Destination: Perth

With COVID-19 restrictions being eased, now more then ever is the perth-fect chance to have a

stay-cation, and get to know Perth.

Explore Fremantle via an outdoor room escape:

ClueChase is a part-treasure hunt, part-outdoor room escape activity that will take you around all the major landmarks in Fremantle. It is suitable for all ages, so the whole family can join in and have a great time.

Pack a picnic dinner, rug up warm, chuck the blankets in the back of the car and head off for an old-fashioned drive-in movie at the Galaxy Drive-in Theatre in Kingsley.

Ride or catch a train into Elizabeth Quay: get together with some friends and head to Elizabeth Quay in the city to explore. It is on the Swan River and has lots of places to eat, as well as making for some great photos.

Fremantle Prison Tours (although temporarily closed, they will hopefully open soon): explore this old Prison with a standard tour or choose from a range of other tours, such as:

Tunnels tour: Descend below the prison to explore the maze of tunnels built by prisoners back when hard labour was used as a punishment.
Torchlight tours: explore the darker side of Fremantle Prison’s history at night while guides share spooky and sordid stories from within the prison walls.

Grab some friends and go for a bike ride! You could try going on a ride that will take you around the city:

Ride to Elizabeth Quay and check out the nearby Bell tower.
Keep going along the banks for the Swan River to Heirisson Island and visit the friendly resident kangaroos.
Head around to Matagarup bridge near Optus Stadium and stop for lunch in East Perth.

For a longer ride, add a loop down along Mounts Bay road, stop to explore John Oldham park, then ride down to the historic boathouse to get yourself one of the iconic photos
Finish by riding through the beautiful grounds of UWA and back to Elizabeth Quay via Kings Park.

Geocaching allows you to find hidden treasures all over Perth (and the rest of the world!) using GPS technology. Try going geocaching in one of the many hidden hiking gems around Perth

Lesmurdie Falls National Park has many different walking trails, with amazing views and flowing falls.

Explore an old railway tunnel: the Swan View Tunnel is a former railway tunnel that has been reopened for people to come and explore.

Bells Rapids: has many picnic spots and some walk trails with a good chance of spotting kangaroos at dawn or dusk.
Serpentine Falls National Park: home to one of WA’s most popular swimming holes.
Go on an adventure through the treetops at Tree Adventure in Yanchep. Clip into your harness and take on the high-ropes obstacle course. There as a range of difficulties and heights catering to all ages.
For a longer day out, tie in your Trees Adventure experience with a trip to the Gravity Discovery Centre and Observatory for some star gazing in the evening. The observatory is just north of Yanchep in Gingin. Explore the night sky through the telescopes at the observatory or join an Aboriginal Astronomy session to learn about Aboriginal dreamtime stories.

Cat Café: the cat café in Subiaco is home to 12 rescue cats and offers a range of activities, including board games, meditation, and colouring in. The bonus – you get to hang out with a bunch of adorable, friendly cats! This is a great place to check out if you feel like a relaxed afternoon.

Perth Zoo: visiting Perth Zoo makes for an enjoyable day. As well as having an amazing range of animals, to make your visit extra special, book ahead for one of the many animal interactions – feed a giraffe, stand face to face with a rhino or one of the many other Close Encounter options. To complete the day, enjoy the picnic lawns or onsite café.

Aleisha Nelson (Year 9)

Photo Credits: Jennifer Fallon (Year 12)