'My jaw dropped': Six things that surprised me on my first trip to Perth
Perth is having a moment.
The Western Australia capital has just hosted the Ashes, is preparing for the SailGP in January, plus will cheer the return of AFL Origin in February
The city is also hosting matches of the Rugby World Cup in 2027.
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Perth's Elizabeth Quay at sunset. Getty
But it's not just all sport.
The port city of Fremantle, aka Freo, was named Australia's 'Top Tourism Town' for 2025.
Plus Perth was named the 'most relaxing city' by number crunchers too.
It's also a top spot for a stopover on the way to somewhere else.
New places to stay Guarde and The Lodge Wadjemup have just opened, and hip hotel Hyde is coming too.
And if that's not enough, it's also the world's sunniest capital.
Here are all the things that surprised us on our first visit.
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Freo is a beloved mini city Getty
1. It's not that far from the east coast
As a Sydneysider, I've always believed Perth was Very Far Away.
In fact when I phoned a friend from there she remarked, "what is it like, an eight hour flight?"
My husband guessed six. Both were wrong.
My Qantas flight took four hours and ten minutes each way, which really is not that long at all. You couldn't even really watch two movies in that time.
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Perth has the world's biggest city park. Garry Norris Photography
2. It has a record breaking park
King's Park & Botanic Garden, which is walking distance from the CBD, is the world's biggest city park.
Yes, it's bigger than Central Park in NYC and Hyde Park in London.
There are free ranger-led walks daily but we would recommend joining Whadjuk man Steven Jacobs from In Culture Tours.
He took us on an eye-opening 90-minute walk around what was once his people's traditional birthing place.
"They had a supermarket of bush food and a pharmacy of bush medicine," he told me.
Don't miss Gija Jumulu, the staggering 750-year-old Boab tree which was moved from outback WA.
It sounds like a cliche but my jaw actually dropped at the view from the suspended paths of the Federation Walkway, a 620m route in the treetops.
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The Federation Walkway extends 620m over an arched bridge suspended among a canopy of tall eucalypts. Supplied
3. The street art rivals Melbourne
Zany murals down hip laneways... does that remind you of anywhere?
Melbourne might be one of the street art capitals of the world, but Perth also has plenty of cool designs on old walls to check out.
We joined a walking tour with Oh Hey WA who showed us some of the best.
On Wolf Lane, theres's everything from a Laurel and Hardy-inspired scene to a ginormous funky abstract design (which looks rather rude on second glance but apparently is a popular backdrop for wedding pics).
Perth also has plenty of notable artworks to check out. Supplied
"All the good parts of Perth are hidden and you have to walk around to find them," my guide Alex, tells me.
She explained how any of the laneways are being opened up to encourage visitors - and you never know what you might find (in a good way).
'You think it all closes at 5am, and you come down here and there's parties happening," she says.
4. It has beaches from a travel ad
WA is renowned for its beaches, a fact my colleague Jemima raves about all the time - and Perth is no exception.
There was one thing missing though, when I headed to Cottesloe.
The people.
North Cottesloe beach in Perth was deserted. Supplied
You'd find it hard to get a spot of sand on a sunny day in the summer at any Sydney beach.
Here, that was not a problem.
We'd recommend dining on tasty salads and delicious juices at Magic Apple Wholefoods in North Cottesloe.
Also swing by the nearby North Street Store for cinnamon scrolls so delicious I carried one all the way back to Sydney for my husband.
Just out for the 'Freo Doctor', the afternoon wind blasts, which make getting outside in the morning preferable.
Swing by the North Street Store for Cinnamon Scrolls Supplied
5. Quokkas are real... and really popular
Western Australia is famously the only place in the world where you find quokkas, a macropod with a little face that appears to be smiling.
Rottnest Island/Wadjemup, 30 minutes by ferry from Perth, has the biggest population.
While nocturnal, there were a few hopping around in the daytime when we visited.
They are as cute as a cartoon.
Western Australia is famously the only place in the world home to quikkas Tourism Western Australia
And most of them were surrounded by folk snapping photos.
I didn't want to bother the little cuties, so I didn't get one of those famous selfies.
But it was still pretty thrilling to see them.
Rottnest Island in Perth has stunning beaches. Supplied
6. It has some inspiring history
Perth was the first 'free' settlement in Australia.
Fremantle, a city which is part of Perth, is home to the oldest building in the state, 1831 prison, Fremantle Round House.
The old port area is UNESCO World Heritage listed, plus has plenty of vintage shops for fans of more wearable heritage.
The striking London Court arcade in Perth. Getty
Perth also has an unlikely slice of history hanging by the quayside.
The new Bell Tower attraction houses the original 14th century bells from St Martin-in-the-Fields Church in London.
For another slice of Blighty, don't miss a wander down London Court, a cute mock Tudor street created in the 1930s.
Then swing by the nearby revamped State Buildings, now home to multiple restaurants, cafes and the COMO Treasury hotel.
Also, take a selfie with the Boonji Spaceman.
Take a selfie with the Boonji Spaceman in Perth. Supplied
Artist Brendan Murphy has loaned the city his staggering seven metre sculpture.
And it's even more striking when you know how it links to the city's past.
You see, Perth is known as the City of Light, a fact I learned from Alex on that Oh Hey WA tour.
NASA Astronaut John Glenn was the first American to orbit the Earth, back in 1962. The city's Lord Mayor pleaded to Perth locals to turn on ALL the lights for him as he soared overhead.
They even illuminated white sheets pegged on their Hills Hoists with torches.
John saw a blaze of radiance in the dark night, and informed NASA that Perth must be 'the city of light'.
What is the best month to visit Perth?
With hot summers and mild winters, it's never too cold.
Summer (December to February) is hot with temperatures up to 30 degrees. Winter is cooler from eight to 19 degrees but wetter.
Spring has averages of 23 degrees and is also wildflower season, while autumn sees highs of 26 degrees.
The writer travelled as a guest of Tourism Western Australia and COMO The Treasury.
