western Australia
Website: https://artgallery.wa.gov.au/
Address: Perth Cultural Centre, Perth WA 6000, Australia
Contact details: +61 8 9492 6600
Operating hours: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (TUES-SUN)
Come down to the Art Gallery of Western Australia to see the best works of my city’s talents. Located in the Perth Cultural Centre, it’s one of the largest art galleries in Western Australia that you can access for free.
The Art Gallery of Western Australia features both new and historical artworks. Some of the oldest paintings you’ll find here are George Pitt Morrison’s The Founding of Perth 1829 and John Longstaff’s Breaking the News.
The best exhibitions for me were those featuring Western Australia’s indigenous culture, particularly, the Six Seasons by Noongar artist Meeyakba Shane Pickett.
| Pro tip: You can check out what exhibits the Art Gallery of Western Australia currently has on display on their website. |
Attractions Outside the Perth Metropolitan Area
10. Swan Valley
Website: https://www.swanvalley.com.au/Home
Address: Herne Hill WA 6056, Australia
Next up is the Swan Valley, located north-east of the metropolitan area. This fertile valley is one of Australia’s biggest wine-producing regions and is home to more than 40 world-class wineries.
The most popular activity you can try here is wine tasting. Most of the wineries here allow visitors to try out their latest wine creations straight from the barrel.
Some wineries also have their own restaurants, so visitors can have a relaxing lunch during their visit.
It’s always a fun time for me whenever I visit here. The scenery is awesome, and there are lots of places here that you can take photos of to relive your wonderful visit.
| Pro tip: Swan Valley’s website features a tonne of suggested itineraries you should check out. Each itinerary has a unique theme to help you experience the valley in different ways. |
11. Rottnest Island
Website: https://www.rottnestisland.com/
You don’t have to travel far from Perth to experience the refreshing and exciting Rottnest Island. Located just a few kilometres from Fremantle, a boat trip to this island won’t take you more than 30 minutes.
This island paradise hosts a wide range of natural beauties, like reefs, underwater caves, and unique wildlife. Rottnest Island also features some historic sites and shipwrecks you can explore.
Do you know that Rottnest Island is one of the few remaining areas in Australia where quokkas thrive? These small, cute creatures are friendly towards humans.
Check out #quokkaselfie on any social media platform to see their adorable smiles!
| Pro tip: You don’t need to carry special equipment to experience Rottnest Island. There are many rental shops on the island where you can rent scuba gear or a bicycle to explore the island and the reefs surrounding it. |
12. Yanchep National Park
Website: https://exploreparks.dbca.wa.gov.au/park/yanchep-national-park
Address: Yanchep Beach Rd &, Indian Ocean Dr, Yanchep WA 6035, Australia
Contact details: +61 8 9303 7759
Price:
Standard vehicle: $15 per vehicle
Large vehicle: $7 per person
Motorcycle: $8
Let’s visit Yanchep National Park and enjoy a fun bushwalking session. This national park is located at the northernmost edge of Perth and is one of the best places to see Western Australia’s wildlife.
The national park offers a long list of activities, including birdwatching, caving, and camping. In my opinion, the best places to check out here are the Crystal Caves and the Ghost House Walk Trail.
| Pro tip: Make sure to carry a flashlight if you intend to stay in the park until late in the afternoon. Most areas in Yanchep National Park don’t have electricity, so you’ll need to have your own source of light to navigate its pathways when the sun sets. |
13. Pinnacles Desert
View this post on Instagramhttps://exploreparks.dbca.wa.gov.au/site/pinnacles-desert-lookout-and-driveAddress: Nambung WA 6521, Australia
Contact details: +61 8 9652 7913
Price:
Standard vehicle: $15 per vehicle
Large vehicle: $7 per person
Motorcycle: $8
Another natural attraction you can visit is the Pinnacles Desert, located 190 kilometres north of the Perth CBD. It’s worth going on a two-hour drive to this place to see the impressive limestone formations in the desert.
Some of these limestone formations can reach as high as 3.5 metres! Aside from these formations, Pinnacles Desert is also home to wild animals like kangaroos, emus, and Baudin’s black cockatoos.
Pro tip: Pinnacles Desert is a great spot to see the southern night skies. Its distance from Perth ensures that no light pollution will ruin your chance to see the stars in the sky. For a better stargazing experience, you can join a stargazing tour where you’ll have the chance to use telescopes to see the stars better.
