Visiting Perth area in February...

[escaperoute]

I'm visiting your fine country in just a few weeks. I don't have much of a planned vacation there, so I'm looking to get some feedback about things to do in the Perth area. I'm going to drive out and see some aquaintances in Kambalda, so I'll have a schedule there.

I'm hoping to hit the beach at least once. I'd like to try some deep sea fishing and maybe see if there are any winery spots around Perth.

Any suggestions from the locals?

~Wes

 

[MOTH]

A three hour drive south of Perth will bring you to one of Oz's premier wine regions, Margaret River, just south of where I live. Margaret River also has top beaches. All along the SW coast are great beaches.

 

[AdonaiShalom]

Make sure you visit fremantle as well - great cafes, Cicerellos make the yummiest fish and chips and the freo markets are really good too. Cottesloe beach gets pretty busy this time of year but its beautiful there, but if you surf then trigg is the place to go. The Perth Zoo is good too. Oh and underwater world.
Margret river is definitely the place to go for wineries but if you want somewhere closer to perth the swan valley has some nice places too.
Here's a tip for a good meal in perth - down near the bell tower area (on the river) there is an Indian vegetarian restaurant called Anna Lakshmi. The food is so delicious, its all you can eat and - here is the most amazing part - you pay by donation!! Easily the best food in perth.
I hope you have a great trip - we're a small city but I think we're great!!

 

[Stan53]

In addition to the above, go visit the Swan River Valley wineries. They are just a little ways from Midland. If you going to Kalbarri by car you will drive through the Swan Valley.
Enjoy have fun.
Oh, before I forget, Geraldton is a night mare just now. They were doing the roads up through there when I was there last.
Just north of Geraldton is a place called Northampton. I have heard a rumour that they are now growing win in that area.

 

[HotToast]

Stan, he said that he was going to Kambalda, not Kalbarri.

Anyway Escaperoute if you have limited time there are wineries in the Swan Valley (about a half an hour drive from Perth). If you have 2 days then I would suggest going to the Margaret River wineries, and staying a night down there (I don't know how Moth manages to drive from Perth to MR in 3 hours).
There are plenty of good beaches north of Fremantle, such as Cottesloe and Scarborough and City Beach.
If you are driving to Kambala that is quite a trip! If you stop in Kalgoorlie (which you will have to drive through) they usually do balsting at 1pm at the Super Pit, which is interesting to watch. (Also the mining museum up there is great if you are into that sort of thin).
PM me if you want more details.
Toast

 

[escaperoute]

Thank you all for the suggestions! I like my beaches, and I certainly dig the winery scene. I'll be sure to try out some of those places if I have time.

Any more thoughts? Keep them coming!

 

[HotToast]

Well, how long will you be here?

 

[MOTH]

Stan, he said that he was going to Kambalda, not Kalbarri.

Anyway Escaperoute if you have limited time there are wineries in the Swan Valley (about a half an hour drive from Perth). If you have 2 days then I would suggest going to the Margaret River wineries, and staying a night down there (I don't know how Moth manages to drive from Perth to MR in 3 hours).
There are plenty of good beaches north of Fremantle, such as Cottesloe and Scarborough and City Beach.
If you are driving to Kambala that is quite a trip! If you stop in Kalgoorlie (which you will have to drive through) they usually do balsting at 1pm at the Super Pit, which is interesting to watch. (Also the mining museum up there is great if you are into that sort of thin).
PM me if you want more details.
Toast

Hey Toastie, I live in Bunbury so it takes less than 3 hours probably. Around 2 from here, I'd say at the speed I drive (50kph) average. I'm really not a speed freak, heh. I think I should have made myself clearer, hey!

 

[HotToast]

Moth I am probably slightly confused. I have never personally driven to MR, but don't remember it taking 3 hours (IE it took longer). It takes me 1 hour to drive to Mandurah, 2 hours to drive to Lake Preston, (and I live in the south metro area of Perth). So I assumed that to drive twice as far would take twice as long.

Also I should probably have put a teasing smilie in.

 

[escaperoute]

I'll be in Australia for 1 week. In the Perth area for maybe 2-3 days before moving on to Kambalda

 

[HotToast]

So probably not enough time to drive down south or up north. Definately a local metro beach or two (see my first post), maybe Rottnest island. I can't help you with deep sea fishing but I imagine that there are some fishing charters around. Most of those sorts of things are usually based in Hillarys or Fremantle.
I imagine that the weather will be pretty warm in a few weeks. (We have been having a very mild summer so far).
Also if you are planning on staying in a backpackers the ones in the CBD and Northbridge tend to be fairly noisy from what I hear, so if you're not into partying it may be wiser to stay in a backpackers in Fremantle.

 

[escaperoute]

You're just full of all sorts of information. Thanks for your suggestions, I think I'll have plenty to go on from there.

One other thing that caught my attention, was swimming with the sharks, and or the dolphins along Ningaloo Reef. I don't think I'll have the time or resources to travel that far north. Are there any spots around Perth, that you know of, that have access to such things? If not on the ocean front, are there any aquariums in the city?

 

[HotToast]

I try my best, but remember it's just my opinion (especially travelling times )!
Ningaloo is a good days drive (12 hours), also it's the wrong season for diving with whale sharks (I assume that is what you mean).
Yes we have an aquarium, it's in Hillarys. I think that you can dive with sharks (not whale sharks) in the aquarium there, but I don't know how often they do it.
There are also boat companies that do "dolphin watching" tours, I'm not sure about swimming with them, I think it's frowned apon.
I'll leave all other suggestions to everyone else. I think that you have heard enough from me.
Enjoy your trip!
Toast
Oh also when I said pretty warm in my last post I meant Very Hot!

 

[escaperoute]

Good! Because here it's VERY COLD!

 

[mannysee]

Hi,

If you are planning on hitting the beach, this time of year the seabreeze usually comes in around midday, so it's best to go before the wind/sand pick up. Even going down to the beach in the early morning is wonderful. The sun is coming up at 4:45am at the moment.
Hillary's boat harbour has an aquarium there, though i've never been for a look.
If you are heading out to Kambalda, it's probably going to be stinking hot!! I mean really stinking hot!!! But make sure you check out the stars at night out there, away from the city in the country...awesome!!!
Like others have said, go out to the swan valley for wineries, as it only takes half an hour or so to get out there from the city.
I can't really say what else to do, as i don't know any of your other interests to suggest things to do here.
If you think of anything else, just say, and i'll help you out.

 

[escaperoute]

Wonderful! Thanks for the lead, mannysee.

 

[Lori-lee]

Wow, you're gonna love it, Perth is wonderful! I've lived here 16 years and never want to leave!!
http://www.perthcitytourist.com/

Swan Valley: You can spend a whole day here and best of all, it's only about 30mins north-east of the city. There are lots of wineries, a brewery, art galleries, Whiteman Park, cheese factory and chocolate factory, fresh fruit stalls, oggies icecreamery, wagon trails, Caversham wildlife park,
http://www.swanvalleywa.com/ (wagon trails)
http://www.discoverwest.com.au/western_australia/swan_valley.html (swan valley tourism site)

Fremantle: (Sometimes called 'Freo' for short) Historic port town, very 'unique' vibe, kind of bohemian. Lots of old buildings, lots of different museums, cafe strip, buskers, pubs, Freo markets, fremantle prison runs tours, quite a 'touristy' destination, absolutely beautiful!!! About 20min south of the city. Lots of public transport, including a free 'CAT' bus that drives around Freo.
http://www.fremantlewesternaustralia.com/visitfremantle.ASP

AQWA: The Aquarium of W.A (used to be called 'Underwater World') North of the city (maybe 20mins? I dunno, i dont drive.lol). It's part of Hillarys Boat Harbour, which is quite touristy but lovely... cafes, pubs, restaurants, shops, beaches and boats.
http://www.aqwa.com.au/main.asp

 

[escaperoute]

Awesome! Thanks so much.

 

[Waterhouse]

Isn't it whale season over there?

 

[MOTH]

I dunno! What! d'ya think I'm a WAlley or somethin? (just joking of course)