Exploring Perth

If you were to look at a map of the world and find the most isolated city on the planet, you would likely land a finger right on Perth. It is so far from everything else that even other Australians treat it like a distant relative who only shows up for Christmas. But as I stepped off the plane into that famously crisp Western Australian air, I realised that being tucked away in a corner of the globe has its perks. It is clean, it is quiet, and the locals have a sort of relaxed confidence that comes from knowing they have the best beaches in the country and nobody around to crowd them.

I started my journey at Kings Park. Now, when a city claims to have a park, you usually expect a few benches and a disgruntled pigeon. Kings Park, however, is a massive expanse of botanical gardens and wild bushland that is actually larger than Central Park in New York. I spent a good hour wandering along the Lotterywest Federation Walkway, which is a glass bridge suspended among the eucalyptus trees. Looking out over the Swan River and the city skyline, I felt a brief moment of profound connection with nature, followed immediately by the realisation that I had forgotten to apply sunscreen. in Perth, the sun does not just shine; it conducts a personal interrogation of your skin.

After retreating to the shade, I made my way down to Elizabeth Quay. This is the shiny, modern heart of the waterfront, complete with undulating bridges and posh cafes. It is lovely, but for a bit of real character, I hopped on a train to Fremantle. Known affectionately as Freo, this port town feels like it has been pickled in 19th century charm. The streets are lined with Victorian architecture and the smell of roasting coffee. I wandered through the Fremantle Markets, which have been running since 1897. I managed to resist buying a handmade boomerang, but I did succumb to a bag of local fudge that was roughly the size of my head.

Of course, you cannot go to Freo without visiting the Fremantle Prison. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and, quite frankly, a bit spooky. I took a tour through the limestone cells and heard tales of daring escapes and grumpy convicts. It was a sobering reminder that while I was complaining about the lack of air conditioning in my hotel, people used to live here in significantly less comfort.

The highlight of any Perth trip, though, is the ferry ride to Rottnest Island. The Dutch explorers who named it thought the local marsupials were giant rats, hence Rat Nest. They were, of course, completely wrong. Those little creatures are quokkas, and they are officially the happiest animals on earth. I spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to get a selfie with one. They have a permanent grin that makes you feel like you have just told them a particularly good joke. The island itself is a car free paradise with turquoise bays that look like they have been hit with a Photoshop filter.

I ended my stay at Cottesloe Beach. As the sun began to dip into the Indian Ocean, turning the sky into a bruised palette of purple and orange, I sat on the sand with a paper parcel of fish and chips. There is a certain magic to a Perth sunset that makes you forget the twenty hour flight it takes to get here. It is a city that doesn't try too hard to impress you, and that is exactly why it does.