The site that is now Perth was occupied by groups of the Nyoongar tribe for thousands of years. They, and their ancestors, can be traced back some 40,000 years (verified by discoveries of stone implements near the Swan Bridge).
In December 1696, three ships in the fleet commanded by de Valmingh - Nijptangh , Geelvinck and Het Weseltje - anchored off Rottnest Island. On 5 January 1697, a well-armed party landed near present-day Cottesloe Beach then marched eastwards to the Swan River near Freshwater Bay. They tried to contact some of the Nyoongar to enquire about the fate of survivors of the Ridderschap van Hollant , lost in 1694, but were unsuccessful. They sailed north, but not before de Vlamingh had bestowed the name Swan on the river.
Perth was founded in 1829 by Captain James Stirling as the political centre of the free settler Swan River Colony. 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 using convict labour. Even then, its development lagged behind that of the eastern cities, until the discovery of gold in the 1890s increased the population four-fold in a decade and initiated a building boom. has continued to serve as the seat of Government for Western Australia to the present day.
Perth is a vibrant and modern city sitting between the cerulean Indian Ocean and the ancient Darling Ranges. It claims to be the sunniest state capital in Australia, though more striking is its isolation from the rest of the country - Perth is over 4400km from Sydney by road.
Perth is the perfect place for a special day out or stay. Excellent shopping, eating out, entertainment, culture and heritage, leisure and sport are all within close proximity in the city centre.
Offset by the vast tranquil waters of the Swan River, the beautiful city of Perth is a tourist's delight. Modern and vibrant, it contrasts with its historic counterpart - the port city of Fremantle accessible within 20 minutes by car from Perth.
The City is experiencing record growth in terms of inner-city living, development and industry, servicing 100,000 daily visitors and workers in addition to its 13,000 inner-city residents. The City of Perth is a major provider of free entertainment for the 1.5 million people in the metropolitan area and is the premier destination for business, entertainment, nightlife, culture and the arts.
Perth has all modern conveniences and is a stunning place for a summer or winter holiday. With the sun always shining, white sandy beaches and a cosmopolitan atmosphere there is always something to see and do in Perth.
The metropolitan area is located in the south west of the continent between the Indian Ocean and a low coastal escarpment known as the Darling Range.
When you visit Perth, walking around the city is a pleasure. Perth shows a strong commitment to the environment and the city’s streets and public gardens are filled with colour from Easter to autumn.
The city centre's skyscrapers dominate a picturesque riverside location. However, behind the towering edifices hide a handful of 19th-century buildings and facades, and some saving-grace patches of greenery. But these concerns fade in an instant when you glimpse the famous beaches.
The central business district and suburbs of Perth are situated on the Swan River.
Perth is a vibrant city blessed with friendly, fun loving locals and a glorious climate. Pristine oceans frame the city’s boundaries to the west, rolling hills adorn countryside to the east and a stunning river meanders through the city’s very heart.
Da had his tertiary education in Perth in the 1980s/1990s (heehee... I will not mention the exact years that he studied in Perth so as to avoid revealing his age.... well, since I am sweet 16, he must be 18!). He and I have since visited Perth many times. We have tried to make a yearly pilgrimage to Perth during springtime in Perth. In more recent years, due to work commitments, we have not been able to go there on a yearly basis. In my opinion, it is one of the world’s most livable cities.
Perth became known worldwide as the "City of Light," as city residents lit their houselights and streetlights as American astronaut John Glenn passed overhead while orbiting the earth on “Friendship 7” in 1962. The city repeated its feat as Glenn passed overhead on the “Space Shuttle” in 1998.
Perth City Centre is located alongside the peaceful waters of the Swan River, twenty Kilometres inland of the Indian Ocean on the West Coast of Australia. The Perth city centre bustles with activity and offers a range of choices for shopping. 
Many people paint Perth as bright, fun, friendly and “laid back”. I have visited other parts of Australia but my all-time favourite is Perth.
Perth offers a mix of vibrant contrasts ranging from the splendour of the coast to the depths of the forest, from the uncrowded beaches to the lively city streets and it is all on offer within a short distance of the city centre.
Whet your appetite with a day on the Swan River, a picnic to the Perth Hills, a visit to a vineyard or a stroll around the city centre or Fremantle. From outdoors to indoors, a fabulous range of city and suburban shops will satisfy even the most particular tourist, with everything from traditional Australian gifts and garments, opals, Kalgoorlie gold and precious diamonds to succulent local seafood, tender red meat and fresh fruit and vegetables.
In Perth, you can experience awesome nature, history, action and adventure, world class arts, culture and dining. You can laze on white sandy beaches, visit vineyards, taste local fresh produce, stroll through fields of wildflowers and hike through acres of natural bush. 
Perth is one of the most isolated metropolitan areas on Earth. The nearest city to Perth with a population over 1 million is Adelaide in South Australia, which is 2,104 kilometres away. Perth is geographically closer to East Timor, Singapore and Jakarta (Indonesia) than it is to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in Australia.
If you enjoy long relaxing walks along clean sandy beaches, swimming in the surf on a warm sunny day, or perhaps lazing on a beach towel while watching the world go by, then a visit to the Sunset Coast in Perth is for you.
The central business district of Perth is bounded by the Swan River to the south and east, with Kings Park on the western end, while the railway lines form a northern border. St Georges Terrace is the prominent street of the area with 1.3 million m² of office space in the CBD. Hay Street and Murray Street have most of the retail and entertainment facilities. The tallest building in the city is Central Park, which is the one of the tallest building in Australia.
In the central business district of Perth, there is a glorious selection of shops, bars, restaurants, galleries, theatres and museums.
Whenever Da and I visit Perth, we would definitely visit the following places:-
(a) the shopping malls such as Garden City;
(b) Curtin University;
(c) Taurus cafe - this is a cafe selling Singaporean/Malaysian food. The portions are huge;
(d) Singapore Hawkers cafe - similar to Taurus cafe;
(e) Victoria Park area;
(f) Burswood Hotel & Casino - there are very cozy chairs near the lotto section and it is very easy to doze off when you sit on the chair;
(g) Fremantle markets;
(h) E-Shed at Fremantle - the owners of a shop there used to be from Singapore. They stock the freshest nougat that I have come across. If I notify them in advance, they can also arrange for raw macadamias to be packed for me in a 1 kg packet;
(i) golf driving ranges;
(j) Hay Street Mall;
(k) Murray Street Mall;
(l) Billy Lee’s Chinese restaurant located at Northbridge;
(m) Cicerellos fish & chips restaurant at Fremantle;
(n) Swan Valley,
and many more places. Goodness me! As I am typing this post, I am feeling “homesick” for Perth!
Da has been wanting to take me to Ten Ten Chinese restaurant located at Victoria Park so many times but so many places to eat and not enough days! Da ate at Ten Ten Chinese restaurant many times when he was a student in Perth. 
The city also boasts the scenic splendours of the Swan River and Kings Park - both offering a wealth of activities helping you to relax and get back to nature while remaining in the heart of the city. When Da and I last visited Kings Park in 2007, there was a stall selling ice cream. I would never have considered eating ice cream on a cold day. However, we were on vacation and decided to be gung-ho. It turned out to be absolutely delicious and changed my views about eating ice cream in cold weather. Perfect!
The City of Perth is responsible for municipal operations and is committed to improving the range and level of services provided to residents and the community, from supporting universal accessibility and free public transport within the city to hosting free entertainment and maintaining beautiful, green public spaces.
The Swan Valley Region is steeped in history and is one of Western Australia's oldest wine regions. The region is home to more that 40 vineyards, many of which are still run by the original families which started the wineries many years ago. As you drive past the vineyards, you can sometimes find good bargains when the vineyard has had a good year and there is an oversupply of wine.
The Port city of Fremantle lies just south of Perth on the coast of Western Australia. Fremantle is a popular spot, particularly at weekends when you will find markets, entertainment and plenty of alfresco style cafes and eateries. In a bygone era when passenger ships were the preferred mode of transport for world travellers, Fremantle was the western gateway to Australia. Millions of migrants arrived by ship and many made the area their home. Jet travel changed Fremantle’s prominence as a destination but the port city was rejuvenated when it became the centre of world attention during the Australian defence of the America's Cup in 1987.
Fremantle today retains much of its old charm: its situation at the mouth of the Swan River, its picturesque old buildings, its cultural diversity and what its longtime residents still call the Fremantle feeling. This sets it apart from the capital, Perth. The feeling comes upon you when you cross the bridge over the Swan River from the northern suburbs, pass historic Cantonment Hill from the east or (ideally) drift down river from Perth in a pleasure boat.
Fremantle is a working port, host to a big fishing fleet as well as container ships and the occasional large cruise vessel. It maintains a vibrant commercial life and is a desirable tourist destination. It has, however, retained its cosmopolitan nature and preserved its identity, largely through the good sense and dedication of its modern-day civic managers.
Da and I love to sit at one of the cafes along the “Cappuccino strip” in Fremantle and “watch the world go by”. The Fremantle Market is full of knick-knacks and bargains. I have bought several interesting kitchen peraphenalia from the Fremantle Market over the years.
Sources
(1) Wikipedia
(2) cityofperth.wa.gov.au
(3) Perth tourist centre
(4) Countrywide publications
(5) lonely planet
(6) Perth region tourism organisation
(7) Australian travel & tourism network
Note
The photographs that you see in this post were taken by Da and me over the course of several years during our visits to Perth.
1 comment:
Thanks for sharing. Great pics. Brings back memories of our trip too. :)
xela
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