Outdoors « What's So Great about Perth?

Why I heart the Freo Doctor

Saturday morning sailors on the Swan River

Saturday morning sailboats on the Swan River
Fremantle Doctor is the affectionate name given to the southwesterly breeze that springs up nearly every afternoon in Perth. I adore it. Here’s why:
It gives me a lovely tailwind when cycling north and makes me feel superfast
It keeps the flies away
It blows away that nasty cigarette smoke coming from [...]

Best autumnal activities in Margaret River

They say autumn is here, but you wouldn’t know it in Perth. Temperatures still in the high 20s, air cons haven’t been switched off and everyone’s still in flip flops (the latter never really changes, though, does it?). If I had my way, it would stay this warm all year, because, let’s face it – [...]

Perth's creepiest and crawliest

I consider myself a pretty gutsy girl: I love adrenaline sports, I’ve swum with reef sharks and hiked alone for 8 days around Mt Blanc. But I’m terrified of animals. I turn into a shaky, sobbing mess when confronted with anything slimy, furry, venomous and toothy. It’s so bad that even the sound of a [...]

Sculpture by the Sea 2010

Today is the first day of the 6th annual Sculpture by the Sea – a sculpture exhibition held at Bondi and Cottesloe Beach. (As if we needed another reason to love Cotts!) There are over 60 sculptures displaying the talent of local, national and international artists. The exhibition is running until 23 March so you’ve [...]

Top 5 beaches in Perth

Who says you have to leave the city to find beach paradise? There are some amazing urban beaches in the world like Waikiki in Honolulu, Ipanema in Rio di Janiero and Sydney’s Bondi. Perth’s got a handful of its own urban beaches that I reckon are even better: they’re clean, rarely crowded, gorgeous and regularly [...]

Sunset runs on Cottesloe Beach

Cottesloe at sunset - photo by West Coast Charter

I challenge you to think up a better way to end a tough day than with a long, sweaty run on the beach. Sure, I’ll admit that a chilled beer, a cuddle with the honey or a bubble bath are nice… but these can’t replace the ugh-what-a-day feelings with supercharged I-love-the-world endorphins like a run [...]

Rottnest Channel Swim - Perth's sportiest take to the water

Psyching up for the swim - photo by WAToday

Rottnest Channel Swim 2010 – photo by ABC Perth
It’s no secret that Perthites love sport: the streets are full of commuting cyclists, kite surfers and swimmers crowd beaches, runners swarm along the waterfront from Fremantle to Swanbourne every evening, parks are perennially filled with groups playing cricket, footy and ultimate frisbee. While the list of [...]

Hiking Margaret River - the Cape to Cape Track

Margaret River, located just a 3-hour drive south of Perth, is world famous for its premium wine, waves and walking. The best way to experience Margaret River, I figure, is to combine the three by walking the Cape to Cape Track. This 135km trail shows off the southwest’s best natural beauty: rugged coastline, pristine beaches, [...]

The gates to paradise are red

Redgate Beach
Margaret River, an easy three-hour drive south of Perth, is a chardonnay lover’s paradise. Where can you find the best one? Redgate Wines.
My first taste of the 2007 Redgate chardonnay was placed in front of me in a glass smelling slightly of dishwashing liquid and poured from a room-temperature bottle. Uh oh, I thought, [...]

It's a hammerhead shark love nest

I’ll admit that sharks can be beautiful. Three years ago, on a visit to Ningaloo Reef, we swam above a school of 1.5m-long reef sharks (see pic to the left). Somehow, my amazement overpowered my fear and I was simply struck by their gracefulness. I felt the same watching this beautiful video taken Tuesday by [...]

What's So Great about Perth?

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