Fascinating Facts About Perth Western Australia 2024: A Locals Perspective
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I’ve lived in Perth for nearly half of my life. It is a beautiful city filled with interesting things to do, stunning beaches and a good variety of activities. I am going to share some little known facts about Perth and Western Australia that you may not know, unless you are a local like me.
Facts About Perth
- Perth was originally called Boorloo.
- The city sits on the Swan River, named by Willem de Vlamingh after the native black swans.
- Perth is the sunniest capital city in Australia, with an average of over 8 hours of sun per day.
- Perth enjoys a Mediterranean climate, characterised by hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters.
- February is the hottest month, with a mean maximum temperature of 31.6°C.
- July is the coldest month, with a mean maximum temperature of 18.5°C.
- July is also the wettest month with a mean rainfall of 146.3mm.
- January is the windiest month with 266km mean daily wind run. The sea breeze is known to locals as the Fremantle Doctor.
- The average ocean temperature ranges from 18.9 °C (66.0 °F) in October to 23.4 °C (74.1 °F) in March.
- Perth is the capital city of Australia’s largest state, Western Australia.
- Adelaide, the closest capital city of Australia, is 2,104 km away.
- Bali is a 3-hour flight from Perth, Sydney to Perth is over 4 hours.
- Perth does not have daylight savings.
- Perth’s timezone is GMT +8, the same as Singapore.
- According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2021, the Greater Perth population was 2,116,647.
- Only 59.5% of Perth’s population were born in Australia.
- There are more cars than the adult population in Greater Perth.
- Perth is the 4th most populous city in Australia and Oceania.
- The main religion in Perth is Christianity.
- The biggest sector contributing to economic output in Perth is mining.
- Perth has 3 Universities and 2 TAFE campuses.
- Perth now has 11 Sister City relationships (Chengdu, China, established 2010, Houston, Texas, established 1984, Kagoshima, Japan, established 1974, Megisti, Greece, established 1984, Nanjing, China, established 1998, Perth, Scotland, established 2006, Rhodes, Greece, established 1984, San Diego, California, established 1987, Seocho City, Republic of Korea, established 2008, Taipei, Taiwan, established 1999 & Vasto, Italy, established 1989.
- Captain James Stirling founded Perth in 1829 and named it after the city in Scotland.
- The Perth International Arts Festival was created by the University of Western Australia in 1953, making it the longest running annual international multi-arts festival in the Southern Hemisphere.
- The Perth Mint holds the Guinness World Record for creating the world’s largest gold coin – a one tonne 99.99% pure gold Australian Kangaroo coin, worth over $50 million.
- At 400 hectares, King’s Park is one of the largest inner city parks in the world – larger than New York’s Central Park.
- The Swan Bells are 18 bells hanging in a specially built 82.5 metre high copper and glass campanile called The Bell Tower. Twelve are from St Martin in the Fields, London, with the oldest datng back to 1550.
- Elizabeth Quay officially openened on the 29th January 2016 and is now a popular recreational area, with restaurants, cafes, public art, and walking paths along the Swan River.
- Perth is known for its beautiful beaches, such as Cottesloe Beach, Scarborough Beach, and City Beach, which are popular destinations for locals and visitors.
- The Rottnest Channel Swim, a 19.7 km open water swim from Cottesloe Beach to Rottnest Island, attracts swimmers from all over the world.
If you haven’t had the chance to visit Perth yet, we hope this post has ignited your curiosity and inspired you to put this wonderful destination on your travel bucket list. Whether you’re planning a holiday, looking to relocate, or simply dreaming of new adventures, Perth welcomes you with open arms.
