Perth is a vibrant and modern city, pleasantly sited on the Swan River, with the port of Fremantle twelve kms downstream. Magi claims it is the sunniest state capital in Australia and also the most isolated capital city in the world. Of Western Australia's 2 million people, around 80% live in and around Perth.
Perth was founded in 1829 as the Swan River Settlement, but it grew very slowly until 1850, when convicts were brought in to alleviate the labour shortage. Many of Perth's fine buildings such as Government House and Perth Town Hall were built with convict labour. Even then, Perth's development lagged behind that of the eastern cities, until the discovery of gold in the 1890's increased the population fourfold in a decade and initiated a building boom. More recently, WA's mineral wealth has made WA the fastest growing state in Australia.
Perth City is fairly compact, situated on a sweep of the Swan River, which borders the city center to the south and east, and links Perth to its port, Fremantle.
Perth's river front. One can see King's Park in the upper right.
(The Narrows Bridge connects South Perth with Perth.)
The Swan River was named for the black swans that inhabit this area.
The main shopping precinct in the city is along the Hay Street Mall. St George's Terrace is the center of the city's business district. The western end of Perth slopes up to the beautiful King's Park.Further to the west, suburbs extend as far as Perth's Indian Ocean beaches such as Scarborough and Cottlesloe.
Magi having lunch at a Hay Street Cafe.
The people of Perth love their river.....and unlike many of the cities that have grown up on a river, the Swan is crystal clear. Would you believe....it's not polluted?
The first time we went into the city, Magi parked the car down on the waterfront and we walked to Barracks Square where the famed Bell Tower and Ferris Wheel are housed. Over the last five weeks on talk radio I have heard much discussion on these two structures....mostly negative. The people of Perth are livid the Town Fathers had these two structures built. Despite Magi's negative thoughts about the two, I found them exciting to photograph.
The Bell Tower also looked good in the lens of our cameras.
Leaving Barracks Square, we walked through the Supreme Court Gardens.
Of course, knowing Magi's love for churches, we had to go to St. George's for service.
Then we walked down Hay Street, passing Perth's Town Hall, as we made our way to the Cafe for Sunday lunch.
As I walked the streets of Perth, I loved seeing the old architecture sandwiched between the new.
And I had to smile when I thought about the next image I found......
By now Magi's feet were tired so we headed back to his condo at the Perth Zoo.
Hope you enjoyed your tour of Perth.
Photos by Magi and Bob.
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Comments: 78
I LOVE those statues - the kangaroos are so cool ...and the cartwheeler too
Love the new bronze Kangaroos. The new structures may get some negative press but as you say - they are keeping the old and adding some new to to the mix. Maybe you can have the best of both worlds.
Anyway, be that as it may, I am pleased you enjoyed this tour of my home city.
City planners sometimes make you wonder what in the world are they doing, and often it doesn't seem to be good for the environment or the people in the area. In Nashville and here in Memphis, the football stadiums, convention center construction, etc., is similar. Our pyramid, which cost a fortune to build at the time, and was hotly debated, and is now left unused, is an excellent case in point. In the 60's (I think) there was a massive push to put an expressway straight through our Overton Park and Zoo. They almost pulled it off, tearing down homes along the way. Even though the park was deeded to never be tampered with like that, those who would make a fortune pushing the expressway pushed and pushed and almost succeeded. Many people were forced out of their homes, and can't go back because the homes are not there anymore. Strong-arm politics. A crying shame. I definitely understand peoples outrage. Liking bells doesn't mean they should be put just anywhere. Had the location been more suitable, I bet the revenue and outcome would have been much better.
And I long to hear the bells...did you hear them? What do they sound like?
I want to know.
The bells .... you're welcome to the damned things. LOL They clang very loudly and with gusto. Not my thing, I'm afraid.
Lots of discussion on talk-back radio about the bells. Guess last year, the cost of upkeep on the Bell Tower was $400,000 and the people of Western Australia, Perth in particular, feel that money could be used in other areas since the only people who actually go in the Bell Tower are tourists...and only about 200 people a day. The cost is $11. As yet, I haven't met any local who has actually gone in the Tower.
Nevertheless, I found it fascinating.
Ferris Wheel for London Eye, Bell Tower for the Gerkin.
It is vying with Brisbane as the exuberance capital of Australia
I've been there several times as we have a Lysaght Plant in Forrestfield.
Always wanted to stay longer and take more of a look around.
Thanks for sharing - this is great!
Fremantle is a museum and a tourist trap - I like it, but it is limited in its scope.
But thank you for arguing the side I usually take against my children!
Citibank - ha - they should adop the Visa slogan - everywhere you want to be...
I love the old and new, too - reminds me of Boston and Montreal.
Bob, when you come back, get out your wool! It is 35 and 45 here. For the first time, I am complaining. At least my car is very hot. I have to wear a thin cashmere under my clothes in the house... Our house is fine, but for some reason, I am just getting cold much more easily now. Can't tolerate the frozen aisle at the grocery anymore. I used to be SOO hot! hahahahah
Magi, you are looking finer than ever. Please come to Boston...."that is a song....
Perth is lovely. I love sunny cities. And so...WHAT am I doing in the NorthEast?????I should be in big sky............
Bob, if you go to Montreal with me in early Nov... it is much colder there than here by about 10 degrees. I think I am bringing my faux fur. Am already wearing my down. And my cashmere. Maybe it's because I lost weight. But NEVER have I been so cold and wearing cashmere and down in OCT!
When I get off that plane in Boston on the 28th and take the Braintree Shuttle that little red sweatshirt is all I have with me to ward off the cold! Brrr.
Your winter is looming whereas our summer is sneaking up.
I hope to come to Boston next year.
Hop on a jet anyway ... West Oz is a place of great beauty .... and of big breakfasts and big sandwiches. LOL
I'm glad you agree.
Magi loves to eat! Look at that smile.
When someone else has done the cooking, I love to eat. My kitchen produces burnt offerings.
There are wrecker's yards and car-crushing plants
and industrial wastelands like any other country
Brown snakes in the garden, the Highlander Motel
All these things say Perth's 'burbs can be hell
Course when I was in the Eastern states, most of those people have never been to Perth. Weird, huh?
I would like to know how is life over there; what do the people usually do and how they enjoy their free time.
Featured in " OUR SOUL JOURNEY"
I have never visited Perth, but now intend to do so.
Thanks also for showing us Magi! He's always been so camera shy.
I do like Perth's skyline and do find the Bell Tower pleasing to the eye.
As to London, from this gal who has never travelled abroad, all i can say is the opening London sequence in Harry Potter five must have certainly been subsidised by the London Tourist Bureau as it was the MOST SPECTACULAR city scenery I've ever experienced. Although regular guests are perhaps denied the privilege of flying above the Thames on a turbo powered broomstick, the skyline was more than breathtaking, it brought tears to my eyes. this happened to me only once before in a movie and that was lilo and stitch, when disney animators brought the insanely beautiful colours of hawaii right into our faces in a powerfully moving introduction to the alien's new home. Gawd, i'm such a sooky pants at the movies...
yes Perth looks pretty. (You wanna talk about state spending waste Magi? we now have two - count them 2! - pedestrian bridges across the Brisbane River that each cost several billion dollars to build, this is in a state where children in mt isa who can't walk will never see a physiotherapist in their special school, but if they could walk and lived in Brisbane, they have two pedestrian bridges to choose from, the lucky wee buggers!)
I need to see Harry Potter 5....see the scene that makes you a sooky pants.
Have you seen Mao's Dancer? I guess the guy now lives in Melbourne.
There has been waste in the spending of taxpayers' money on such things as the Bell Tower and Convention Centre (to name just two) when at the same time the State Government cries lack of money for housing and so many services for those less well off - that gets up my nose!
I would love to go to Perth. Your photos show a very scenic and environmentally friendly place. We should put our convicts to work.