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Living in Western Australia

Western Australia (WA) offers a comfortable lifestyle, great climate, incredible beaches, world class food and wine, vibrant arts and a rich cultural history, leading tourist attractions, a world class healthcare system and access to quality education.

Whether you choose city, suburban or country life — WA has something for everyone.

Here we have outlined just a few of the great things that make WA such a great place to live.

Hot air balloons being inflated

Food, culture, recreation and sport

Throughout the year Perth plays host to a spectacular list of arts, entertainment and sporting events. This includes numerous festivals and international ballet and music performers. To search events and festivals in WA, view the Tourism WA website​(opens in a new tab)​ and the visit Perth City website​(opens in a new tab).

WA’s rich multi-cultural community also opens the door to a diverse range of cultural festivals, celebrations, events, courses, music, performances, arts and more — right here in WA. You can check out the Office of Multicultural Interest’s events calendar(opens in a new tab) to find out what's happening near you.

Western Australian Museum 

As the State’s leading cultural organisation, the WA Museum has been in operation for over 120 years. Seven state wide locations – including the newly relaunched WA Museum Boola Bardip(opens in a new tab) in the Perth Cultural Centre – provide public access to world class scientific and cultural collections.

Visit the WA Museum website(opens in a new tab) to find out more about their locations and exhibitions.

WA offers many opportunities for recreation and relaxation. These include visiting nature parks to meet Australia’s native animals, wine tasting at well-known and boutique wineries, trekking or horse riding along bushland trails, boating on inland waterways, white water rafting, jetskiing, waterskiing, whale watching, catching prawns or crabs, discovering stunning coastal scenery, or simply taking a break at a holiday resort, holiday chalet or camping ground.

Visit the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries website(opens in a new tab)​ to find out more.

One of the first things you will notice about WA is that there is a huge focus on sport. 

Western Australians enjoy the outdoors with an array of parks, beaches, picnic areas and riverside activities available. Playing sport, watching sport and supporting sport are all part of everyday life for most locals.

Popular team and social sports include cricket, football, swimming, basketball, netball and tennis — depending on the season, there's usually competitions and local teams playing throughout the year. Sport is also encouraged for young people, with team sports at school and local clubs that play weekly as well as inter-school carnival competitions.

Visit the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries website(opens in a new tab)​ to find out more.

Places to visit

There are many opportunities to enjoy the sights of WA within easy reach of Perth city and around the metropolitan area. For some ideas on where to go and what to see, here are a few of Perth’s most popular spots.

The historic port city of Fremantle is less than 30 minutes south west of the Perth CBD. Fremantle was once the western gateway for passenger ships to Australia. Millions of migrants arrived here by ship and many made the area their home. Although relatively small in area, Fremantle has many interesting things to do and see — you can visit the Maritime Museum, the Round House, the Fremantle Prison and much more.

Air travel changed Fremantle’s prominence as a destination, but the port city is regarded as a vibrant city with a strong café culture. The streets feature Victorian era buildings, funky boutiques, artisan retailers and lively pubs. Many visits begin mid-morning with a coffee on South Terrace — sometimes called the cappuccino strip for its outdoor, café atmosphere. A stroll through the Fremantle Markets, also on South Terrace, will provide a showcase of food, clothing and artefacts.

For more information, visit the visit the City of Fremantle website​(opens in a new tab).

The Swan Valley is only 20 minutes from the centre of Perth and is WA’s oldest wine growing region. In the Swan Valley you will experience a colourful blend of history, people, art, world class wine, gourmet goodies and fresh produce. It is the perfect spot to awaken the senses, tantalise the tastebuds, and escape the hustle and bustle of city life.

There are around 30 wineries in the valley. Most have cellar door sales and many also serve food. You can have fun tasting and choosing a wine and ordering a meal at the same time. Alternatively you can buy a bottle of wine to take to one of the excellent local restaurants.

Visit the Swan Valley website​(opens in a new tab) for more information on the range of attractions.​

Situated in South Perth and just minutes from the city, a visit to the 19 hectare zoological gardens is always a holiday highlight. Some people make a visit to the zoo a day trip and enjoy a ferry ride across the Swan River from the Barrack Street Jetty and a short walk through South Perth’s main shopping precinct before they arrive at the zoo.

Perth’s zoo is home to around 1,500 native and exotic animals; as well as world famous breeding programs for critically endangered species such as the Sumatran orangutans, Sumatran tiger, Western swamp tortoise and white-cheeked gibbon. You can see these amazing animals in exhibits that closely replicate their natural environment, including the Australian Walkabout, African Savannah and Asian Rainforest.

For more information, visit the Perth Zoo website​(opens in a new tab).

Experience the magnificent Western Australian coastline at one of Perth’s sensational white sand beaches. Pack a picnic lunch to enjoy after you have cooled off in the clear blue water. 

Grab the goggles, jump in the car and take a drive along West Coast Highway to Mettams Pool. Located between Trigg and Hillarys Marina, it is approximately 20 minutes from the centre of Perth. This sheltered ocean rock pool is a favourite family beach and an ideal spot for the snorkelling novice. It’s also great for swimming, and dry and wet reef exploration. You will find a popular cycle track here that connects to Sorrento Beach (further north) and Trigg Island (just south). So borrow or hire a bike and take in the spectacular ocean views as you journey to your next seaside destination.

Other popular coastal spots include Cottesloe, Scarborough and Port beaches.

Rottnest Island is a special place for Western Australians and a popular destination for visitors. It is located approximately 32 kilometres west of Perth, and home to the world famous quokka.

The island is a 30-minute trip from Fremantle, 60 minutes from Perth city or just 45 minutes from Hillarys by ferry. You can get there even quicker by air from Jandakot Airport, and for something different there's even a helicopter service from Perth over to the island. To find out more about transport to Rottnest, contact Rottnest Express​(opens in a new tab) or Rottnest Fast Ferries​(opens in a new tab). 

For more information on Rottnest Island,  visit the Rottnest Island website​(opens in a new tab).​

Whiteman Park is located 20 km, or approximately a 25-minute drive north-east of Perth in the Swan Valley. It lies in natural bushland that covers an area of more than 4,200 hectares (over 10,000 acres).

Within the park is Caversham Wildlife Park –​ a great place for your family to see Australia’s wildlife in a natural setting. You will find Australian wildlife on display including emus, kangaroos, cassowaries, wombats, Tasmanian devils, wallabies and dingoes at Caversham.

There are nearly 200 varieties of native fauna and a large variety of birds at the park as well as barbecue and picnic areas for you to use.

​For more information, visit the Whiteman Park website​(opens in a new tab).

Wildlife

You can find a wide range of animals throughout Western Australia, across our different environments from coast to desert.

Our wildlife is just one of the things that make WA such a unique place to live, and perfect for nature lovers. 

Pictured: Meeting a kangaroo on the beach at Lucky Bay, in WA's South West.

With our beautiful natural landscapes and clean waterways, WA is home to over 500 bird species.

Around Perth and its suburbs; you'll see many parrots including the black or the white cockatoo, and the rainbow lorikeet. There's also many different honeyeaters, as well as magpies and many more! The black swan, most seen on the Swan River, is an emblem of Perth. Two great spots for bird watching are Kings Park and Herdsman Lake.

Regional WA is home to many species of birds, with abundant natural environments ranging from wetlands to forests and dry landscapes.

Visit the Australia's Wonderful Birds website to find out more about WA's birds(opens in a new tab).

The koala is native to Australia. Sometimes called a "koala bear" — the koala is actually not a bear, this name comes from its bear-like appearance.

Koalas are typically silver grey to chocolate brown in colour, with tufts of white hair on their face and ears. Koalas live mostly in forests of eucalyptus trees, as the leaves of these trees make up most of their diet. They can sleep up to twenty hours a day. 

A popular spot to see koalas in a natural habitat is Yanchep National Park(opens in a new tab), where you can walk along the raised boardwalk and see into the top of the trees.

Crocodiles are generally found in the remote north west of the State. If you want to view a crocodile in its natural habitat, it is best to take a guided tour with an experienced guide to view them safely.

Western Australia has its share of snakes, which become more active in the warmer spring days. Should you encounter a snake, you should avoid approaching or aggravating it. Most bites occur when people accidentally step on snakes, or while attempting to kill them. First aid treatment for a snake bite(opens in a new tab) is available through St John first aid service. 

There are numerous species of spiders in WA, each playing a beneficial role in our environment by eating insects. There are very few species in WA that are actually harmful. First aid treatment for a spider bite(opens in a new tab) is available through St John first aid service.

There are numerous protected marine parks and reefs across the State; the most popular is Ningaloo Marine Park​(opens in a new tab), home to some of the world’s best diving spots. This is also where you can swim with whale sharks.

Monkey Mia in north WA offers a one on one experience of feeding and swimming with bottlenose dolphins and is also home to dugongs. The Bunbury Dolphin Discovery Centre in the South West offers a similar experience.

Southern right whales and humpbacks migrate during winter with their calves. Whale watching charters operate in Perth and regional areas with the best viewing in the South West region. 

Part of the national emblem, the kangaroo, is a familiar sight around most parts of regional WA including around many of Perth's suburbs where natural bushland areas are available.

Take care when driving outside of the metropolitan area on country roads, as these large marsupials can jump out from bushland areas without warning.

The black swan is Western Australia's official bird emblem, and it appears on the WA flag(opens in a new tab). 

They have long, slender necks which are longer than their bodies. They are black except for white wing quills, and their bill is broad and bright red. Baby swans, or cygnets, are grey.

You can often see black swans gliding gracefully along the Swan River in Perth, which was named the Swan River Colony in the 1830s as an English settlement, or in large lakes and waterways.

Meeting a Kangaroo on the beach