Aussie adventures: West Coast (Pt.1)

Erica Bonfanti
8 mar 2018
Tempo di lettura: 4 min

For Christmas and New Year Eve Erica went for another great adventure to Western Australia. She flew to Perth and after exploring the city and the surroundings she left for a road trip along the west coast.

Too many things to summarize in one post, so here is the first part of her adventure.

Perth

Once I arrived in Pert the feeling was to be in Brisbane as the structure of the city is pretty the same. The CBD is not too big and it rises up on the bank of Swan river (Derbarl Yerrigan in Aboriginal Noongar name).

The best way to discover the city is just walking up and down the streets as everything is walk-distance. If you are a bit lazy or if you are unluky and happen to be in Perth during a storm (as it happened to me) you can use the CAT service, a free bus service running all around the CBD. The city is full of shopping centers. You definitely can’t miss my favorite one: the London Court. It makes you feel like you are in a small village in north Europe. It was built in 1937 as a combination of residential and commercial premises for wealthy gold miner and financier Claude de Bernales. It is designed using the architectural features present in Elizabethan times.

Another must-see in Perth is King’s Park, one of the world’s largest inner city park that hosts an amazing Botanic Garden full of Aboriginal history. From there you can enjoy a wonderful view of Perth’s skyline.

If it gets too hot and you just want to chill out on the Swan River you have multiple options. Elizabeth Quay is where Perth's city meets the Swan River. It is perfect to have a walk, dine in or just relax. Here you can find the Bell Tower, one of the most historical and fascinating attractions in Perth. Another place to get out of the city's rush is South Bank, which you can reach walking, by buses or by boat from Elizabeth Quay.

Fremantle

Fremantle (or Freo as the locals love to call it) is a port-city 30 minutes south of Perth. It is a place full of history, street art and charming beaches were you can enjoy amazing sunset over the Indian ocean.

Here you can find the oldest remaining building of Western Australia: the Round House. You better be there during the weekend to have the chance to get lost in the Freo markets held every Friday, Saturday,Sunday and Public Holidays in an impressive Victorian-era building houses.

A free bus service is offered, but you can easily reach every corner of the city just walking. After getting lost in the city center you can go the southern beach, where you'll find amazing street art.

If you have the chance, wait till the sun sets over the ocean eating a freshly fished fish and chips.

Rottnest Island

This is the largest in a chain of islands on the continental shelf opposite Perth.

Fun fact: The name was given by William de Vlamingh, who in 1696 gave the Island the name Island 'Rotte nest' (meaning 'rat's nest') after the abundance of quokkas he saw, mistaking them for rats.

It is famous for its high number of Quokkas, “The happiest animal on earth”. They are nocturnal marsupials that you can spot under the shadow of the bush or close to the rest area were they look for food or water.

You can get there both from Perth and Fremantle (we recommend Fremantle as it is cheaper and there is a wider choice of departures and returns). There are different ferry companies operating on the island such as Rottnest Express, Rottnest Fast Ferries and Sealink Rottnest Island. All of them offer good deals with packages including return ticket and bike hiring or bus daily tours.

Tip: When you arrive in Perth find a visitor center and get a brochure about the city. They usually have good discount for museum, restaurant and Rottnest Island ferries.

The island can be quite windy, but still very hot especially during the summer. If you opt for hiring a bike you MUST have sun cream and a lot of water with you.

Tip: Remember to buy bottles of water in Fremantle or Perth as on the island it is very expensive and there are few refill spots.

Once you get there, the visitor center will provide you with a map of the island where there are different routes depending on how much time you want to spend on on the island and what your travel option is.

You definitely can’t miss Little Salmon bay (southern part of the island) and the Basin (northern part of the island). Rottnest is a mixture of breathtaking landscapes with crystal clear water, trees shaped by the wind and salted lakes which can be completely dry during summer.