The capital city of Western Australia is perhaps most easily described by the words "outdoors" and "laid-back".
Fringed by long stretches of beach on the west, split by the meandering Swan River across the middle, and dotted all over with wide open spaces and national parks, it would be wise to relax and appreciate the outdoors when visiting Perth.
The first Europeans made their first sightings of Perth in the 17th century, but Aboriginals had been wandering the land for more than 40,000 years prior to that, subsisting on what nature provided, as well as trading with seafaring neighbors from as far north as Sulawesi.
To the Nyoongar people - the tribe of Aboriginals originally inhabiting the area that is now Perth - the place was a significant meeting, gathering and hunting spot.
Today, although no longer gathering and hunting, Western Australians still come out in droves to beaches, parks, rivers and river foreshores to make the most of Perth's sunny days, fresh clean air and mild weather.
According to the official Western Australian tourism website (www.westernaustralia.com), there are 19 beaches in the Perth Metro area alone, stretching about 80 km from north to south.
The most popular among tourists are Cottesloe and Scarborough - Cottesloe because it is closest to Perth CBD; Scarborough because it is the closest with good surfing conditions.
The other 17 beaches are typically less crowded but in fact are just as pristine (if not more) than the two. Accessible from the "Sunset Coast" route north of Swan River, these beaches can be easily found and are the playground of locals living in nearby suburbs.
Mullaloo Beach, about 30 minutes north of Perth CBD, for example, is ideal for young children because of its gentle slope and smaller waves. Secret Harbour Beach, about 50 minutes south of Perth CBD, is a good place to learn surfing year-round.
Numerous "animal exercise beaches" (or simply "dog beaches") are frequented by pets (and their owners) as well as the occasional horse and rider; and parks, children's playgrounds and barbecue facilities are usually close by.
Apart from having seaside beaches, Perth is also home to river foreshores. The Swan River cuts across from northeast to west, while the smaller Canning River - a tributary of the Swan River - enters from the southeast. The rivers are good for sailing and canoeing, while open spaces on the foreshores are able to accommodate big crowds of picnickers for large events like the Australia Day fireworks every January.
As with the Aboriginals, the rivers played an important role in the life of the early European settlers. Because of its fertility, the river foreshore became the place of choice for new inhabitants who began arriving in 1829 by the shipload in an effort to establish the first "free settlement" in Australia (as opposed to colonies set up for convicts).
These first British landed in what is now the port town of Fremantle and proceeded to occupy Swan Valley in the upper reaches of the Swan River. Eventually a colonial administrative center was officially declared in what is now the suburb of Guildford.
A 25-minute drive away from Perth CBD, Guildford today resembles a village with tree-lined streets dotted with heritage buildings preserved from the time of the first British settlers. From the center, a number of self-guided walking trails meander through town, allowing walkers to take in the scenery and learn about the area's history at a leisurely pace.
As in the olden days, Swan Valley is still one of the most fertile areas around Perth - but today, vineyards abound. The "Swan Valley Food and Wine trail" is a 32-km loop with good signage guiding tourists to 150 wineries, breweries, cafes and restaurants. In Swan Valley, wine-tasting tours are the flavor of the day.
From Swan Valley, the Swan River meanders downstream through the suburbs of Perth, passing by a number of pretty points and coves - such as Point Walter and Matilda Bay - before reaching Fremantle. Used from the beginning as the entry point for British settlers wishing to start life in the Swan River colony in the late 1820s, the port town has not always been as picturesque and pretty as it is today.
After hundreds of years of being just another port town full of shabby workers' cottages, the town received a facelift in the mid-1980s when it hosted the America's Cup world championship sailing events.
Now, Fremantle is a place that is full of character and easy to explore on foot because of the town's unique layout left over from colonial days. Lined with heritage buildings and quaint "workers' cottages" made predominantly of limestone walls, Fremantle's narrow streets take tourists seamlessly from the hip cappuccino strip to Fremantle markets, past museums and all the way to the waterfront eateries.
With a multitude of attractions and things to do less than an hour away from Perth CBD, it is in fact easy to explore Perth in either the shortest or longest time possible. Hop and skip to two or three places a day for a short - albeit uninformative - tour, or smell the roses and make an affair of it.
