Just a quick drive or a trip on the ferry will take you to an incredible view of the city and some of the best international restaurants around.
Highlights
South Perth is just a short but beautiful ferry ride away from Elizabeth Quay. Don’t let the high-rise apartments here fool you; this pretty foreshore is littered with cool places to eat and cute cafes. The Acai Corner is a health-focused joint for delicious smoothie bowls, Gusto Food is great for breakfast, D’Tandoor does tasty Indian food, and Rambla on Swan is perfect for a fancy meal.
While you won’t find many nightclubs in South Perth, there are plenty of pubs and bars around. The Windsor Hotel is an iconic South Perth venue, where you can listen to live music, dine on delicious food, or visit their scenic garden bar. Along Albany Highway is the Dutch Trading Co., which is the place to go for classic pub food, Asian cuisine, and an incredible range of beers.
Head to the foreshore before dusk and you’ll see the sun set over the city and many of the CBD’s buildings light up. The foreshore is also a great place to watch the Australia Day fireworks.
Shops in South Perth and south of the river are usually small boutiques, but there are also larger shopping strips. South Shore Shopping Centre is just across the road from Perth Zoo, and is surrounded by lots of cute cafes. The centre is a great spot to buy food, clothes, and any other necessities. Victoria Park Central has plenty of food stores where you can buy groceries or grab a quick bite to eat. Surrounding the centre, along Albany Highway, there is a growing selection of boutiques and cafes, including Dark Horse Espresso.
Head a bit further south and you’ll find the suburb of Bentley. Curtin University is based here, so you know it’s a student-friendly area. This educational hub is close to the city, near Westfield Carousel shopping centre (which houses big brands, grocery stores, a cinema and more) and not far from Crown Perth in Burswood. The casino has a broad choice of restaurants, clubs, and bars to choose from.
There is a dedicated pedestrian and cycle path all the way along the river and close to the stadium. The nearby Matagarup Bridge is surrounded by pockets of native landscaping and miniature lakes for birdlife, acting as a little nature sanctuary right next to the city.
Community facilities
South Perth has plenty of leisure centres to choose from offering all kinds of fitness facilities. The Riverton Leisureplex is an indoor facility with heated pool, spa, sauna and gym facilities, and the Wesley College Sport Club has public opening times organised around the college’s sport schedule. Here, you can partake in group fitness classes, Pilates and yoga, and use the swimming pool, courts or weights room.
Mill Point Medical in South Perth offers physical, mental and sexual health services, while Bentley Plaza Family Practice has women’s and men’s health services and all of its doctors speak multiple languages.
Bentley Community Centre is a thriving place running community learning and volunteering programs, health and fitness initiatives, cultural connect events, mentoring and youth services.
Unique experiences
The South Perth foreshore is the best place to go for water sports. There, you can hire paddle boards, catamarans, and single or double kayaks. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never sailed before – Funcats Watersports will teach you everything you need to know before and during your adventure, and the team are always nearby to help. The Swan River is full of Australian wildlife, so keep an eye out – you may encounter pelicans, black swans, and even dolphins.
At Perth Zoo you can see animals from all over the world – especially those native to Australia. You can wander through the zoo at your own pace, exploring everything from Australian wetlands to the African savannah, or you can take one of the zoo’s tours, either by car or on foot. Perth Zoo also has talks and encounters with various animals, such as orangutans (the largest Sumatran Orangutan colony outside of Indonesia) or the famous Estuarine Crocodile. If you need to stop for lunch, there is a cafe and a sprawling green lawn which is great for picnic lunches.
