Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Perth Mint
This lovely historic building—built in the 1890s to mint cur-
rency from the Kalgoorlie gold rush—produced the victors' gold medals in the
Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Bullion is still traded here. The key event is a
gold pour demonstration (on the hour from 10am weekdays, and from 10am-
noon inclusive on weekends). You can also see samples of the 2000 Olympics
medals, engrave a medallion with your own message, handle a 400-ounce gold
bar, see gold coins being minted, and ogle the country's biggest collection of
nuggets. A 30-minute free guided tour departs half an hour before every pour.
A shop sells gold coins and nugget jewelry.
310 Hay St. at Hill St., East Perth.
&
08/9421 7277.
Admission A$6.50 (US$4.20) adults, A$5.50 (US$3.60)
seniors and students, A$3.30 (US$2.15) school-age children; shop admission free. Mon-Fri 9am-4pm;
Sat-Sun and holidays 9am-1pm. Closed Christmas, New Year's Day, Anzac Day (Apr 25), and Good Friday.
Red CAT Stop 10 “Perth Mint.”
Perth Zoo
This is a good place to see kangaroos, koalas, numbats, wom-
bats, quokkas, emus, echidnas (the Aussie answer to the porcupine), dingoes,
snakes, frogs, and just about every other kind of Aussie wildlife, mostly housed
in natural habitats, or in a walk-through aviary. There are plenty of exotic ani-
mals, too, including orangutans, Rothschild's giraffes, zebras, lions, rhinos, and
elephants. Feeding demonstrations and talks run throughout the day. Koala cud-
dling is not permitted; for that, head to Cohunu Koala Park (see above).
20 Labouchere Rd., South Perth.
&
08/9474 3551
for recorded information, or 08/9474 0444 administra-
tion. Admission A$14 (US$9.10) adults, A$7 (US$4.55) children 4-15, A$38 (US$25) family of 4. Daily
9am-5pm. Ferry: Barrack St. Jetty to Mends St. Jetty, South Perth. Bus: 35. Ample free parking.
Western Australian Museum
Kids will like the dinosaur gallery, the
drawers full of insects, the blue-whale skeleton on the well-stocked aquatic zool-
ogy floor, the “megamouth” shark preserved in a tank set in the ground in the
courtyard, and assorted other examples of Australia's weird natural creatures.
The main attraction for grown-ups is one of the best collections of Aboriginal
artifacts and rare photographs in the country. Allow 90 minutes to see most
highlights.
Francis St. at Beaufort St. (or enter off James St. Mall), Northbridge.
&
08/9427 2700.
Free admission (dona-
tion requested); fee may apply to temporary exhibitions. Daily 9:30am-5pm; Anzac Day (Apr 25) and Boxing
Day (Dec 26) 1-5pm. Closed Christmas and Good Friday. Train: Perth. Bus: Blue CAT Stop 8 “Museum.”
HITTING THE BEACHES
Perth shares Sydney's good luck in having beaches in the metropolitan area—
19 of them, in fact, laid end to end along the 35km (21-mile) Sunset Coast from
Cottesloe in the south to Quinns Rocks in the north. Mornings are best, because
a strong afternoon wind, known as the “Fremantle Doctor,” can be unpleasant,
especially in summer. Always swim between the red and yellow flags, which
denote a “safe swimming” zone.
On weekends and public holidays from the last Saturday in September to the
last Sunday in April, bus no. 458 stops hourly during the day at most beaches
from Fremantle to Hillarys. It operates in both directions. You can take a surf-
board under 2m (6
1
⁄
2
ft.) on the bus.
The three most popular beaches are Cottesloe, Scarborough, and Trigg.
COTTESLOE
This pretty crescent, graced by the Edwardian-style Indiana
Tea House (see above), is Perth's most fashionable beach. It has safe swimming
and a small surf break. A couple of good cafes are nearby. Train: Cottesloe, then
a walk of several hundred meters. Bus: 71, 72, 73, or 883.
Kids
Kids
