Manchester United to play at Optus Stadium in 2019

In an Australian exclusive, and for the first time in more than 40 years, the world’s biggest sporting team will visit Perth to play two friendly matches at Optus Stadium in July 2019. Manchester United Football Club will bring its entire squad to WA as part of the team's preparation for the 2019-20 season. As well as two friendly matches, the Red Devils will host training clinics, participate in an open training session, corporate golf day, and enjoy a day in the Swan Valley. The team’s first football game will be against the current A-League ladder leaders Perth Glory on July 13, then they’ll take on rivals Leeds United on July 17. Manchester United has one of the world's biggest supporter bases with up to 659 million fans across the globe. Tickets for the games and fan activities are on sale now.

Rottnest Island to welcome biggest summer yet

Perth’s own island playground, Rottnest, welcomes a range of new activities and tours for the 18/19 summer season. New tour offerings include a crayfish catch and cook tour on board Rottnest Cruises; glass bottom kayak tours with Inspiration Outdoors; sunset, eco and whale watching tours with Charter 1; boat hire with Boating West; subsea scooter tours from SeaBob; undersea helmet walks, scuba dives and snorkel tours with Ningaloo Reef Dreaming; a new Lexi’s on Rotto food van at Wadjemup Lighthouse and beach accessory hire at popular swimming beach, The Basin. Rottnest Island is the ultimate day trip from Perth, located a 30-minute ferry ride from the city’s coastline. The island paradise continues to attract a record number of visitors, which has included celebrities Hugh Jackman, Margot Robbie, Bill Murray and Roger Federer – all of whom captured their very own #quokkaselfie.

Secret life of the quokka revealed in documentary and book

A locally produced documentary and coffee table book will reveal the mysterious life of Rottnest Island’s famous marsupial, the quokka. Created by Perth-based production company Sea Dog TV International, Rottnest Island – Kingdom of the Quokka will premiere to audiences globally on National Geographic Wild on December 16 and 23. The documentary includes footage of the quokka in its natural habitat on Rottnest Island, showcasing what the cute animals get up to in their daily lives. In addition to the quokka, the biopic also delves into the nature of penguins on Penguin Island, located within Shoalwater Marine Park, a 40-minute drive south of Perth.

Swan Valley sparkling rated as the best in Australia

Sitella Winery’s 2009 Pinot Noir Chardonnay was recently rated as Top Australian Sparkling by Australia’s leading wine publication, Gourmet Traveller Wine, with a score of 96/100. Family owned and operated, Sitella Winery has been making wines for 20 years, sourcing its fruit from vines in the Swan Valley – located a 25-minute from Perth CBD, and Margaret River and Frankland River regions in the State’s South West.

Taste Great Southern headline chef announced

Winner of MasterChef 2010, Destination Flavour television host and cookbook author Adam Liaw will headline Taste Great Southern from April 4 to 14, 2019. In its 15th year of celebrating the food and wine of WA’s Great Southern region, the festival features a program of more than 30 culinary events over 11 days, including degustations, long lunches, community markets and free events. Adam Liaw will make appearances at key festival events, including the Women of the Region Lunch in Albany, the Rockcliffe Night Market in Denmark and a special event planned for the Field of Light art installation in Albany. More details to be announced in the coming months.

National Hotel adds to its hospitality offering

Originally built in 1903, Fremantle’s iconic National Hotel has refreshed its current offering by way of a new rooftop bar and 12 luxurious hotel rooms. The rooftop space offers 360-degree views over the port city and is open to the public on Sundays from 12pm to 8pm, and available for private parties. Located on the upper two floors of the hotel, each of the 12 individually-styled heritage rooms feature locally designed and made Marri wood bathroom vanities and wardrobes, and half feature private verandahs. Guests will also enjoy complimentary wi-fi and digital smart TVs.

New Aboriginal walking tours in South Perth

Aboriginal-owned and operated tourism company Nyungar Tours has launched new walking tours in Perth. The authentic cultural experience is conducted by a traditional owner with a family history of ancient customs and traditions. Tours feature South Perth foreshore, the Scented Gardens and views of the city and Swan River, as traditional stories of Whadjuk Country and Perth’s Nyungar people are shared. Tickets are available online for tours from Monday to Saturday.

What’s new in WA in 2019?

Western Australia welcomed many exciting new developments in 2018, and it’s only going to get bigger and better in 2019, with a number of experiences ready to launch.

Here’s a snapshot of what’s to come in WA in 2019…

Continuing transformation of Perth
Since 2012, 31 new or redeveloped hotels have opened in and around Perth, adding more than 3,100 new rooms to the local market, including names such as The Westin, QT, COMO The Treasury and Crown Towers among the mix.

By 2020, a further 10 new or redeveloped hotels will come online, adding another 2,400 new rooms.

Currently under construction at Elizabeth Quay, the 204-room Ritz Carlton will open its highly anticipated doors to the public in 2019 – this will be its first Australian property in 10 years. Also to open in 2019 is DoubleTree by Hilton Northbridge and Perth Waterfront, EQ West and Mantra Perth Metro.

Optus Stadium
Perth’s state-of-the-art 60,000 seat Optus Stadium opened to applause in 2018, and has since hosted sell-out crowds across sport and entertainment events.

Situated next to Perth’s iconic Swan River, and surrounded by parkland, nature playgrounds and public art, visitors to Perth can have a ‘behind the scenes’ experience, with public tours of the stadium and surrounding precinct available. The precinct is also home to The Camfield – Perth’s biggest pub with room for up to 4,000 patrons – featuring a microbrewery, six bars, and unsurpassed views of the Perth CBD and the river.

Major events to come in 2019 include:
• Manchester United – July 13 to 17, 2019 – the world’s biggest sporting team will visit Perth and play two friendly matches against A-League Perth Glory and rivals Leeds United.
• Bledisloe Cup – August 10, 2019 – it will be the only time the Australian Wallabies and New Zealand All Blacks team will play on Australian soil in 2019 in the lead up to the Rugby World Cup.
• Rugby League State of Origin – June 23, 2019 – one of Australia’s biggest annual sporting events, the Rugby League State of Origin between the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons is set to attract thousands of visitors, particularly from interstate.

Rottnest Island glamping
Perth’s island playground will receive a major boost to its accommodation offering, with the opening of a new $20 million luxury ‘glamping’ resort at Pinkys Beach. Bookings for the much anticipated new eco tent accommodation on Rottnest Island – Discovery Rottnest Island – are now open for stays from March 1, 2019.

Nestled behind the dunes of Pinky’s Beach and Bathurst Lighthouse, three levels of tent accommodation will be on offer – with accommodation prices starting at $119 per night in low season for a standard tent, to $592 per night for a deluxe tent in high season. All tents include ensuites, beds, furnishings and a private deck – with boardwalks through the sand dunes connecting the tents to Pinky’s Beach Club, which will have a resort pool, poolside bar and restaurant.

Fremantle’s Kings Square Renewal
An exciting development for the historic port city of Fremantle is the Kings Square Renewal. The $270 million project is one of the biggest in Fremantle’s history, and will see the area transformed into a vibrant cultural, community and commercial hub. The redevelopment, which is expected to be finished by late 2019, will include specialty retail and dining precincts, new commercial spaces including office accommodation, a revamped city square with landscaped grassed areas, public art and new street furniture, plus a new civic chamber and state-of-the-art library and visitor centre experiences.

Scarborough Beach redevelopment
Scarborough Beach is on its way to becoming one of Australia’s best beachfronts. A $100 million foreshore redevelopment saw its first milestone in early 2018 with the opening of a 50 metre beach pool. The new public precinct also includes Sunset Hill, offering scenic views over the ocean, a Beach Hub including the new Scarborough Surf Life Saving Club, and new playgrounds and skate parks.

Field of Light: Avenue of Honour
In October 2018, the South West city of Albany welcomed an immersive art installation by acclaimed UK artist, Bruce Munro. Field of Light: Avenue of Honour pays homage to the 41,000 troops who departed for the Great War in 1918, and will illuminate the Avenue of Honour at Mount Clarence in Albany until April 2019.

The internationally renowned UK artist’s ephemeral landscape installation of 16,000 shining spheres reference the national flowers of Australia and New Zealand; commemorating 100 years since the First World War’s end, with thousands of lights shining in the whites, yellows and golds of the wattle and the kowhai.

Highlighting the region’s unique sense of place and identity, Field of Light: Avenue of Honour symbolises wild beauty, sacrifice, courage, hope and honour.

Manchester United to paint Perth red
Manchester United Football Club will bring its entire squad to WA, as part of the team's preparation for the 2019-20 season. During their stay, the team will play two friendly matches and host training clinics. There will be a program of activities for fans, including an open training session and functions with club legends, as well as a day out in the Swan Valley, dinner and a corporate golf day. The first match will be against the current A-League ladder leaders Perth Glory on Saturday July 13, 2019. In the second game, the Red Devils will take on traditional rivals Leeds United on Wednesday July 17, 2019.

Western Australia Gourmet Escape
In exciting news for WA’s celebrated food and wine scene, the Western Australia Gourmet Escape will be a new culinary event for 2019. Expanding on the current Margaret River Gourmet Escape offering, the premier food and wine event will be held across three locations – the Swan Valley, Perth and Margaret River from November 8 to 17. The festival will include a program of events, starting with a weekend program in the Swan Valley, continuing in Perth during the week, before concluding in the Margaret River region the following weekend.

Humpback whale swims at Ningaloo Reef
Humpback whale interaction tours have been given the green light to continue in 2019 and 2020. Available from Exmouth and Coral Bay, the humpback whale experience will return from July to November 2019, following the successful inaugural season in 2016. The tours offer a once in a lifetime opportunity to interact with the whales as they swim by or rest in the temperate Ningaloo Reef waters, and complement the region’s other nature-based offerings such as whale shark swims, and manta ray interactions. Planning is also underway to potentially establish the humpback whale interaction tours as a sustainable long-term industry in WA.

Epic road trip adventures in WA
WA's diversity of landscapes, experiences and climates makes it an ideal road trip destination. A new guide to exploring WA is now available, highlighting the variety of road trips across the State.

Start your adventure in Perth - where within an easy day trip from the city, you can sample your way around WA’s oldest wine region, the Swan Valley; swim with wild dolphins at Rockingham; hike alongside waterfalls in the Perth Hills; explore the eclectic and historic port city of Fremantle; or walk on a lunar-like landscape at the Pinnacles Desert.

From Perth, head south to discover premium food and wine, beaches, dramatic coastline, tall-timber forests and caves – or drive north and experience the marine wonders of World Heritage listed Shark Bay and Ningaloo Reef, before exploring the rugged landscapes of the Pilbara and the Kimberley.
East of Perth, Kalgoorlie is where you’ll find gold rush history and outback characters. Or take a journey through the Wheatbelt, passing by farmland and discovering wildflowers in bloom during the spring months.

Whatever the adventure you’re looking for, WA has you covered.