Perth is the capital of Western Australia, the country’s largest state, and contains more than three-quarters of its population. This is a lively new city, with an ambience and lifestyle much like Southern California. It is closer to Singapore than to Sydney, and this has made these particular Aussies even more self-reliant and individualistic than the rest. Western Australia has real wealth in the form of its huge mineral resources – it has grown impressively in recent years, and is now Australia’s most productive state measured by GDP per head. If it was a country in its own right, it would be among the world’s top 50 in terms of GDP.

Perth is within easy reach of the beaches along the Sunset Coast, which runs for 30 km north of the Swan River mouth and these are of course are among the best places to visit. South of the river is the seaside town of Fremantle. From here you can catch the ferry to Rottnest Island, 19 km out in the Indian Ocean.

Inland, some of the best places to visit are the wineries along the Swan Valley, or head up the Northern Highway to the Spanish colonial-style Benedictine monastery of New Norcia.

It’s only 20 km from Perth to Fremantle, and you can easily take in the sights in and around the city in three or four days.

But having come this far, it’s well worth spending some time getting to know the place and relaxing on the beach.

TRANSPORT

Perth has a good bus system, which connects all the beach suburbs. There are boat trips up the Swan River to the wineries, and downriver to Fremantle, as well as a ferry from Fremantle to Rottnest Island. A car is convenient, but not essential.