Welcome the November 2024 edition of This is WA No images? Click here Travel and lifestyle news from Western AustraliaNovember 2024Kaya ,Welcome to the November edition of This is WA, bringing you the latest dreamlike travel and lifestyle news from across Western Australia. As WA welcomes the warmer weather, the magnificent Moojar – or Australian Christmas Tree (Nuytsia floribunda) - will begin to burst into bloom, releasing its fiery amber flowers announcing that hot days and festivities are on the way. Summer is the season of events in Perth/Boorloo, with sports players from across the world coming to WA for cricket, tennis and rugby - with The West Test, United Cup and HSBC SVNS Rugby taking place over the next few months. WA’s Dream Sale is happening now, so book that WA dream adventure today! Keep reading to discover more exciting updates across Western Australia. What's HotSale on WA tourism experiences for interstate visitorsThe 'Western Australia Dream Sale' is now live, offering discounted travel deals, including a flight sale with Webjet offering up to $100 off airfares to locations across WA. Travellers can get to Perth from as little as $62 from Adelaide, $81 from Brisbane, $106 from Melbourne and $126 from Sydney. The sale features a range of offers from WA tourism businesses, including discounts on experiences and accommodation right around the State. There is also $25,000 worth of extras to customers who book an experience through the sale and submit their booking details for a chance to win their experience for free. The sale also includes a major cooperative partnership campaign with Helloworld Travel and VIVA Holidays. Find out more at www.westernaustralia.com/dreamsale. Top tourism operators celebrated at WA Tourism Awards 2024Top WA tourism operators were recognised for innovation and commitment to business excellence at the 2024 Perth Airport WA Tourism Awards, held on Saturday night. The tourism industry’s ultimate prize, the Sir David Brand Award for Tourism, was presented to Harvest Tours for its continuous commitment and passion for showcasing the best of the Margaret River Region’s food and wine. Other notable winners were Pullman Bunker Bay in the Margaret River Region and Perth’s The Hike Collective. Both were inducted into the Hall of Fame in the Business Event Venues and Adventure Tourism categories respectively, having won gold in those categories for three consecutive years. Another big winner was Busselton Jetty, taking home two golds for the Ecotourism and Excellence in Accessible Tourism award categories. Gold for the Major Tourism Attraction category went to WA Museum Boola Bardip. The full list of award winners can be found here. Blockbuster Bledisloe Cup returns to Western Australia in 2025 The Bledisloe Cup will return to Perth / Boorloo again on October 4, 2025 as part of Western Australia's golden decade of rugby. Taking place at Perth’s Optus Stadium, it will be the only match of the Bledisloe Cup held on Australian soil in 2025. The event is one of the world's biggest sporting rivalries, contested annually by Australia and New Zealand's national men's rugby union teams - the Wallabies and the All Blacks. Tourism and hospitality packages are now on sale, with general tickets available early next year for the epic rugby showdown, which has historically attracted huge crowds to Optus Stadium. For more information about the 2025 series and tickets, visit wallabies.rugby. Perth Airport to welcome its first airport hotel Perth Airport has partnered with Australia's largest hotel operator, Accor, to open Perth's first airport hotel under the Pullman Hotels & Resorts brand. The state-of-the-art Pullman Perth Airport will open in 2027, featuring 240 rooms and suites across eight floors, a rooftop restaurant and bar, lobby lounge café, gymnasium, sauna, meeting facilities, and co-working spaces. The world-class facility will be conveniently located at the front door of Perth Airport's major terminals. It’s part of the recently announced $5 billion capital investment program which will also deliver a new terminal, ground transport and infrastructure. The Pullman Perth Airport design, led by DKO Architecture, will reflect WA's unique beauty with materials and forms inspired by its landscapes, providing a memorable and warm welcome to visitors from Australia and all over the world. Tokyo to Perth flights resume as more Johannesburg flights added Aviation in WA continues to boom, with services between Tokyo and Perth resuming last month and increased services being added to the Johannesburg-Perth route to meet the increase in demand. The All Nippon Airways service between Tokyo will now operate at three-times a week until March 2025. In addition, South African Airways has increased its non-stop Johannesburg-Perth services. The service will increase to four times a week from December 8, 2024 and five times a week from January 7, 2025. It follows the recent launch of a direct flight from Paris, which makes Perth the only city in Australia with non-stop aviation connections to Continental Europe and the United Kingdom. Perth is also preparing to welcome back China Southern's direct flights between Guangzhou and Perth this month, as well as China Eastern Airlines' special Chinese New Year flight between Shanghai and Perth. World’s best tennis players heading to Perth for the United Cup The world's best tennis players will unite in Perth for a third consecutive summer to compete at the 2025 United Cup. Playing across Perth and Sydney, the official draw revealed Perth’s RAC Arena will host Team USA, led by men's world number six Taylor Fritz and women's world number three Coco Gauff. Crowd favourite and men's world number 11 Stefanos Tsitsipas will also be heading to Perth, representing Team Greece. Perth will also host top-ranked players from China, Canada, Germany, Spain, Kazakhstan and Brazil over six action-packed days. A multicultural festival will add vibrancy to the Perth event, taking place at The Plaza at RAC Arena with performances, food and DJs. Matches will start Friday, December 27, with two quarterfinal matches on New Year's Day. For tickets and the full tournament schedule, visit the United Cup website. Perth Festival unveils its 2025 program Australia’s longest running cultural festival invites audiences to be challenged by truth-tellers and play with mischief-makers when it returns to Perth in 2025. Running from February 7 to March 2, the 2025 Perth Festival program includes 104 events showcasing art in all its forms from WA and across the globe, including five world premieres and six Australian premieres or exclusives. Highlights includes the legendary queen of cool PJ Harvey and Irish sensations Fontaines D.C. kicking off their respective national tours. The festival will open with Karla Bidi (meaning ‘campfire track’ in Noongar language) - a large-scale light installation that illuminates sites of cultural significance along the Swan River / Derbal Yerrigan. Another highlight is the transformation of the long-dormant East Perth Power Station into an exciting new festival site. The historic venue will become a creative hub featuring First Nations visual art and contemporary world music. For the full program visit perthfestival.com.au. The West Test Summer Fest in Perth A free, three-day festival celebrating India's vibrant culture will be held outside Perth Stadium to support The West Test - the opening cricket test of the summer between Australia and India. The new festival will enhance the fan experience over the first three days of the test match from November 22 to 24, featuring live music and entertainment, an array of local Indian community street vendors and food experiences, cricket skills tests, art installations and more. Fans attending the test match can also cross Matagarup Bridge to the WACA Ground and get free entry to the Perth Scorchers vs Hobart Hurricanes in the Women's Big Bash League|10 celebration match on November 23. It’s all part of a huge weekend of events in Perth, with WA Day Festival taking place at Burswood Park, alongside the World Supercross Championship at HBF Park and PrideFEST 2024 in Northbridge. Tours, Attractions & AccommodationTurtle Nesting Season at Ningaloo Turtle nesting season has started in WA. From November to March each year, green, hawksbill and loggerhead mature female turtles make the long arduous journey up the beaches of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Marine Park - one of the world's major breeding areas for sea turtles - to lay their eggs. Visitors can take in the action of the journey on a guided Turtle Education Eco-tour with Jurabi Turtle Centre, or join Exmouth Adventure Co for a summer sunset turtle watching and stargazing tour in the Jurabi Coastal Park. The World’s Biggest Tractor Sculpture arrives in WA The world’s biggest tractor sculpture has been unveiled in the WA Wheatbelt town of Carnamah, 300 kilometres north of Perth / Boorloo. The Big Tractor stands at an impressive 11.5 metres high and 16 metres long, it is a five-times replica of the Chamberlain 40K, the first tractor manufactured in WA in 1949. The Chamberlain tractors played a significant role in the development of WA’s agricultural regions after the Second World War. This new photographic attraction for visitors to the town (particular during the region’s spectacular wildflower season that runs from July to October) also serves as a way to preserve the history of WA’s farming machines and the people who drove them. Collie now home to WA’s largest mountain bike trail network Western Australia's largest network of mountain bike trails has officially opened following the completion of 47 kilometres of tracks in Wellington National Park near the town of Collie in the South West. Riders now have almost 100 kilometres of national park trails to explore in Collie's Wambenger Trails network, which links Wellington Dam, Honeymoon Pool, Mount Lennard and the spectacular Collie River Valley. The newly expanded trails cater for experienced and competition riders, complementing the previously completed beginner trails near Wellington Dam. A new bike hire outlet has opened in Wellington National Park to support the trails, with a range of tour options also available to introduce new riders to the fun of mountain biking. More information on the Wambenger Trails is available at collierivervalley.com.au. Twilight tours at Perth’s Optus Stadium Perth’s iconic 60,000 seat Optus Stadium has announced two new twilight tours at THE OZONE. Step onto the roof of Optus Stadium and be captivated by the dreamy twilight views over Perth’s skyline and the stadium below on the new VERTIGO by Twilight experience, then, if you can summon a little more courage, hang 42 metres above the ground while you’re harnessed from above. The new HALO Rooftop Climb by Twilight offers the same stunning views with less adrenaline, with a 360 degree walk around the stadium roof. Both tours run for 90 minutes and are available to book now. Stargazing in Perth’s Kings Park with new guided tours Experience WA’s world-class starry night sky in the heart of Perth at the iconic Kings Park and Botanic Garden / Kaarta Koomba. As one of the world’s largest inner-city parks, Kings Park offers low levels of light pollution within its borders. This makes it an ideal location to see the brighter constellations, stars and planets with the naked eye. Astrotourism WA has now started activating the park with dark sky tourism experiences. The next stargazing event to be held in Kings Park will be the Music and Stars Night on Saturday, November 23, featuring live music and the opportunity to view the planets and constellations through large telescopes. Upcoming events will include witnessing the spectacle of a full moon rise over the eastern horizon. For the full list of events visit the Star Tracks Astro Events website. Rottnest Island bike tours with Laura the Explorer Embark on a cycling adventure around Perth’s Rottnest Island / Wadjemup on a new guided tour with Laura the Explorer. Catering to all ages, the moderately paced guided tours uncover the island’s natural beauty, rich history, wildlife and local culture. The full-day tour covers 10 kilometres of the island, and includes return ferry tickets, bike hire and lunch with stunning island views as part of an all-inclusive package. The tour also includes the opportunity to swim and snorkel, as well as meeting the friendly local quokkas. Stay a little longer with Rottnest Island late night ferries Visitors to Rottnest Island will be able to enjoy the popular holiday destination for longer this summer, with a late-night ferry service starting from Thursday, November 14. The last ferry will depart the island at 9pm from Thursday to Sunday between November and January, and then operate Friday to Sunday between February and April 2025. It means day visitors will be able to experience the island after dark and enjoy the sunset views from some of Western Australia's most iconic beaches, or have dinner at the array of restaurants and eateries before returning to Perth. Special deals for food and beverages from fine dining to casual family meals will also be on offer to coincide with the late-night ferry service. Food & WineSeaside wellness at Magic Apple WholefoodsMagic Apple Wholefoods has opened its doors at one of Perth’s / Boorloo most notable seaside addresses - 149 Marine Parade in Cottesloe. Magic Apple Wholefoods is the reimagining of the long-forgotten local wholefoods brand by prominent Perth restauranteur George Kailis from Kailis Hospitality Group. Originally established in WA in the 1970s as a smoothie bar then restaurant chain, Magic Apple is now a modern-day hospitality concept embracing the clean eating and wellness movements. Offering stunning Indian Ocean views, the 110 person dine-in capacity restaurant is open seven days a week for breakfast and lunch, with dinner service launching mid-December. The Cottesloe location will be the flagship site for Magic Apple Wholefoods, located down the road from Kailis Hospitality Group’s other venue Gibney. A company-owned, national rollout of the wholefoods restaurant is planned over the next two years. New winery restaurant to open in the Margaret River RegionThe Margaret River Region in WA’s South West will welcome a new winery restaurant to the region’s world-class epicurean offering. Perth’s renowned contemporary south-east Asian restaurant group Miss Chows – helmed by Jacquie Chan - is set to open a venue at Edwards Estate winery on November 21. Miss Chows Margaret River will bring contemporary urban dining, with modern Asian dishes paired with local wines and set amongst the rolling vineyards. The restaurant is a brand-new build, mixing contemporary design with subtle interiors and vineyard views. Locally sourced produce will feature prominently on the menu, with dishes such as Margaret River venison tartare, Amelia Park lamb and lemongrass dumplings, abalone from Augusta and truffle from the South West. Northbridge welcomes a Burrata Bar Burrata lovers can now get their cheesy fix in Perth’s cultural hub of Northbridge with the opening of the Burrata Bar. The popular Perth food truck has now found a permanent home on Aberdeen Street in the heart of Northbridge. The venue serves a variety of burrata dishes including burrata bowls, focaccia sandwiches and cheesy pasta dishes, such as gnocchi bowls topped with a burrata ball, seven days a week. Burrata Bar is the latest venture from the team behind North Perth hotspot La Mortazza, and is open seven days a week, plus late on Fridays and Saturdays to satisfy those burrata cravings. Detroit-style pan pizza in Perth’s CBD Willi’s Pizza Bar has opened its doors in the heart of Perth’s CBD, located on the ground floor of The Royal Hotel. The latest venue from one of Perth’s key hospitality players Parker Group, Willi's serves Detroit-style pan pizza. Enjoy thick, cheesy and crispy rectangle sliced pizzas alongside primi side plates, neon lights, all backed by an ‘80s funk soundtrack. The bar’s cocktails offer nostalgia with a twist, and the wine list is a blend of funky styles. Willi's is open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. The Bridge House opens at iconic Fremantle location An iconic restaurant site in the port city of Fremantle / Walyalup has been given another lease of life, with the opening of The Bridge House this month. Located in North Fremantle, it’s a new restaurant for an old site - one that was originally built in 1925 as The Harvest Road cottage, owned by artist Murray Gill who converted his home into a gallery and cafe. Successful Perth businessman George Grundy has now taken the reigns, completing an extensive renovation to give the historic venue a contemporary feel. The Bridge House offers a 10-seater private dining room, a stunning front garden and a versatile outdoor area. The restaurant serves up a modern Australian menu with a European influence, with a wine list reflecting both old and new world excellence. Raise a glass to the best of Western Australia's wines Western Australia’s diversity of wine was celebrated recently at the 2024 WA Good Food Guide Wine Awards. The awards presented the Top 25 wines for the year, along with industry champions representing the pinnacle of WA winemaking. Deep Woods Estate in the Margaret River Region took out number one in the Top 25 for the ‘G2’ Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, along with Wine of the Year, Best Single Vineyard Wine and Producer of the Year. Frankland Estate’s ‘Isolation Ridge’ Riesling 2023 came in at number two, and was awarded Best Great Southern Wine and Best Certified Organic Wine - with the winery’s Hunter Smith named Viticulturist of the Year. Winemaker of the Year went to Julian Langworthy, who was responsible for five of the wines in the Top 25, including number one. For the full list of winners, visit the WA Good Food Guide website. Cabernet reigns at 2024 Margaret River Wine Show The famed wines of the Margaret River Region were put to the test at the 2024 Endeavour Group Margaret River Wine Show. The region is famed for its Cabernet, and this held true as the variety triumphed in the awards with the Devil’s Lair Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 taking home three trophies for Best Cabernet, Best Red Wine and Wine of Show. Devil’s Lair also received the trophy for Most Successful Exhibitor. Fifty wines achieved gold medal status, earning 95 points or higher on the 100-point scale, with 102 wines receiving silver medals and 242 receiving bronze. A judging panel of Australian experts assessed 650 entries from 91 exhibitors, with the region’s wines producing an impressive medal strike rate of over 60 per cent. For the full list of winners visit the website. New beer trails through the Margaret River Region Beer lovers can discover the craft brew delights of the Margaret River Region on two new beer trails. Launched by the South West Brewers Alliance, the Bay Trail and Cave Trail cover 10 local breweries from Busselton / Undalup down to Margaret River, and are designed to be a guide map for the best craft beer and seasonal eats in the area. The Cave Trail takes visitors through local farmland and towering karri trees between Wilyabrup and Margaret River to experience the region’s inland charm and handcrafted brews. The Bay Trail delivers a taste of coastal brews combined with cruising alongside the scenic coastline between Busselton and Yallingup for refreshing beers and tasty bites. Both trails include information on optional experiences like behind-the-scenes brewery tours, spectacular dinners and live music, and can be found here. Lifestyle & CultureSummer outdoor markets and movies Perth’s balmy summer evenings will see the return of some of the city’s favourite outdoor markets and movies. The popular Scarborough Beach Sunset Markets are on every Thursday evening until April 24; in the coastal suburb of Trigg the Summer X Salt Markets celebrates surf and sustainability on Saturdays until March 25; and Perth CBD’s ever-popular Twilight Food Market will satisfy tastebuds every Friday night until March 28. Local favourite the Inglewood Night Markets has also returned with more than 40 food vendors dishing up treats every Monday night. Summer is also the perfect time to enjoy a movie under the stars. Choose from a city rooftop experience at the Rooftop Movies in Northbridge; snuggle into a bean bag at Northbridge Piazza for free kids’ flicks; pack a picnic for an evening on the grass at the Moonlight Cinema in Kings Park; or choose from various locations at the outdoor Telethon Community Cinemas. Discover Perth local artisans at Yagan Square’s new markets Perth / Boorloo CBD’s newest public space, Yagan Square will welcome new family-friendly markets this month. From 4pm to 8pm every Thursday in November, Yagan Square will be transformed into Markets in the Square - a bustling marketplace with more than 30 unique stalls showcasing talented creations from local makers. Visitors will have many offerings to explore including jewellery, art, clothing and handcrafted homewares; as well as food and beverage offerings from Yagan Square businesses including Stories, The Shoe, Gangnam Korean BBQ, Hiss and Smoke, and Street Eats. Take a spiritual journey on Wadjemup Discover the history and stories of Perth’s Rottnest Island / Wadjemup through a series of moving exhibits at the Wadjemup Museum. The Wadjemup Wirin Bidi (Wadjemup Spiritual Journey) Exhibition invites visitors to develop a deeper understanding of the culturally significant Wadjemup Project. Running until June 30, 2025, the exhibition shares the stories of the island’s Aboriginal prisoners, and the families who were left behind. Wander past poignant displays to gain a deeper understanding of the island's history, including a historical prison cell door, prisoner shackles, artwork and weaving displays, audio recordings played on the museum deck, and an audio-visual display in the theatrette. EventsPair’d Margaret River Region November 14 to 17 | Margaret River Region | WA’s South West Wine enthusiasts can explore the range of dreamy events on offer at WA’s latest homegrown event, Pair’d Margaret River Region. The event showcases the uniqueness of the world-class wine region and will tantilise tastebuds with a dreamlike blend of incredible local produce paired with wines harvested from local vines, accompanied by live music on nature’s stage. Highlight events include Margaret’s Beach Club, set against the backdrop of Castle Bay; a four-course dining event under the karri forest with Nature’s Table; wine tasting events and collaborative events with a series of dinners at Leeuwin Estate, Voyager, Vasse Felix and Wills Domain. The West Test – Australia vs India November 22 to November 26 | Optus Stadium | Perth Perth / Boorloo’s Optus Stadium is set to host the first Test of the 2024/25 summer in a blockbuster series against India. The Australian men’s team will play India across five days, as the opening Test in what is set to be a scintillating five match series. This will be India’s second Test Match at Optus Stadium, after playing in the first ever Test Match at the world-class 60,000 seat stadium in December 2018. Rio Tinto Christmas Lights Trail November 22 to January 1 | Perth CBD The annual Rio Tinto Christmas Lights Trail will return to light up Perth CBD, transforming it into a magical wonderland. Across 41 nights prepared to be dazzled by the lights and sounds of Christmas with 20 breathtaking installations to enjoy. Walk the full four kilometre trail to see all 20 installations, or take the family-friendly route, the 1.6 kilometre Merry Mile – ideal for children or those with limited time. On select nights in December, stops along the way will also be accompanied by free family-friendly entertainment. FIM World Supercross Championships November 23 to 24 | HBF Park | Perth The FIM World Supercross Championship will race into Perth in a high-octane double-header dirt racing spectacle. Perth is the only Australian destination to host two legs of the global event this year. Fully sanctioned by the Federation Internationale de Motocylisme (FIM), the pinnacle event of global supercross racing will offer a thrilling spectacle of motorcycle racing on purpose built dirt tracks. The two rounds of the Perth leg will take place at Perth's HBF Park, which will be transformed into a world-class dirt bike racing arena with some of the world's best riders. Mandurah Christmas November 29 to January 5 | Mandurah | Perth The coastal city of Mandurah / Manjoogoordap shines bright every year during the festive season, with a spectacular line-up of family friendly events, activities and festive sights. The annual Mandurah Christmas Lights trail returns, traversing from the Eastern Foreshore, into Mandjar Square and across to the Mandurah Ocean Marina. There’s also the Mandurah Christmas Pageant on November 29, with festive floats, workshops and entertainment; followed by Carols in the Park on December 14. Adding to the festive cheer, every year over 200 canal-front houses light up with spectacular Christmas light displays. Witness this incredible display from the water on a Mandurah Cruises tour. AusCycling National Road Cycling Championships January 8 to 12 | Kings Park | Perth Australia’s top cyclists and para-cyclists will be heading West in 2025 to compete for the coveted green-and-gold national championship jersey at the 2025 AusCycling Road National Championships. Riders will take on three challenging new courses that will take them through the picturesque Kings Park and Botanic Garden, one of the world’s largest inner-city parks. The iconic location will form the centrepiece for AusCycling’s most prestigious cycling race. FRINGE WORLD Perth January 17 to February 16 | Perth Perth’s annual FRINGE World Festival will once again light up the city with culture and colour when it returns in 2025. Featuring a packed program of more than 200 events covering circus, comedy, cabaret, theatre, dance and children's entertainment from local, national and international artists, it is set to surprise and delight audiences of all ages. The ever-popular Pleasure Garden will return with some of the hottest shows in the festival, with other venues and world-renowned acts soon to be announced. Australian Open Water Championships and Ocean Swim Festival January 23 to 26 | Busselton | WA’s South West The Australian Open Water Championships and OceanSwim Festival will return to the South West city of Busselton / Undalup for a third consecutive year in 2025. Taking place at the iconic Busselton Jetty, the elite swimming event will see some of the country’s best open water swimmers face off, with the event providing athletes with qualifying opportunities for the respective Masters, Open and Junior International level events held later in 2025. The different courses - including the 500m, 1.25km, 2.5km, and 10km Community Swims and the 5km, 7.5km, 10km, and 4 x 1.25km relay contested for the Open Water Championships, will take place around the Busselton Jetty, allowing spectators to line the iconic structure to watch the races. HSBC SVNS Perth January 24 to 26 | HBF Park | Perth For the second consecutive year Perth will host the Australian leg of the HSBC SVNS in 2025, with the Australian-exclusive global rugby event taking place at Perth's rectangular stadium, HBF Park. HSBC SVNS attracts the world's top rugby nations to play an alternative rugby union format which involves seven players competing in seven-minute halves in a tournament format with round robin and knockout matches over three days. Twelve men's and twelve women's national teams will go head-to-head in seven regular season events, with round three set to take place in Perth plus a Grand Final. A fan festival will surround the event and provide a carnival-like hub for visitors and locals to enjoy before, during and after the matches. |