7:45am: Cioccolato Espresso
Cioccolato Espresso is a nice cozy place and one of the top cafes in Perth. Heading to Rottnest Island today after breakfast!
9:30am: B Shed Terminal, depart to Rottnest Island (30mins), Rottnest Island (4.5hrs)
B Shed Terminal at Fremantle is one of the three ports that you can catch a ferry to Rottnest Island. B Shed is the nearest to Rottnest Island, so ticket cost much lesser and takes only 30mins to reach Rottnest. Rottnest Island is where you will find cute little quokkas! You can also spot sea lions and seals here. It is a no-vehicle island. You can rent a bicycle if you don’t wish to walk that much.
Rottnest used to be part of Western Australia and was inhabited by the Aboriginal Australians. Rising sea levels cause the island to be separated from the mainland about 7,000yrs ago. Dutch sailors landed on the island during the 17th century, it was uninhabited at that time. The island was named as “t Eylandt 't Rottenest” (“Rats’ Nest Island”) by Dutch Captain, Willem de Vlamingh, in 1696, mistaking the quokkas as giant rats.
Between 1838-1931 (except for the period 1849-1855), Rottnest was used as an Aboriginal prison. It was then used as an internment campsite for world war 1 and 2. After world war 2, the guns and infrastructure were decommissioned and parts of the railway were removed. The 9.2 inch guns, however, were saved from disposal due to the high cost of removing and shipping the guns to the mainland, exceeding their value as scrap metal. In the 1990s, the guns and railway were extensively reconstructed, and the island became a popular spot for tourists.
2:30pm: Depart from Rottnest Island, To Cottesloe Beach (15mins)
After getting back to Perth, we head to Cottesloe Beach next. Cottesloe Beach is one of Perth’s most popular and beautiful beaches. It is lined with some of the best cafes, restaurants and bars.
The iconic building that sits on the beach is the Indiana Teahouse, built in 1910. It was a venue to hold dances as dancing was one of Perth’s top social priorities back in the days. In 2019, it was bought over by mining billionaire Andrew Forrest's Minderoo Group. There are currently 2 design proposals, with a third option of refurbishing the existing building, but the future look still remains undecided, putting redevelopment plans on hold.
4pm: To Perth Mint (25mins), Government House, Perth Town Hall, Hay Street Mall, Murray Street Mall, Raine Square + dinner
This evening we return back to Elizabeth Quay and explore the surrounding streets. The Perth Mint, Government House and Perth Town Hall have great architectural design. Then, we proceed to walk around Hay Street Mall, Murray Street Mall and Raine Square, and have dinner around that area.
The Perth Mint established in 1899, manufactures and distributes platinum, silver and gold coins. It is Australia’s official bullion mint and is wholly owned by the Government of Western Australia.
The Government House serves as the official residence of the Governor of Western Australia. The building was built between 1859 and 1864, in Jacobean Revival style.
The Perth Town Hall is the only town hall built by convicts in Australia and Australia’s only Gothic-style town hall, completed in 1870. Upon completion, it was the tallest structure in Perth. Its interior design contains a number of convict motifs, including windows in the shape of the broad arrow, and decorations in the shape of a hangman's rope. It was then restored in the late 1990s, repairing the interior of the hall and the gothic arches.
Comentarios