Feature by Jo Baker
So, you’ve only got an hour to soak up some of Australia’s sunniest capital city after check-in, before your flight, or between meetings.
That’s plenty of time to dream big. This city packs a whole lot of urban cool and epic natural beauty in its sparkling CBD beside the glittering Swan River (Derbal Yerrigan), just a pebble’s throw from the Indian Ocean. Here are six ways to kill 60 minutes in Perth (Boorloo) that’ll stay with you for a lifetime.
Soak up the city and Swan River
Mirroring Perth’s twinkling cityscape by night and boundless blue skies by day, the Swan River (Derbarl Yerrigan) cuts a picturesque pathway through the pulsing heart of the CBD. Take a 60 minute rickshaw ride alongside its sparkling waters and over Elizabeth Quay’s (Goomup) striking arched suspension bridge with Peddle Perth Tours to soak up the city’s beguiling beauty. Or, take off with the graceful black swans on the Perth City Seaplane Scenic Flight. From your window seat, you’ll soar past Perth’s iconic skyscrapers, Matagarup Bridge, Kings Park (Kaarta Koomba) and one of the most beautiful stadiums in the world, Optus Stadium, with the jewel of Cottesloe Beach glittering on the horizon.
Peddle Perth Tours, Perth
Pluck rare treasures from land and sea
Head to the water’s edge and harvest your own Australian South Sea pearl, fresh from the clasp of a Pinctada maxima oyster. Willie Creek Pearls in Elizabeth Quay has got to be the most thrilling 60 minutes of luxury indulgence. Lose yourself in that breathtaking moment the oyster is opened and valued. If it’s between $500 and $3,000 AUD, it’s yours to keep!
Unearth more extraordinary finds in a short visit to The Perth Mint, home of the world’s largest, most valuable gold bullion coin weighing in at an eye-popping one tonne. And while you won’t be taking this treasure home, you will get to feel the heft of a large gold bullion bar in your own hands and watch in awe at a live gold pour.
Explore the most bountiful, beautiful playgrounds
It’s been crowned Australia’s best stadium for three years running, not to mention the most beautiful sports facility in the world in 2019, and Venue of the Year at the Stadium Business Awards in 2022. In just 60 minutes, you’ll get to follow every step of the stadium’s awe-inspiring journey to becoming a world-class facility on a Stadium Park Discovery Tour.
Yet many more storylines crisscross this sacred ground. Stories shared around campfires, passed down by Elders for tens of thousands of years. Hear their every word, walking on Wadjuk Noongar country with Warrang Bridil’s Aboriginal Cultural Tours.
Ozone Stadium Park Discovery Tour, Perth
Recharge and quiet your mind
Be grounded and centred in perfect stillness just minutes from the bustling heart of Perth’s CBD. Up on the forested slopes of Mount Eliza lies one of the world’s largest inner-city parks, Kings Park & Botanic Garden (Kaarta Koomba). There, in the calm embrace of this 400-hectare sanctuary, gather your own private or corporate group for a fully guided 60 minute practice with Mindful in Nature. Mindfulness meditations, walks or movement (Qigong), choose your own journey of rejuvenation.
Salute the golden hour and an Indian Ocean sunset
Wind up your day like a true local, down at the beach, cocktail or sparkling in hand, taking a laidback sip as the sun dips into the shimmering Indian Ocean and sets the sky aflame. There’s a string of coastal pearls (19 beaches in total) all within easy reach of the city, and two of the most prized gems are just a 20 minute drive away. Raise a margarita at El Grotto, overlooking the spectacular surf breaks of Scarborough Beach, or grab a little slice of iconic Cottesloe Beach with antipasti and spritz at Il Lido Italian Canteen.
Cottesloe Beach
Return inspired by Boorloo’s many stories
How can you possibly distil the stories of the world’s oldest surviving culture, Australia’s largest state, and all the awe-inspiring natural beauty of its ancient landscapes into 6,000 square metres? Step into WA Museum Boola Bardip for a truly immersive 60 minutes that will instantly connect you to place.
Or take a city walk that’s anything but pedestrian, into hidden laneways, grand heritage and local history led by the colourful Perthonalities and passionate storytellers of Two Feet and a Heartbeat or Oh Hey WA. They’ll happily customise a 60 minute saunter to suit your adventure style.
WA Museum Boola Bardip, Perth
Published November 2024.