Perth

Kings Park, Fremantle and a Rottnest day by ferry

Day one. Walk up to Kings Park in the morning for the Botanic Garden and the treetop walkway, then come down to the Cultural Centre for the renovated WA Museum Boola Bardip and the Art Gallery of WA. In the afternoon, stroll Elizabeth Quay and take the ferry to South Perth for the skyline. Eat in Northbridge after dark.

Day two. Ride the Fremantle line to the port. Tour Fremantle Prison in the morning, eat lunch near the markets, then spend the afternoon at the WA Maritime Museum and the Shipwrecks gallery. Stay for sunset at Bathers Beach.

Day three. Catch an early ferry to Rottnest Island, hire a bike at the settlement and circle the bays, stopping to swim and look for quokkas. Return on a late boat.

Day four. Pick the beach or the hills. Cottesloe and Scarborough are on the coast north of Fremantle, while Mundaring Weir, John Forrest National Park and the Swan Valley cellar doors are inland, where kangaroos often graze near the car parks in the evening.

Northbridge noodles, Freo seafood and Swan Valley wine

Eat in Northbridge, just north of the railway, for the densest run of Southern European and Asian restaurants, or along Beaufort Street in Mount Lawley for quieter wine bars. Go to Fremantle for seafood, fish and chips on the harbour and Western rock lobster in season, and drink at the Swan Valley wineries.

Perth's dining runs on early hours and outdoor tables. Northbridge, just north of the railway, is the densest strip, with Southern European and Asian restaurants side by side and the busiest Friday and Saturday nights in the city. Mount Lawley and Highgate, a short bus ride further on, have quieter wine bars and cafes along Beaufort Street, and Albany Highway in Victoria Park is a long, steady run of mid-priced kitchens.

Fremantle is the place for seafood and for vegetarians, who find the range thin elsewhere. Order fish and chips on the harbour, or Western rock lobster in season, and graze the stalls at Fremantle Markets at the weekend.

Coffee culture is strong, with independent cafes lining the inner suburbs. For wine, the Swan Valley is the closest region to the city, about half an hour inland, with cellar doors, chocolate makers and breweries. Margaret River, the state's famous wine area, is a weekend trip south, too far for a day out.

Plan around the clock. Many restaurants stop serving at about 10pm, even on weekends, so book an earlier table.

Australia Day on the Swan and the Perth weather year

Visit Perth in spring, from September to November, when highs rise from 21 to 27°C and the wildflowers bloom, or in settled March and April. January and February average 31 to 32°C with little rain, while June to August each bring over 120 mm. Australia Day on 26 January ends with fireworks over the river.

Perth has a Mediterranean pattern with sharp seasons. January and February average highs of 31 to 32C with under 20mm of rain each month, and an afternoon sea breeze cools the coast. Winter is mild, with highs of about 19C in July and August, but June, July and August each bring more than 120mm of rain. September to November warms from 21 to 27C and brings out the wildflowers, while March and April stay warm and settled.

The biggest single night of the year is 26 January, when Australia Day in the City ends with a drone and fireworks show over the river at Langley Park. Foreshore spots fill by afternoon, and the day is a public holiday with heavy transport demand.

Football shapes the autumn and winter calendar. From roughly March to August, Optus Stadium hosts West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers games, and a home derby fills hotels.

Spring is wildflower season, with Kings Park's displays at their best in September. For a quieter day trip, Mandurah sits at the end of its own train line on an estuary known for dolphins and crabbing.