The Samphire Hotel on Rottnest Island is the perfect place to recharge, and maybe spot a quokka. Photo / Supplied
Perth is back on the map for international travellers.
After 700 days of border restrictions, the state of Western Australia has finally let the drawbridge down for visitors from overseas and the rest of the country.
While the capital of WA may have pumped the brakes on border opening, as the last state to reopen, that doesn't mean Perth has been at a standstill.
There are plenty of new places to eat, stay and explore which have opened
Take a look at what you've been missing out on.
Dandelion in Karrinyup is a new opening this week, and has grown out of the Dandelion Spirits distillery. Chef Chase Weber has put together a refreshing menu of Vietnamese flavours and sharing plates to compliment Dandelion gin cocktails.
dandelionperth.com.au
Music events have been a bit of a rarity over the past couple of years, but this Perth vinyl bar has been stocking up on its record collection. Another new opening in Northbridge's Chinatown, Astral Weeks is bound to be a hit with music lovers. With a lineup of guest DJs and craft beers and wines on regular rotation. Walk-ins only.
astral-weeks.com.au
Brown Street Grill opened at the end of 2021 as an offshoot of Bright Tank Brewing, the Grill on Brown Street is a great place to find the best ingredients from WA, chargrilled to perfection. The restaurant of Phoebe and Stuart Laws, it's a culinary tour of the best bites from around Perth. TV presenter for 'Our State on a Plate', chef Stuart is your guide for the region's best seasonal delicacies and eats.
brownstreetgrill.com.au
Vibe Hotel Subiaco opened in September last year from AU$239 a night. Subiaco is a burb not far from the CBD but with leafy laneways. Close access to Kings Park - one of thirty - and Swan River, gives you plenty of fresh air and inspiring views of the Perth skyline. And, that rooftop pool!
vibehotels.com
For visitors looking for something a bit wilder, Samphire Rottnest was opened as the newest boutique hotel on the island sanctuary in October 2020. With 64 rooms and lagoon-like pools, Samphire is the perfect base to go looking for quokkas on the beach.
samphirerottnest.com.au
To properly appreciate the Perth skyline you need to get out on the water. Fortunately waterbikes are the next big thing, with three hire points around the coast. Perth Waterbike Adventures offers hire and tours from Matilda Bay and Perth Waterbike Co. have set up shop to the South of the city, as a unique way to glide around the Swann.
For a different perspective, head up high with the HALO Rooftop Climb. The tour clips visitors onto the top of the Optus Stadium, the best seats in the house for sports fans and adrenaline junkies. The Zip + Climb Perth have also taken sightseeing to new heights with the Matagarup Bridge Climb - a guided walk to the top of the serpentine bridge, with a zipline waiting for you at the top.
zipclimb.com.au
For a proper orientation of the Western State, last year saw the opening of the brand new WA Museum Boola Bardip. The new space is a $400 million project that acts as a gateway to the history of WA. The new museum offers free entry and guided tours on everything from WA's unique place as a mecca for 'dinosaur hunters' to the rich history, and resurgent aboriginal culture of the area's traditional owners.
visit.museum.wa.gov.au/boolabardip
There's nothing recent about the millennia-old spines of seashells, but perhaps the formations outside of Cervantes are new to you. The Pinnacles of Cervantes are two-and-a-half hours drive North of Perth, it is a great day trip to a unique part of the country.
The formations in the Nambung national park are a fantastic place to meander and ponder the natural skyscrapers that were here, long before the Perth CBD.
Entry cost $8 - $15 https://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/park/nambung
Desperate for a summer getaway but don't want the admin? Waiheke has the answers.