126 AlAskA Airlines MAgAzineDecember 2008

By Jacinta O’Halloran

Big City, Small-Town FeelPerth is one of Western Australia’s hidden gems

When my mother’s plane landed at Perth International Airport three years

ago, her arrival was 33 years late. She was supposed to have emigrated years before

with her older sister. When she finally got on the plane for Perth, she said it

was “about time.” I supported her move, partly because it was gutsy, but mostly

because I knew my great-grandmother had also moved to a new country at the tender

age of 50. Impulsive relocation runs in the family.

There were obvious reasons why my mother chose Western Australia, the coun-try’s largest state: We have an established branch of the family there, and there are really only two seasons to dress for— summer, and a mild winter before it’s summer again. Add hot Christmases, cool

beaches and British candy in corner shops, and it’s even easier to understand. Still, to really see why my mother had left the west coast of Ireland for the west coast of Aus-tralia, I had to come for a visit.

The “W” and “A” in Western Australia are said to stand for “Wait Awhile.” It’s true, you have to wait awhile longer on the plane

to get here (almost five hours from Syd-ney). But “wait awhile” also suggests that you shouldn’t just rush through your visit, but rather slow down to the Western Aus-tralian pace of life, and then settle into the scenery.

When we arrive in Perth, we’re excited to finally be “Down Under.” After carefully plotting our agenda en route, we are eager to start checking items off each of our lists, such as “See a kangaroo” (11-year-old), and “Be a kangaroo” (5-year-old). There is a warm and happy sun shining in a great big blue sky to greet us. The sky is the shade of vacation-blue that you usually envy in postcards from friends visiting far-flung

Manicured gardens at kings Park provide a terrific view of

Perth’s downtown skyline.

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destinations, and the sun provided the kind of warmth we didn’t expect for a winter’s morning.

“Perth gets more sunny days than any other city in Australia,” my mother proudly brags with a slight Aussie twang.

I’d heard so much about the other obvi-ous reason to visit Perth—50 miles of unspoiled sandy white “beach, beach and more beach”—while planning this trip that I nearly doubted Perth’s status as a city.

It is, indeed, a city. In fact, Perth is Western Australia’s state capital and largest city. With 1.5 million residents, Perth is home to about three-fourths of Western Australia’s population.

The city was founded in 1829 by Cap-tain James Stirling, as the center for the

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Swan river Colony. After a slow start and run-ins with the indigenous noongar tribe (who had occupied the land for the previ-ous 40,000 years), the city slowly grew. In 1850, an influx of convicts from great Britain boosted the size of the colony, and their labor helped build the city. It was the discovery of gold in the 1890s, however, that really established Perth, triggering a long-term mineral boom. In recent years, the rise of commodity prices and the sub-sequent mining and oil-drilling boom have dramatically increased and diversified Perth’s population, making it the fastest-growing city in the country. recent projec-tions from the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimate that Perth’s population will more than double in the next 50 years.

Despite all this boom-ing, Perth is surprisingly free of hustle and bustle. maybe its location on the peaceful waters of the Swan river promotes a laid-back atmosphere. Perth is nicknamed “the loneliest city,” and is closer to east Timor, and Jakarta, Indonesia, than to Sydney, Brisbane or Canberra. Perhaps this remoteness allows it to feel like a friendly small town. Perth’s

Where to Stay

The 13-story Mercure Perth hotel

(011-61-8-9326-7000, www.mercure.

com) is conveniently located in the heart

of Perth, with the central train station,

major shopping, dining, sightseeing and

nightlife areas all within easy walking

distance. When you’re done walking, you

can relax in the hotel lounge, sauna or,

best of all, in the heated rooftop pool. It

attracts a business clientele, so you can

sometimes find a deal here for a week-

end stay.

Merribrook Retreat (011-61-8-9755-

5599, www.merribrook.com.au) embod-

ies everything that Margaret River—and

indeed, this part of the country—is

about. It’s rugged yet refined, modern

but still rustic, and packages can include

relaxing activities as well as adventures.

You’ll find elegant villa accommodations,

a spa, pool, sauna and open wood fire,

plus gourmet breakfasts in a luxurious

and secluded natural setting. It’s only

five minutes by car to Indian Ocean

beaches, and a 14-minute drive to the

town of Margaret River.

Karri Valley Resort (011-61-8-9776-

2020, www.karrivalleyresort.com.au) is

about a three-and-a-half-hour drive

south of Perth. The resort is surrounded

by a majestic karri forest and sits on

the banks of the trout-filled Lake Beede-

lup. The town of Pemberton is about

14 miles south of the resort. It’s an

easy drive to explore local wineries and

area attractions such as the Gloucester

Tree, Beedelup Falls, and local berry

and lavender farms, yet you truly

appreciate the tranquility and natural

beauty of the region. Stay in a cozy

and secluded two- or three-bedroom

chalet, with a view of the peaceful

lake, and meadows filled with wild

kangaroos.

detailscottesloe Beach is a popular beach in the Perth area.

continued on page 129

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129AlAskA Airlines MAgAzine December 2008

uncluttered skyline is a pleasing mix of high-rise glass and steel towers and charming colonial archi-tecture, amid pristine parks and squeaky-clean streets. The metro area has three times as much open space as built space—per-haps the city is too airy for big-city tensions and stresses. maybe it’s as simple as “beach, beach and more beach.”

After a few minutes on Cottesloe Beach, a popular area recreation spot, I begin to truly understand why, after visiting here a few years ago, my mother returned home and put her house on the market. It really is that nice. A tireless stretch of pristine sandy beach stretches under that wide blue sky and between the turquoise blue waters of the Indian Ocean and Cottesloe’s manicured terraces. locals—or “sandgropers” as they are called here, after a sand insect—surf in the playful waves, saunter along the sandy shore, or simply sit and soak in their blessings. I feel lucky to wait awhile and take in the winter sun. We head off to Kings Park just as people begin to take part in one of Perth’s—and indeed, Australia’s—most time-honored traditions: the Sunday session, in which some locals enjoy a Sunday afternoon beer.

If Perth’s heart can be found on a beach, its soul lies in Kings Park. This nearly 1,000-acre park is Western Australia’s most popular tourist attraction, visited by more than 5 million people a year. more than three-fourths of this magnificent park is natural bushland, containing more than 300 species of native plants, and around 80 bird species. The rest of the park is made up

of beautiful gardens, an elevated treetop walkway, nature trails, and open recre-ational areas where people picnic, sit and chat, and enjoy fantastic views of the city skyline and Swan river.

After getting a bird’s-eye view of the city from Kings Park, we are eager to see it up close. There are plenty of guided tours of the city, but it’s just as easy to walk, and we know we can hop on one of the free CAT (Central Area Transit) buses if our legs fail us. We start in Barrack Square with the impressive Bell Tower, home of the “Swan Bells,” where I try to get the kids to appreciate the fact that this is the only location in the Southern Hemisphere where they can hear 16 (exclamation here!)

details

Where to eat

The Old Brewery (011-61-8-9211-8999,

www.oldswanbrewery.com.au) dates

back to the late 1800s, but in 2001 it was

renovated and reopened with a state-of-

the-art microbrewery, cafe-restaurant

and function venue. Original-recipe

beers are produced on-site, and there

are samples aplenty. The cafe-restau-

rant’s good food, alfresco dining and

wonderful views of the Swan River and

Perth skyline make it a favorite for locals

and visitors alike.

It doesn’t get much better than great

fish-and-chips, well-salted and doused

in vinegar from Fremantle’s famed

Cicerello’s (011-61-8-9335-1911, www.

cicerellos.com.au). Think boatshed-style

building, great seafood, outdoor water-

front seating and spectacular views of

the harbor and ocean—aah, all is well

with the world.

The Voyager Estate (011-61-8-9757-

6354, www.voyagerestate.com.au) in

Margaret River is one of the region’s

best winery-restaurants. After winning

Western Australia’s award for “Top

Restaurant” in 2006, as well as the “Best

Winery Restaurant” honor for three

successive years, the Voyager recently

received the prestigious Prix d’Honneur

award for the second time. The restau-

rant features a grand setting on palatial

manicured grounds, and an elegant

chandelier hangs in the dining room. The

imaginative menu varies seasonally and

typically includes recommended wines.

from page 127

Visitors to the much-photographed, iconic

Bell tower can hear a delightful concert of 16

tuned bells nearly every day of the week.

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tuned bells ring in various patterns. From here we wander through the

Supreme Court gardens to Perth’s oldest building, the Francis Burt law education Centre, then across St. george’s Terrace to Pier Street and St. george’s Cathedral, with

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130 AlAskA Airlines MAgAzineDecember 2008

its fine jarrah wood ceiling. next we go to the central business district, where we find large modern skyscrapers and grand hotels, as well as some of Perth’s historical build-ings funded by the gold rush. We shop for souvenirs in london Court, an elizabethan-like street with adorable tea shops. Then we shop the Hay Street and murray Street malls for awhile, before resting in the sunny Forrest Place Square, remembering to “wait awhile” before heading a little farther south.

Fremantle, a port city founded in 1829 at the mouth of the Swan river, is a vibrant city southwest of Perth’s city center. It offers everything from historical architec-ture and marine heritage to a street dedi-cated to the consumption of cappuccino (Cappuccino Strip). It also boasts the grave of former AC/DC lead singer Bon Scott and the Fremantle markets. From Fremantle, you can also hop on a ferry to a protected nature reserve, called rottnest Island, where Perth locals escape their not-so-hectic lives for pristine beaches and bike paths, as well as to see the local miniature marsupials called “quokkas.”

We are so taken with “Freo”—a nick-name for Fremantle—and, in particular, with the well-salted and vinegared fish-and-chips we consume on its waterfront, that we adopt the Fremantle Football Club—known as “the Dockers”—as our Australian foot-ball—or “footy”—team. This is no small declaration. If you want to have any kind of decent conversation with a local, you have to have a favorite footy team—“go Dockers!”

likewise, if you want to really feel like a local in Perth, you should go to a game. Subiaco Oval is an easy train ride from Perth’s center. It is the highest- capacity stadium in the area and home to two Australian-rules football teams: the Fremantle Football Club and the West Coast eagles.

We gear up in new jerseys to show our support for our beloved Dockers, and join about 40,000 vociferous locals. The kids lose their voices, and the Dockers lose their game, but we gain a love for the sport and its incredibly passionate fans.

Another of Perth’s great selling points is

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132 AlAskA Airlines MAgAzineDecember 2008

its location as gateway to the rest of Aus-tralia’s largest state: Head north and you find red-dirt outback and the Pinnacles Desert; go east and you have historical towns and the lush Swan valley wineries; head south and you’ll find more excellent wineries (making some of the best wines in the world) and karri trees— a local species of eucalyptus tree—in the countryside.

my mother lives two hours south of Perth, or as she would say, “just outside Perth,” so we are perfectly situated to explore many picturesque areas.

Our visit includes the rich margaret river wine region, known for its 60-plus wineries and award-winning fine wine. more than 15 percent of the country’s premium wine is produced here. This charming town is popular with Perth residents, who come here year-round for the fresh local produce, fine dining, miles of scenic coastline, and some of Western Australia’s most challenging surf conditions.

Southeast of margaret river, in Beede-lup national Park, we wait awhile amid many of Western Australia’s tallest trees in towering karri forests, gazing high at the majestic trees, and low at rare and exqui-site wildflowers. We also find time to see and be kangaroos—essential Australian travel experiences, though at this point we know there is so much more to Western Australia.

my mother doesn’t need to explain why she chose to move to Perth—we can see for ourselves. It was, indeed, “about time” she lived here…and now I can’t wait until perhaps it’s my time to exercise my own inherited relocation impulses.

Jacinta O’Halloran writes from New York.

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