Western Australia Orientation

Although Perth’s streets are not quite aligned north-south or east-west, it helps to think of them as such, and locals will understand what you mean if you refer to them that way. The north-south streets run parallel to William Street. The east-west avenues run parallel to Wellington Street. The railway cuts east-west through town, separating the Central Business District (CBD) to the south from the cultural, culinary, and backpacker center of Northbridge. Near the center of the city, east-west streets Hay and Murray Streets become pedestrian malls between William and Barrack St. Shopping arcades and overhead walkways connect the malls to each other and to the Perth Railway Station. The Wellington Street Bus Station is a block west of the railway station, across William St.

Central Perth is relatively safe, but poorly lit; it empties after dark, so avoid walking alone at night. In Northbridge, restaurants, nightclubs, travel agencies, and budget accommodations cluster in the square bounded by Newcastle St. to the north, James St. to the south, Beaufort St. to the east, and Russel Sq. to the west. Upmarket Subiaco, west of the city, is a hotspot for chic cafes and cuisine, and has weekend market stalls on either side of the Subiaco train stop on the Fremantle line. The Subiaco Oval is home turf for two AFL teams: the Fremantle Dockers and West Coast Eagles.

A few blocks north of Northbridge on Beaufort St., the up-and-coming Mount Lawley neighborhood offers wonderful restaurants and more sophisticated nightlife. Just west of Northbridge, Leederville, one stop north of Perth on the Currambine line, is a pleasant place to spend the day, with plenty of pubs, cafes, and funky shops centered on Oxford St.

The green expanse of Kings Park rises just southwest of downtown, overlooking the city and the Swan River. The train to nearby Fremantle (30min.) passes through the lively beach suburbs of Swanbourne and Cottesloe.

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