| Perth is the capital of Western
Australia and the fourth largest city in Australia with an enviable
standard of living. The Economist Intelligence Unit recently voted
it as one of the top
five cities in the world in which to live.
NATURAL WORLD
The Swan River estuary flows through the city. The long sweep of
beach at Matilda Bay is popular for family picnics.
Adjacent to the Swan River, about 1.5 kilometers from downtown
is the Kings Park
and Botanic Garden, the single most popular visitor destination
in Western Australia (visited by more than 6 million people each
year). The first ceremonial tree planting took place in 1895 and
marked the beginning of the Perth Park, later re-named Kings Park.
The total area of the park is 400 hectares.
TRAILS
Self-guided city walking trails are a great way to explore the
city and take up to two hours. Travelers can join in or depart from
the trail anywhere along the way. Trails have creative names: Convicts
and Colonials, Boom or Bust, Icons of Influence and Parks and Gardens.
BEACHES
There are more than a dozen beaches, including Cottesloe, Scarborough,
Floreat and Trigg.
SPORTS
Australian rules football is the most popular spectator sport in
the city. Home teams include the Freemantle
Dockers and the West
Coast Eagles. Rugby is played at the Subiaco
Oval.
ASIA CONNECTION
People of more than 200 different nationalities live, work and
study here, speaking 170 languages and practising over 100 religions.
The city is actually closer to Singapore
and Jakarta
than it is to Australia's capital, Canberra.
In terms of its time zone, Perth is located in a zone (GMT +8 hours)
shared with 60 per cent of the world’s population, including
Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Taipei.
EARLY HISTORY
The northwest corner of this state is the point where Aboriginal
people first entered Australia.
Nearby at Swan Bridge, a camp site was discovered containing stone
tools and charcoal from a campfire that burned about 40,000 years
ago.
MODERN HISTORY
The British Government agreed to found the colony as the first
free settlement in Australia, and the first settlers arrived in
Western Australia in June 1829. Captain James Stirling founded the
city as part of the Swan River Colony.
NEARBY
Nestled in the woodlands 50 kilometers north from Perth, Yanchep
National Park is one of Western Australia's oldest national parks.
WEATHER
Perth summers are hot and dry, lasting from late December to late
February, with February generally being the hottest month of the
year.
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