Travel tips and things to do in Perth, Western Australia: Eight things you should do

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Travel tips and things to do in Perth, Western Australia: Eight things you should do

By David Whitley
Elizabeth Quay, Perth.

Elizabeth Quay, Perth.Credit: Illustrations Photography

THE ONE PARK

Kings Park, long Perth's crowning glory, is a majestic four square kilometres of green space perched above the Swan River. Large tracts are left as semi-wild native bushland, laced with walking tracks, while the sections with more hands-on maintenance include a treetop walkway and the Botanic Gardens. See bgpa.wa.gov.au/kings-park

THE ONE MUSEUM

Before the mining boom in the north, Western Australia's wealth was spurred by gold. The Perth Mint is where most of it was processed, and is now home to an exhibition about the gold rush's history. There's also the world's largest collection of gold bars on display, while gold-pouring demos show a bar melted down in a furnace, put in a mould, dipped into water and formed into a bar again. See perthmint.com

THE ONE BOAT TRIP

Black swans to the left of you, dolphins to the right ... A cruise down the Swan under the bright blue, sunny sky is a marvellous way to fall for Perth. The Little Ferry Co does it differently, though, using dinky, 11-seater, solar-powered boats to glide almost silently upstream, past Heirisson Island and Perth's new landmark – the Optus Stadium. See littleferryco.com.au

THE ONE LANEWAY

Perth's laneway scene is catching up with Melbourne's. The star of the show is Wolf Lane, which is the epicentre of Perth's street art culture. There are some seriously impressive large murals down there, plus an array of restaurants and bars. Of these, the Cheeky Sparrow straddles the craft beer/ cocktail line nicely, with charmingly mismatched furniture to-boot. See cheekysparrow.com.au

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THE ONE FOOD HALL

Part of the new Yagan Square development, Market Hall is Perth's take on the global posh food hall trend. Maalinup Bush Foods specialises in native ingredients, while Honeycake sells incredibly moreish honeyed layer cakes and Toast My Curry serves up "Naasties" – spicy Indian toasties made with naan. See mra.wa.gov.au

THE ONE BEACH

Scarborough Beach, a genuinely stunning strip of dune-backed white sand with an engaging clutch of cafes, has been given a multimillion-dollar makeover. Key additions have been a playground, a top-drawer skate park and a new open-air swimming pool for those who don't fancy a dip in the ocean. The general contouring and cleaning up of public areas have added to the appeal.

THE ONE ISLAND

The concept of the Quokka Selfie has given a new lease of life to Perth's long-standing favourite escape, Rottnest Island. The absurdly cute marsupials can be easily found nuzzling around the cafes and shops of the main settlement, but the main appeal of the island hasn't changed – hop on the Rottnest Express ferry, hire a bike, grab your snorkel and pedal round to whichever one of several stunning beaches tickles your fancy. See rottnestisland.com

THE ONE HOTEL

The reliably cool QT offers leather-padded wardrobes, freestanding baths surrounded by black marble and black cockatoo wallpaper in the executive rooms. Elsewhere, there's video art and arresting designer furniture in the lobby, plus an 18th-floor rooftop bar with superlative views over the city and Swan River. See qthotelsandresorts.com

ONE MORE THING

The direct Qantas flights from Perth to London have changed the Western Australian capital from out-of-the-way detour to viable stopover destination. It's a good excuse to check Perth out on the way to Europe. See qantas.com; westernaustralia.com

David Whitley was a guest of Tourism Western Australia, QT Hotels and Rottnest Express.

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