Perth Walking Tour: 50 Free Video Stops

This Perth walking tour links 10 sights and 50 short video stops narrated by Clarissa, from the waterfront at Elizabeth Quay and the bells of the Bell Tower to the arcades of the city centre, the museums of the Perth Cultural Centre and the treetop walkway in Kings Park. The city centre is compact and sunny, so the notes below turn the stops into easy walking routes, with timing, transport, etiquette and the free sights worth knowing. For official visitor information, also check Western Australia, the official site of Tourism Western Australia.

Route 1, the river front (stops 1 to 3). Start at Elizabeth Quay, opened in 2016 to reconnect the city with the Swan River, and play the videos as you walk past the Spanda sculpture, over the curving Elizabeth Quay Bridge and out to the island playground. Walk along the water to the Bell Tower, the glass and copper spire that houses the historic bells of St Martin-in-the-Fields from London. Next door, Barrack Street Jetty is the terminal for ferries to South Perth and river cruises up to the Swan Valley or down to Fremantle.

Route 2, the city streets (stops 4 and 5). Walk up from the river to London Court, the narrow mock Tudor arcade built in 1937 between Hay Street and St Georges Terrace, with clocks and moving figures at each end. Continue through the arcades to the Murray Street Mall, the pedestrian shopping heart of the city, and on to Forrest Place, the old General Post Office and Yagan Square beside Perth Station. Street performers and cafes make this part of the Perth walking tour lively at most times of day.

Route 3, culture in Northbridge (stops 6 to 8). Cross the railway to the Perth Cultural Centre, a pedestrian precinct of plazas, gardens and the state library and theatre. Give WA Museum Boola Bardip at least two hours: its name means many stories in the Noongar language, and its galleries combine heritage buildings, the old Perth Gaol and a dramatic blue whale skeleton in Hackett Hall. The Art Gallery of Western Australia next door holds the state collection, with strong Aboriginal art and a rooftop with city views.

Route 4, Kings Park (stops 9 and 10). Take a bus or walk up the hill to Kings Park, one of the largest inner-city parks in the world, covering about 400 hectares on Mount Eliza. Visit the State War Memorial, the Western Australian Botanic Garden, the wildflower displays and the giant boab tree, then walk the Federation Walkway, a glass and steel bridge through the treetops. Finish your Perth walking tour by climbing the DNA Tower for views over the park and the river.

For photos, the best free viewpoints on this Perth walking tour are the Elizabeth Quay Bridge at sunset, the State War Memorial lookout over the city and the Swan River, the Federation Walkway and the river walk between the Bell Tower and the quay. Fraser Avenue, lined with tall lemon-scented gums, frames the classic view of the skyline from Kings Park.

With one day, walk Routes 1 and 2 in the morning, spend the afternoon in the museum and finish in Kings Park at sunset. That is the core free walking tour Perth visitors can manage on foot and by free bus. With two days, add a ferry to South Perth or a river cruise to Fremantle.

Perth is one of the sunniest cities in Australia. Spring, from September to November, is a lovely time for a Perth walking tour, because the wildflowers bloom in Kings Park and the days are warm but not hot. Summer is dry and very hot, so walk early and late and shelter in the museums at midday. In the afternoon a cool sea breeze often arrives from the ocean. Winter brings most of the year’s rain, but also many clear, mild days.

The museum, the art gallery and the Bell Tower have their own opening hours and may close on some public holidays, and the Bell Tower ringing demonstrations happen at set times. Kings Park is open every day, but its events, guided walks and wildflower festival vary by season, so check the official sites before you go.

Perth’s city centre has a free transit zone, and the free CAT buses loop through the centre and Northbridge, so you can hop between most stops without paying. Outside the free zone you need a SmartRider card or another payment option accepted by Transperth, so check the current fares on its website. Buses run up to Kings Park, and ferries cross the river from Barrack Street Jetty to South Perth.

From Perth Airport, the Airport Line train runs into the city, and buses and taxis are also available. Perth Station and Elizabeth Quay Station are both close to the start of this Perth walking tour, so you can drop your bags and start walking in minutes. Every stop has its own Map button, so you can change the order to suit the weather.

Perth stands on Whadjuk Noongar country, and you will see Noongar names and artworks across the city, from the First Contact sculpture at Elizabeth Quay to the museum galleries. Take time to read the signs and follow any notes about sensitive cultural material. The State War Memorial in Kings Park is a place of remembrance, so keep your voice low and do not climb on the memorial.

Try a flat white in a city laneway, fish and chips by the river, Western Australian seafood such as rock lobster and Exmouth prawns, and wines from the Swan Valley or Margaret River. Northbridge has the liveliest food and bar scene in the evening. Tipping is not expected in Australia, though rounding up for good service is welcome. Tap water is safe to drink, and Kings Park has drinking fountains.

The Western Australian sun is strong, so wear a hat, sunglasses and sun cream, and carry plenty of water, especially in Kings Park, where the walks are longer than they look. Watch your bag in crowded malls, keep to well-lit streets late at night and stay on marked paths in the bushland, where snakes are sometimes seen in warm weather.

Perth is also a good base for day trips that are not on this tour, such as Fremantle, Rottnest Island with its quokkas and the beaches of Cottesloe and Scarborough. If you plan one of these, keep a morning free and use the river cruises or trains, so the city routes stay relaxed.

Most of this Perth walking tour is free. Elizabeth Quay, Barrack Street Jetty, London Court, the Murray Street Mall and the Perth Cultural Centre cost nothing to visit. General entry to WA Museum Boola Bardip and the permanent collection of the Art Gallery of Western Australia is free, with charges for some special exhibitions. Kings Park, the Botanic Garden, the Federation Walkway and the DNA Tower are free. You pay to climb the Bell Tower and for river cruises.

Some attractions offer reduced prices for children, students and seniors, and Kings Park runs free guided walks at certain times. Prices and programmes change, so check the official sites before your Perth walking tour and book any paid experiences directly.

Perth is a good city for wheelchair users. The riverside, Elizabeth Quay and the city malls are flat and paved, the CAT buses are low-floor, and the museum and the art gallery have accessible entrances and lifts. Kings Park has sealed main paths and accessible parking, and the Federation Walkway is accessible, though the DNA Tower is a steep staircase and some bushland trails are rough.

After this Perth walking tour, carry on with more free walks: the Adelaide walking tour, the Melbourne walking tour, the Sydney walking tour and, a common stopover on the way to Europe, the Dubai walking tour. You can browse every city on the Free City Tours home page.