In this week’s newsletter we’ve put Australia in the spotlight, have a look here.
I would like to focus a bit on a city in the west, sometimes forgotten by tourists: Perth.
I went there in February 2007 for a Study Abroad semester at Edith Cowan University and I had a great time! Perth is the largest city of Western Australia with about 1,5 million inhabitants and also said to be the most remote capital in the world. But once you’re there, you’re going to have an awesome time!

The sun is shining and the beach is waiting for us…

Scarborough beach
On the Joondalup line- Get of at Glendalough station and catch the bus from there.

Cottesloe beach
On the Fremantle line- Get of at Cottesloe and walk down to the beach, 10 minutes.

The enthusiast surfer would go to Trigg beach, early in the morning when the surf’s good.
My roommate would get up at 6 if the wave forecast looked good. Margaret River is a great weekend trip for the experienced surfer although the waves might be a bit too much for a beginner.

My favourite is Scarborough; the beach is great with lovely waves while Cottesloe is calmer and probably more child-friendly.

Beautiful sunset at Scarborough beach.

A day trip…

At Rottnest Island you can rent bikes, go to lovely beaches and just have a day out in the sun. Meet the funny animal quokka that is typical for the island. You can also stay over night.
Catch the train to Fremantle and get on the fast-ferry to the island.



Fremantle It takes some 45 minutes or so to get to Freo, once there you can enjoy a walk down to the harbour. Have some fish n’ chips for lunch, but watch out for the seagulls, they’re everywhere and quite eager to get a bite of your food. Go to the Fremantle Markets or enjoy some of the fair-trade shops in the area. Take a break at the cappuccino strip and watch people walking by.

Instead of just going to a Zoo, try Cavershamn Wildlife Park where you can meet lots of kangaroos and other animals. There are more open spaces than in a Zoo and the experience feels more genuine.



The Aquarium of Western Australia at Hillary’s boat harbour is well worth a visit.
A lot of fun for the kids, but your age is not really a problem… Grown-ups like colourful fishes and sharks too, right!

Kings Park is an excellent picnic spot, just catch the bus from the city centre and you’ll be there in 10 minutes or so. The view over the city is amazing in daylight as well as by night.



Suburbs well-worth a visit…

Leederville (on the Joondalup line) has plenty of cafés and some cool shops as well.
You can also go to the Luna Cinema, small independent movie theatre with lots of good alternative movies and a nice café.
Fremantle has its famous market and its Cappuccino strip, excellent for a coffee in the sun.
Mt Lawley ("my" suburb) The main street, Beaufort Street has a bunch of cool clothing shops and for a break I would like to suggest Gelare. Try the waffles with ice-cream for the ultimate experience! By night you can try the flying Scotsman or the neighbour Velvet lounge for cheap beer and good music.
Subiaco has great markets on Fridays and weekends. Perfect for fresh fruits and veggies.

By night...

An ideal night out for my friends and me would start at Tiger Lili’s on 437 Murray St and past midnight we would continue to a true favourite, the indie-club The Amplifier on 393. They usually have great indie-music and good gigs and if you need a break from dancing you can hang out in their cool backyard.

Every suburb has its own pubs and bars, a little bit different from place to place.
Most of the suburbs also have a “hotel”. Try Subiaco hotel for fancy drinks and enjoy their cosy backyard.

The Northbridge-area is slightly dodgy but the young crowds are still going every weekend. Try the outdoor garden at the Brass monkey’s to have a beer or enjoy comedy night.
The Shed is another popular spot for a Saturday night, mainstream music and young people.

Further reading:
Useful information on visas
The official site for Australian Tourism
thewest.com.au The major news site of WA.
Australia’s national bus service- Greyhound.com.au
Transperth- public transport in Perth Free public transport within the city centre with CAT buses or any other bus or train too, within a designated area.
Rottnest Island
Caversham Wildlife Park
The Aquarium of Western Australia
Tiger Lili's Bar
The Amplifier- Indie rock club
Move to WA
WA Government"