Short Story: Peth Wa

Short Story: Peth Wa

Perth, Western Australia, may be the most remote city on the planet, but while the economic meltdown may have taken its toll around the globe, in Perth it is boom-time with a yet another shiny new building scraping the sky every couple of months. A mini-Shanghai in the making. The first impression is of a gleaming corporate city, where mining, oil and gas are king and there are jobs galore for anyone with the right qualifications.

But it’s not all glass and high-rises. There is, for example, London Court, a Tudor-style arcade built in 1937 that has statues of Dick Whittington (plus cat) and Sir Walter Raleigh, though I failed to see any Antipodean connection. Ersatz though London Court may be, there is a fine example of a genuine Art Deco cinema standing in the theatre district while the Edwardian-era His Majesty’s (the Maj as it is known) stages packed-out performances of opera and ballet. Perth has a score of theatres including the Acorn, the smallest theatrical venue in the world according to the Guinness Book of Records. There is also a very groovy jazz club, The Ellington, along with seven art galleries and six museums. So no shortages for the culture vulture.

Walking about you discover quite a few hidden treasures. Squatting in the shadows of the glittering cathedrals to mammon is St Georges, founded by Anglican settlers n 1880. And standing in verdant parks are imposing buildings from the late-19thcentury. On the hill overlooking the city and the river is the magnificent 400-acre Kings Park, filled to bursting with Australian flora, sparkling fountains, long elegant lanes and rougher trails for the more hardy walkers.

Perth straddles the sinuous Swan River with its iconic black swans drifting lazily by. A short ferry ride across to the foreshore stands a hyper-modern bell tower. One its five-bell sets is from St Martin’s — of oranges and lemons fame — though I suspect the city fathers paid more than five farthings for them.

Just down the road apiece is the boho town of Freemantle with a covered market reminiscent of London’s Camden, plus didgeridoos. It is packed with stalls offering alternative crafts and clothing, New Age paraphernalia, tattooists, Tarot readers, art at varying degrees of competency, and then it spills out into a plaza with a multitude of cafes and a bevy of street performers entertaining the shopped-out. Freemantle has a vibrant and authentic feel to it as opposed to Perth’s shops crammed with over-familiar international brands.

Wine buffs can quaff to their hearts’ content with a Swan Valley river tour that takes in several vineyards plus an Austrian beer-making company and a chocolate factory. Did that, bought some chocolates too, I think. Can’t remember much but it was a good day out.

Further away by some 50km is Mandurah with its wide canals and multimillion-dollar homes, laid out along the lines of Fort Lauderdale. I took a boat trip to gawp at how the other half lives; though the bit I liked the best was the colony of shags disturbing the peace at the entrance to Millionaire’s Row and the squadrons of pelicans scuttling about on the high-priced rooftops.

Australia’s first inhabitants were, of course, Aboriginals and Torres Straits islanders believed to have journeyed from south-east Asia some 40,000 years ago. However, these days the indigenous people make up barely 2 per cent of the population, most of whom now live in the cities though a few do still maintain a traditional way of life in rural and remote areas. Given their relatively small numbers it may be surprising to visitors to see Aboriginal art afforded so much space in the museums and galleries. And I leave it to you to draw your own conclusions.

European settlement really began in 1829 when Captain Charles Freemantle raised the British flag at the head of the Swan River to take possession of the territory. Though it should be remembered that the majority of early settlers did not exactly take the trip willingly: Perth Prison was built by the muscle and sweat of convicts. . The new colony was desperately in need of workers and cities such as London and Manchester wanted to be rid of their pesky criminal underclass. So the deal was done and from 1850 until 1868 the British government transported an estimated 10,000 souls to WA alone.

When I visited Perth Prison (which, ironically, is now a tourist attraction) there was an exhibition devoted to the history of female convicts and it is chastening to imagine the anguish of a young widow transported away from her starving children, her crime being in possession of a stolen shawl and handkerchief worth two shillings. It was folk like these, both petty and hardened criminals, who became the founding mothers and fathers of Western Australia and they have only recently been recognised for their contribution to the country.

However, transportation of convicts ceased once gold was discovered in the 1890s. The great Australian Gold Rush was on and grizzled prospectors from all countries couldn’t get there fast enough. And it is the vast mineral wealth of Western Australia that contributes to its economic health to this day.

I was in Perth to visit family, so perhaps wasn’t your typical tourist but I have been before and here’s a rundown of what’s also available to the visitor. Perth has a zoo and aquarium; or trips out to the desert to see the Pinnacles; and nature reserves and kangaroos. For the sporting types there’s rafting, horse riding, canoeing, swimming, shooting — the list is endless. For those who wish to indulge in what the Aussies call a spend-up, then opals and gold might be just the ticket — or maybe some of the aforementioned colourful indigenous art.

American astronaut John Glenn dubbed Perth the ‘City of Light’ when orbiting the earth in 1962. He had observed it from space, lit up like a beacon especially for the occasion. They did it again as Glenn passed over in the Space Shuttle in 1998. So they’re a friendly bunch Down Under.

Perth, a good place to escape the Western hemisphere winter, because not only is it upside down it is also the other way around, season-wise.