Perth (Western Australia, Australia)

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Most of the two million people who live in Western Australia reside in the sophisticated and scenic state capital. Perth grew on the banks of the Swan River, named after the Scottish city of the same name, and was proclaimed by Queen Victoria as a city in 1856. The discovery of gold in Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie, to the east of the city, in the 1890s led to a dramatic rise in its population and an economic boom. Another boom followed in the 1960s with the mining profits of iron ore and nickel.

Today the city is characterised by numerous waterways, green parks and a compact central business district. There is plenty to occupy visitors in Perth, from touring the city by tram or bus, enjoying watersports on the Swan River or just sipping a glass of the famous local wine in a riverside or beachside restaurant. Perth has more restaurants per capita than any other Australian city. Not far from the city is Western Australia's oldest wine-growing region, Swan Valley, which welcomes tourists to visit the many award-winning family-owned wineries, which offer alfresco and restaurant meals and cellar tastings.

Perth is also the site of the world's oldest operating mint, and boasts several museums and art galleries, historic buildings, a casino and a good variety of shopping opportunities. Last, but not least, the city offers more than 50 miles (80km) of white sandy beaches in close proximity. Among the most popular are Cottesloe and Scarborough.

Locality:

Perth is the capital of Western Australia, it is in the south west corner of the continent. (it is 12 mls N of the port of Fremantle. 2,500 mls SW of Darwin. 1,700 mls W of Adelaide. 10 mls SW of the international airport, with good taxi and bus connections to town). Perth is strung out along the Sunset Coast on the Indian Ocean. It isSurrounded by desert, which encroaches upon some suburbs, and backed by the Darling Range and bisected by the Swan River.

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Perth is suitable more for couples than families. Aside from the zoo and beaches, there are few attractions for young children. The accommodation here is mostly 4- and 5-star skyscraper hotels with smattering of smaller concerns in the beach areas.

Located at the top of St Georges Terrace, Barracks Arch is all that remains of the huge Pensioner's Barracks which once comprised 120 rooms. The Arch is nothing more than a hint of the grandeur which once characterised this chequered building which was designed by the architect, Richard Roach Jewell.

Kings Park, otherwise known as Mount Eliza, offers a superb view of Perth and the graceful Swan River. It has been a source of pleasure to Perth residents since it was set aside as parkland in 1831 by the colony's first Surveyor General, John Septimus Roe. It was named Perth Park in 1872 and subsequently renamed Kings Park in 1901 to honour Edward VII's accession to the throne. Shortly afterwards the park was visited by the King's son, the Duke of Cornwall and York.

The Old Courthouse is the oldest building in central Perth. It was designed by Henry Reveley, the colony's first Civil Engineer, and completed in 1837. It is hidden away in a corner of Stirling Gardens beside the larger and more imposing Supreme Court Building.

Located on the corner of St Georges Terrace and Barrack Street, Stirling Gardens are a wonder to behold in springtime when the blooms and the exquisitely maintained lawns offer a dramatic contrast to the canyons of iron and concrete which surround it. The Gardens were first set aside in 1829 and opened in 1845. They are the state's first Botanical Gardens.

Northbridge features every kind of eating experience, from pricey fish restaurants to covered food halls where you pick and mix international cuisine from a variety of stalls and then eat at tables in the centre. Choose from Thai, Korean, Malaysian, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Cantonese, French, Italian or Lebanese. Most hotels have their own restaurants.

During the daytime visit the zoo, beach, Museum and Art Gallery of Western Australia, and Perth Mint. There are many heritage trails through Fremantle for the nature lover and hiker. The nightlife here offers the Perth Entertainment Centre which hosts ballet, comedy and lots of other functions, there are cinemas, ahuge casino, and a restored Edwardian theatre.

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Population: 20.090.400
Languages: English 79%, native and other languages
Currency: Australian dollar
Currency code: AUD
Local Times:
Australia - Australian Capital Territory - Canberra

Australia - New South Wales - Sydney

Australia - Tasmania - Hobart

Australia - Western Australia - Perth

Country Dialling Code: +61
Voltage: 240V 50Hz
Electrical plugs:
Flat prongs, inverted 'V' positioned with earth connector

Flat prongs, inverted 'V' positioned with earth connector

Australia, officially called the Commonweath of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the continental mainland (the smallest of the World\'s continents).

The continent of Australia, with the island state of Tasmania, is approximately equal in area to the United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii). Mountain ranges run from north to south along the east coast, reaching their highest point in Mount Kosciusko (7,308 ft; 2,228 m). The western half of the continent is occupied by a desert plateau that rises into barren, rolling hills near the west coast. The Great Barrier Reef, extending about 1,245 mi (2,000 km), lies along the northeast coast. The island of Tasmania (26,178 sq mi; 67,800 sq km) is off the southeast coast.

It may be one of the world's most ancient lands with its mystical red centre and brooding rock formations, but Australia is also characterised by its youthful energy, its freshness and its \'no worries\' philosophy.

Most of the population lives within a few miles of the beach and with the working day beginning and ending early, it\'s not uncommon to see city slickers out of their suits and into the surf come 4.30pm.

In high summer many families will enjoy a simple backyard barbecue several times a week.

The 22-hour journey means most European people visit for at least a couple of weeks, allowing time for all that the country has to offer, including its chic cities, terracotta desert, lush bush and magical ocean reefs.

But the sheer size of Australia means that one visit is unlikely to be enough.

The most popular attractions are undoubtedly Uluru (Ayers Rock), the Great Barrier Reef and the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, but there are now more subtle incentives for a visit.

The wonderful fusion cuisine, the café society, the burgeoning art, culture and fashion scene, and the very real possibility of being the only person for miles around all conspire to make it a wholly alluring experience.

Australia is politically divided into six states and two territories, each one offering a different experience for the traveller. There is the drama of the remote \'Outback\', the colourful spectacle of the Great Barrier Reef and its coral islands, the excitement of the cosmopolitan cities, the sun and surf at some of the best beaches in the world, and the tropical rainforests of Western Australia. The list is endless in this diverse land of adventure, which boasts 2,000 national parks and 14 World Heritage-listed areas, along with more than 7,000 beaches.

Australia is a land of character too, with its melting pot of cultures. For more than 50,000 years the Aboriginal people lived and thrived in the continent\'s unique environment. It is believed the Aboriginals are the world\'s oldest civilisation, and in recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in keeping the Aboriginal culture alive and flourishing.

The vast continent at the bottom of the world was the last landmass to be discovered by European explorers. Captain James Cook arrived in Botany Bay in 1770 and sparked off generations of emigration to Australia, which for some time served as a penal colony. It was not until 1860 that two explorers - Robert Burke and William Wills - became the first Europeans to cross Australia from south to north. The country remains a magnet for modern explorers and adventurers and has a great deal to offer tourists and holidaymakers.