Western Australia has a wide range of landscapes with a rugged and beautiful outback to discover, and histories tied to the ocean and from the vast open plains of the Nullarbor to the colourful marine wonderland of Ningaloo Reef. The Outback is a vast place, but it’s not all red dust. National parklands with churning rivers and dramatic gorges offer respite from the soaring heats. And in the southeast, the landscape is fertile and supports some of the best vineyards in the country. This is the area that my Father was born in, a small town called Denmark in Albany, where his parents had gone to be land clearers. The depression put an end to that dream and in 1936 they left back for New Zealand on a Salvation Army package when my Father was only three years old. However, it was enough for me to pick up my Australian citizenship with and the rest is history as they say! So, after living in Australia and then being away so long, it was time to try and get a little closer to my roots, hence another reason for the trip across to Perth, as well as to check iy=t out to see what sort of city it would be to live in.

Perth is pleasant city with great greenery, the wide Swan River and plenty of pedestrian malls in the center of it all. There are lots of eating establishments and well-organized streets and very annoying traffic lights though all over the place, with some of the road signage needing to be better posted, as we managed quite a few detours before finally finding our way! Perth has a fantastic esplanade that is full of early morning joggers and bicyclists, mostly trying to run you over, but also a few pleasant ones there sometimes! I was up and about each morning with the shorts and the camera, getting a bit of exercise and sightseeing as well, looking at various establishments to check whether they were any good or not! An hour later and a cappuccino on the esplanade, and it was time to head back for a shower and breakfast. Great! So, a nice city, good shopping, good beaches and some pleasant suburbs it appears, Perth sure is tempting! It is built upon the banks of the Swan River where it makes a quite wide basin and is very close to a magnificent coastline with pristine beaches. This we travelled up and down having a good look around just to check it out! Fremantle is close by further south on the coast, and so is the Swan River Valley heading northeast from the city, which is a recreational and wine growing area. The Valley is very pleasant with its vineyards, wine tastings and little restaurants, where we took a scenic drive and had lunch, and it seems to be ideal for escaping occasionally out of Perth for a bit of peace and quiet.

Overall we had a nice time in Perth, finding it a bit isolated, but enjoying the greenery and open spaces of the esplanade in the middle of the city. The city is very much like Brisbane in many ways and has the same feeling about it, although a bit smaller. It seemed to have a good amount of history to check out and yet some very modern and stylish buildings as well. There were great open pedestrian malls with plenty of goods in the shops and generally a nice feeling city to be in. Cannot say though whether we will ever end up living there, too early to say at this stage, but a person can certainly do a lot worse for himself that becoming resident in Perth.

The coastline above and below Perth in Western Australia has some of the most pristine coastline in the world with kilometre after kilometre of powdery white beaches. The city of Perth is central to some of the world’s most stunning, clean, sandy beaches, many of which are close to the city centre, and with good waves running, it makes them ideal for surfing. Most of the beaches have excellent facilities, which include beach side restaurants, cafés, and have a vast range of activities available, including scuba diving and snorkeling, sailing, beach games, surfing, along with outdoor picnic tables and barbecue areas. Beach inspectors regularly patrol the beaches during the summer months and volunteer lifesavers are often on hand during the weekends.

The highlights of some of the beaches are mentioned here but there are many more beaches that are accessible with a short drive along either coastline from Perth! Perth City Beach and nearby Floreat Beach are some of Perth’s most peaceful and relaxing beaches and are ideal for swimming, sunbathing, jogging and general beach fun. City Beach is definitely one of the most beautiful beaches you will find along the Perth Coast. Both City Beach and Floreat Beach have glorious golden sands and superb snorkelling in the nearby reefs and are also excellent for body boarding and sunset beach fishing. Cottesloe Beach is one of Perth’s most popular and trendy beaches and is located in the western suburbs of Perth. Bustling cafes, children’s playgrounds, warm sunshine and the inviting Indian Ocean draws young crowds and families for body boarding, surfing and snorkelling. Cottesloe Beach generally has fairly calm waters and is ideal for swimming but is actually divided into two beach areas, Cottesloe Beach and North Cottesloe Beach. Beaches within walking distance: Trigg Beach 1.4km north with its island and rock pools and Brighton Beach to the south where you can start walking pets southward to Floreat Beach. Scarborough Beach is one of the most popular beaches in this area near central Perth attracts groups of surfers, children, families and general sunbathers. This Beach has the best white sand surf beach in the world and is another quite well built up beach that can easily be reached from Perth city centre. The beach is so long and vast, it is easy to drop out, relax and sun bake in a peaceful Perth beach dune hollow away from the crowd. Leighton Beach is located close to central Perth, in the nearby area of Fremantle. Leighton Beach features an artificial reef and is also a popular beach for swimming and all year round surfing. Swanbourne Beach is around a 20-minute drive from Perth city centre and is Perth’s official nudist beach that attracts naturists from all around Perth and Western Australia. Attractions at Swanbourne Beach include white sand dunes, free parking, seasonal beach events and excellent waves for surfing nearby.

The Swan Valley in Western Australia is only a 20 minute drive just north east of Perth city along Great Eastern Highway, where you’ll find yourself in the picturesque Swan Valley – Western Australia’s oldest wine growing region. The Swan Valley is where you will experience a colourful blend of history, people, art, world-class wine, gourmet and fresh produce. It is a great place to take a day trip, as Marg and I did, and sample the local wines and boutique beers, or have a great relaxing lunch in one of the boutique style restaurants there. From here, there are scenic views over the city and across to the natural beauty of the Darling Range, with bush trails, granite outcrops and waterfalls. Make Guildford the first stop and peruse the enchanting antique furniture stores. It is a great place for a leisurely stroll through the town with some of Western Australia’s oldest buildings – much of the original town plan is still intact and many government, commercial and private buildings dating from the 1840s can still be seen. The Swan and Helena Rivers traverse and partially surround Guildford, providing picturesque walk trails and lovely scenery and there are cruise boats that travel up from Perth on the wan River for another day trip aspect.

It is the place to visit a wildlife park to meet some cuddly native animals such as kangaroos and koalas. In the Swan Valley, you can also buy a range of fresh produce and gourmet treats from outlets scattered throughout the area – you’ll have all the essential ingredients for a lunch at one of the valley’s picnic spots such as Bells Rapids, Middle Swan Bridge or Whiteman Park. Al fresco dining is available at many Swan Valley wineries and here you can sip on award winning Australian wines on offer all year round. Beer drinkers can tipple at local boutique breweries in the region that are also worth a visit. Lastly, you can wander through art galleries for creative products from the local sculptors, painters, potters, print makers and woodworkers. All very well worth a trip and if there are blue skies like when Marg and I visited, I am sure you will have a great day out!

And of course, just recently I was again in Perth, in 2024 I took a trip there from Malaysia and went down to Albany and my family heritage town of Denmark. Another great trip, visiting extended family and friends, some more great dinners and sights to see and over-all a very welcoming experience! Marj and John, Greg and Donna in Albany, Deidre and Syd at Bridgetown, Karin and Mark in Freemantle, and my favourite cricketer,  Dennis in Perth, thanks guys, for such great hospitality!