Travel and lifestyle news from Western Australia

November 2022

Kaya,

Welcome to the November edition of This is WA, bringing you the latest travel and lifestyle news from across Western Australia.

We’ll soon welcome the warmer embrace of the South West’s Bunuru (second summer) as we revel in wave after wave of Perth’s Festival of Summer. From the banks of the glittering Swan River / Derbarl Yerrigan to the sparkling sea of the Indian Ocean and Perth’s Cultural Precinct, we’ll come together in diverse cultural experiences – from storytelling, song, and dance of one of the world’s oldest cultures to welcoming world-renowned artists and performers to WA. It’s time to sync into slow living and spend time with friends and family through sunny days and starry nights. This is WA November.

What's Hot

New direct flights from Melbourne to Ningaloo

The wonders of the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef will soon be even closer for Victorians to explore, with direct flights between Melbourne and Exmouth taking off in April 2023. The Coral Coast town of Exmouth is home to the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Marine Park / Nyinggulu, one of the most biologically diverse marine environments on the planet - home to whale sharks, humpback whales and manta rays. The first Qantas service will depart Melbourne on April 30, 2023, with five-hour flights between Tullamarine Airport and Learmonth (Exmouth) Airport to run twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays. The service will be available during Exmouth’s peak season, operating from April until October. Starting on Sunday 30 April 2023, the direct flights will save travellers more than three hours’ travel time, compared to flying via Perth.

Global Superstar Björk Set to Headline WA’s Premier Cultural Event - the iconic Perth Festival

One of the greatest musicians on our planet Björk is set to headline WA's premier cultural event Perth Festival, celebrating its 70^th year in 2023. The Australian exclusive of Cornucopia, a visually spectacular landscape of lush colours, futuristic screens and wild images of nature will come alive with Björk's wondrous music, as she performs alongside musicians and choirs of flutes and voices in Perth’s Langley Park on March 3, 6, 9 and 12.  The Perth Festival 2023 program features exciting, world-class performance, music, visual arts and literary events running from February 10 until March 5, with the Lotterywest Films season heralding the summer ahead from November 21, 2022.

The Festival’s theme of Djinda (stars) will showcase in a free opening event, where cutting-edge technology and ancient storytelling come together to tell the Noongar story of Djoondal, an immersive show that links the stories of the cosmos and the beauty of the lake and its natural surrounds. West Australian Ballet will celebrate their 30^th anniversary season at the Quarry Amphitheatre with four exhilarating dance works and the showcase of IN Cognito, which will see the stage transform into a world where people battle time, furniture, identities and connection with each other; while the West Australia Opera presents Carmen, Bizet’s operatic masterpiece to the hallowed turf of the WACA Ground.

Perth to Host United Cup - the Return of World-Class Tennis

Perth will welcome the world’s best tennis players this summer from December 29, 2022 to January 4, 2023 in a new multi-city round robin format evolved from the former Hopman and ATP Cups. Tennis Australia’s United Cup will see global mixed teams compete across Perth, Sydney and Brisbane. Of the top 16 countries, six will compete in Perth including Greece, Belgium, France, Croatia and Argentina. Team Greece is led by world number three Stefanos Tsitsipas and the sixth-ranked Maria Sakkari, with Team France led by Arthur Rinderknech and world number four Caroline Garcia. Tickets are on sale now, with the 11-day tournament kicking off in Perth.

Broome and Rottnest Island Top Australian 2022 Destinations

WA’s Broome has been named 2022 Best Holiday Town by Australian Traveller and Rottnest Island, winner of Wotif’’s ‘Best Island’ Unique Aussie Awards. Broome / Rubibi, the western gateway to the Kimberley wilderness area where the turquoise ocean and red ochre rock meet, topped a list of 50 Australian towns. A two-and-a-half-hour flight north of Perth in WA’s North West, this relaxed town has attracted people from around the globe, thanks to the stunning pearls of the South Sea. Home to the world’s happiest animal the Quokka, Rottnest Island / Wadjemup, is a holiday haven of pristine beaches, aquamarine bays, bike tracks and walking trails. The car-free, conservation-minded A Class reserve is only a 30-minute ferry ride off the coast of Perth, with dreamlike experiences and natural wonders at every turn.

Dibblers released onto island safe haven for breeding

One of Australia's rarest marsupials has had a population boost, with 28 dibblers released at Dirk Hartog Island National Park in the Shark Bay World Heritage-listed region. The cargo bred at Perth Zoo, included the release of 16 males and 12 females by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. This is the fourth dibbler release on Dirk Hartog Island since 2019 with another 16 dibblers to be added in November, taking the total number to 137. This release is part of the Return to 1616 project, which has contributed to the reintroduction of rufous hare-wallabies, banded hare-wallabies, Shark Bay bandicoots, Shark Bay mice, greater stick-nest rats and western grass wrens, and marks an important wildlife milestone since the species was feared extinct for half a century, until they reappeared near Albany in WA’s South West in the late 1960s.

FRINGE World Perth is Back 

Perth's annual FRINGE World Festival returns on January 20, showcasing more than 170 circus, comedy, theatre, and children’s events from local, national, and international artists. Perth's FRINGE World, the third largest fringe festival in the world, returns to its home ground at the Perth Cultural Centre in the heart of Northbridge, surrounded by a vibrant offering of arts, music, food and entertainment. The ever-popular Pleasure Garden venue showcases some of the hottest shows in the Festival including the favourite FRINGE World Mermaids and Silent Disco. The State Theatre Centre features the Australian Premiere of The Sensemaker, a dystopian mix of theatre and dance about a woman battling an answering machine, while Viva GlasVegas: A Burlesque Showcase from Scotland will erupt cheers at The Sewing Room.  

New venue additions to the 2023 FRINGE World program include Liberty Fringe, bringing the iconic Liberty Theatre in Perth CBD back to life as the old cinema room and basement transforms into theatre spaces for comedy and variety. FRINGE World runs for four weeks from January 20 until February 19. The full program is available from November 16, 2022 with tickets on sale now.

The Kimberley’s Ord Valley Muster set to return in 2023

The Kimberley town of Kununurra in WA’s North West will welcome some of Australia’s biggest musical performers in May 2023 for the Boab Metals Ord Valley Muster. WA’s home-grown Birds of Tokyo will headline the Muster’s pinnacle event – the Aviair Helispirit Kimberley Moon Experience on May 20, alongside Grammy nominated artist Toni Childs, and Arnhem Land’s hottest musical export King Stingray. The nine-day festival (May 19 to 27), will take over Kununurra and surrounds on Miriwoong and Gajirrabeng country with a wide variety of unique experiences, including Comedy in the Park, a Johnny Cash Tribute Show, Art in the Park with Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse performing ancient music and stories in Noongar language, a Storytelling Night with Miriwoong Elder David Newry, and the popular Corroboree Under the Stars. The packed program of events will also feature Aboriginal culture and dance, station luncheons, yoga sessions, a country rodeo, and a festival hub with different family-friendly activities each day over the duration of the event. Tickets to all Muster events go on sale this Friday, with travel packages that include flights, accommodation and tickets also available.

Top Tourism Operators Celebrated at WA Tourism Awards 2022

Top Western Australia tourism businesses were recently recognised for excellence and innovation at the 2022 Perth Airport WA Tourism Awards. Doc Reynolds, one of the driving forces behind the development of Aboriginal tourism in Esperance through Kepa Kurl Eco-discovery tours, was recognised with the tourism industry’s top accolade the Sir David Brand Medal for Tourism, while Fremantle-based SeaLink WA, connecting visitors from Perth to Rottnest Island / Wadjemup, received the Sir David Brand Award for Tourism.

Other gold medalists include Margaret River Region Open Studios for Major Festivals and Events; Live Ningaloo operating in the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo / Nyinggulu for ecotourism, and Bungle Bungle Guided Tours in Kununurra / Goonoonoorrang for cultural tourism. The gold medalists will go on to represent WA at the 2022 Australian Tourism Awards. The full list of award winners can be found here.

Tours, Attractions & Accommodation 

Tip Toe into Luxury Eco-Tourism with New Tiny Cabins 

WA’s sustainable stays continue to grow with little off-grid locations throughout the State. Heyscape Tiny Cabins has introduced its fifth edition to the Serpentine-Jarrahdale region, a 30-minute drive from Perth city. Located on the edge of Karnet Nature Reserve, Heyscape offers two cabins surrounded by free-roaming horses and sheep. Little House Republic’s two little cabins, Vern's Ridge and The Slips Rail - which will soon be open for bookings - are tucked away in secluded parcels of land in Scott River near the town of Augusta, a three hours’ drive from Perth in the South West region. Global nature brand Unyoked, that invites people to choose their cabin based on the type of escape they need, has revealed three new tiny cabins in hidden locations throughout Augusta and the Margaret River Region. From short to longer stays and quick drives and road trips, the off-grid trend continues to grow into 2023. 

New Luxury Holiday Stays in Denmark

Private Properties Holiday Homes has opened three new properties in the South West town of Denmark - Emerald Cove, Above It All and Roo Corner, adding to its mainstay Denmark property for more than 15 years, Woodstock. Emerald Cove is a tranquil country retreat on Wilson inlet, sleeping eight, with a pot belly wood fire, piano, and floor-to-ceiling windows. Above It All is set on 25 acres on Mount Shadforth with treetop views of the Stirling Ranges, sleeps six people and shares its own bike pump track, perfect for kids and families. Roo Corner sleeps eight people with four bedrooms, indoor and outdoor dining, and an open kitchen. Denmark is a five-hour drive south of Perth in the Great Southern region of WA’s South West.

South West Brewery Shelter brings sunset sips and sails to Busselton

Visitors of beloved Busselton brewery Shelter, set against the backdrop of the iconic Busselton Jetty and Geographe Bay, can now enjoy brews and sunset views from the deck of the new Cape Crusader boat. In the three-hour experience, the family-friendly local kitchen is offering a 1.5-hour sail with the brewery’s best brews and bar snacks to a sunset location over Cape Naturaliste, and return for dinner and drinks. Busselton is a 2.5 hours’ drive south from Perth in the Margaret River Region.

Perth Luxury Hotels named best in all of Australasia

Internationally renowned luxury hotels COMO The Treasury and The Ritz-Carlton in Perth CBD / Boorloo were named among the top hotels in all of Australasia – encompassing Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, and the neighbouring Pacific Islands, in Condé Nast Traveller’s 2022 Reader’s Choice Awards. Como The Treasury, located in the historic State Buildings precinct, placed in the top three hotel offerings and experiences for its 48 elegant guest rooms and suites, with facilities featuring restaurants, the COMO Shambhala Urban Escape, gym and indoor pool.

Lifestyle and Culture

Celebrating 400 years of a WA maritime milestone, the mapping of Cape Leeuwin

October marked 400 years since the Cape Leeuwin in WA’s South West region was mapped. The Dutch trading ship Leeuwin is said to have been sailing through established routes from Europe in 1622 when it was blown off course on a passage to Indonesia. The crew aboard took note of the land and it appeared on maps five years later. Today it is home to the tallest lighthouse on mainland Australia, the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, which continues to operate.

To recognise this milestone the Wadandi Cultural Custodians, the Shire of Augusta Margaret River, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Augusta community came together in October to present a plaque scribed in Wadandi Noongar, Dutch and English, to be on permanent display at the Lighthouse. This acknowledgement recognises that the Leeuwin ship sailed past the land of the Wadandi People.  The responsibility to care for this special region has been carried by the Wadandi people for 60,000 years. The working Lighthouse, which helps vessels navigating the cape, is near ready to re-open its tours and ocean viewing deck after a year-long restoration of the 1895 limestone structure. Augusta is a 3.5 hours’ drive south of Perth in the Margaret River Region.

Iconic Fremantle On Display in WA Maritime Museum Panoramic Exhibition

The historic port town of Fremantle, named one of Time Magazine’s Greatest Places 2022, is on display in a panoramic exhibition at the WA Maritime Museum. Fremantle Then & Now: Historical Panoramas is a new, immersive, and interactive exhibition exploring the changing face of Fremantle from the 1800s to the present day. The exhibition showcases local photographers, photography studios, pre-colonial history, convict influence, the development of the port, goldrush buildings and legacy, and street life. The exhibition is free, with paid entry to the Museum, and runs until February 2023. Fremantle is a 30-minute train ride or drive from Perth CBD / Boorloo, with the WA Maritime Museum perfectly poised on Fremantle’s historic port Victoria Quay, and walking distance to breweries, restaurants, and cafes.

Aboriginal-led song, dance and storytelling under the stars in Perth and Fremantle

Celebrate the beauty of Noongar culture and the warmer Kambarang evenings with a series of song, dance, storytelling and stargazing events from Perth / Boorloo to Fremantle / Walyalup - showcasing one of the world’s oldest and richest cultures.

The annual Wardarnji Festival takes place on November 19, an evening of song, dance and storytelling under the stars on Whadjuk Noongar Boodjar at the Fremantle Arts Centre in Fremantle / Walyalup. From November 30 to December 1, the Danjoo Koorliny 2022 Festival will take place during Birak (first summer), with a focus on caring for the environment, held in Kaarta Koomba / Kings Park and commencing with the Meeka Moorart Full Moon Ceremony. On December 11, Djindoon Djenung: Look to the stars at Goologoolup, welcomes an evening of Dreamtime storytelling and stargazing with Walter McGuire in the Yagan Square public precinct in Perth CBD. All events are free.

Food and Wine

Perth’s newest riverside hospitality venue, The Rowing Pavilion 

The Rowing Pavilion is set to open its doors in December on the banks of Perth’s Canning River in the suburb of Mount Pleasant. The iconic rowing sheds originally opened back in 1962, when it hosted the city’s one-and-only British Empire and Commonwealth Games. Today, three Perth hospitality entrepreneurs - all with significant track records in the food and beverage industry – have come together to transform the three-level venue to create the city’s newest riverside hospitality offering. The Rowing Pavilion offers uninterrupted views up and down the Canning River, with a striking new contemporary design featuring function rooms and a terrace overlooking the grassy river bank, and a kitchen serving up a traditional pub menu.  The Rowing Pavilion is hoping to follow suit with the eastern states that have transformed iconic former sporting pavilions into brilliant hospitality venues.

Miss Chow’s opens new small bar Lucy Luu in Perth’s Mount Hawthorn

Perth’s popular dumpling house Miss Chow’s is expanding its offering with a new bar and bites venue, opening in the Perth suburb of Mount Hawthorn. Lucy Luu infuses South-East Asian heritage with WA local produce, offering Asian fusion share plates, playful cocktails and a premium wine list. Diners can expect bites like sriracha prawn toast with saffron aioli, deep-fried lamb ribs with xin jiang crust, and steak tartare with Szechuan spice and wasabi aioli.

The Rusty Fig opens in Perth

The Rusty Fig has recently opened its doors in the Perth CBD / Boorloo – with its 130-year old heritage-listed Port Jackson Fig tree, a gift to the residents of the Old Cloisters building, anchoring the restaurant in its traditions. The Rusty Fig restaurant offers modern-Australian flavours and European influences led by Head Chef and Owner Graham Jessop, who is known for working in some of the world’s finest restaurants. Rusty Fig is based in the Perth CBD / Boorloo on St George’s Terrace.

Leading West Australian Chef Joins Sea West

WA tour operator Sea West has welcomed leading West Australian chef Tony Howell to cast his culinary talents as executive chef for its premium dining cruises in the South West town of Dunsborough, Perth’s Rottnest Island / Wadjemup and Broome / Rubibi in the Kimberley region. Formerly head chef at the acclaimed Cape Lodge in the Margaret River Region, Tony has designed the seven-course menus to showcase sustainable local seafood and fresh produce from across WA, including Western Rock Lobster from Rottnest Island and Mandurah, scallops from the Abrolhos Islands, prawns from Exmouth, and rare pearl meat from Broome’s Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm. The exclusive dining dates start in November from Dunsborough, leading into Rottnest Island in December.

Italian Street Kitchen opens in Perth

The Raine Square precinct in Perth’s CBD / Boorloo has recently welcomed the opening of a new Italian restaurant offering. Italian Street Kitchen is the first opening for WA following restaurants in Sydney and Brisbane, and has been serving up to 240 guests with lunch and dinner through the week since its opening in September. The restaurant’s experience plays on the street food presence of watching chefs in the kitchen, smelling the aromas, and living the traditions of fresh made pasta made in house every day.

Events

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