Lavender farms and wildlife trails: Best Perth attractions for a family holiday

PERTH, Australia – The challenge of planning family holidays is finding something suitable for everyone. Some may clamour for the adrenaline rush of outdoor adventures, while others prefer a slower pace. Comfortable yet wallet-friendly accommodation is a priority, as is proximity to good meals.

Perth ticks many of these boxes for Singapore travellers, which is why the Western Australian capital continues to ride an upward trend as a popular holiday destination.

According to government body Tourism Research Australia, 99 per cent of visitors from Singapore to Western Australia in 2024 visited Perth. Among the same demographic, the city was also Australia’s second most-popular destination after Melbourne.

If you are planning a trip to Perth, bookmark these places in and around Perth for fun family memories.

What to do

Learn about Perth’s Aboriginal history

Long before Australia was colonised by the British in 1788, Perth was home to the Noongar people, of which Go Cultural Aboriginal Tours and Experiences’ co-founder Walter McGuire is a descendant.

He conducts tours of Perth’s Karrgatup (Kings Park) and Goomup (Elizabeth Quay), as well as Wadjemup (Rottnest Island), through storytelling with maps, artefacts and songs.

During the Karrgatup tour, we sit on the park’s grounds, listening to Mr McGuire take us back in time. We imagine how the Aborigines must have felt, being suddenly accosted by strangers in their own backyard, and having their identity taken away.

“Without the first story, there’s no story, and there’s always a first story,” says Mr McGuire of the importance of remembering a country’s original inhabitants. It is a thought-provoking reminder of Singapore’s first people, the Orang Laut, and their place in the Republic’s historical narrative.

Go to

gocultural.com.au

; from A$80 (S$69) an adult for a 90-minute tour.

See the city on a rickshaw

A rickshaw tour is one of the more relaxing ways to see the city with a multigenerational brood in tow.

On my tour, I weave through small streets and main thoroughfares, with guides pointing out interesting spots, such as an outdoor Aboriginal-themed art installation and Point Zero on St Georges Terrace, the origin of all road distances in Western Australia. The electric rickshaws are comfortable and you can ask for your favourite playlists to be put on.

Go to

peddleperth.com

; from A$90 an adult for the 90-minute Perth Experience Tour.

See Avon Valley from the sky

There are few activities worthy of a 3am wake-up call, and a sunrise balloon flight over the Avon Valley is one of them. The fee includes return transfers to the launch point in Northam, located over an hour’s drive from Perth, and a sumptuous breakfast buffet after the ride.

We help to set up the balloon, which fosters camaraderie among our group, and are soon airborne, rising to 900m. The sun’s rays burst through the clouds, while beneath is the picturesque valley with kangaroos and sheep moving like ants across patchwork fields.

Operator Liberty Balloon Flights lands only on grazing fields or non-crop areas – a fine example of how tour companies can be respectful to communities.

Go to

libertyballoonflights.com.au

; from A$440 an adult for a four-hour experience.

Breathe in the calming scent of lavender

Take a day trip to visit Australia’s largest operating lavender farm. Lavender Estate is located 40 minutes north of Perth, next to Yanchep National Park.

Entrance to the family-run farm is free. Lavender distillery tours cost A$28 a person, including a serving of lavender scones and a pot of the estate’s tea. There is also a cafe serving picnic-friendly fare like burgers, pizzas and craft beers. Walk-ins are welcome, but booking is recommended for peak times such as weekends and public holidays.

Children will enjoy playing at the shaded playground and lawn area. Time your visit from December to February for the prettiest photos among blooming fields. Pick up lavender-infused products ranging from A$15.50 for tea to A$44 for essential oils.

Go to

lavenderestate.com.au

Bask in Western Australia’s stunning sunsets

Explore Perth’s scenic beaches and city lights at dusk with Quokka Adventure Tours (

quokka-tours.com.au

; from A$95 an adult for a four-hour tour). The scenic drive in an air-conditioned mini coach begins from Perth’s Central Business District and follows the Swan River as it passes through the idyllic beachfront suburbs of City Beach and Cottesloe, where there is time for a short swim. The drive ends at Scarborough Beach, just in time to soak up the sunset vibes with a picnic dinner accompanied by a glass of Margaret River wine.

On the return journey to Perth City, the coach stops at city park Claisebrook Cove for photos backdropped by the lit-up Optus Stadium and Matagarup Bridge. The last stop is at Kings Park, where you can take in panoramic views of the city’s sparkling skyline with a dessert in hand.

A more swanky option is Sea West Cruises’ 2½-hour

Sunset and Seafood Cruise

in Mandurah (from A$199 an adult). It features a five-course seafood dinner prepared on-board by a private chef and comes with wine pairings.

Go on a wildlife adventure

Tour operator Off The Beaten Track runs the Kaarakin Wildlife Experience, a half-day, 3km guided bush walk in Banyowla Regional Park, a 45-minute drive south-east of Perth. The scenic walk is on safe, slightly sloping terrain of gravel and narrow rocky tracks that are suitable even for beginner hikers. It takes you up close with Australia’s native wildlife, such as the endangered black cockatoo, as well as emus, kangaroos and dingoes.

The Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Conservation Centre, which is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of sick and injured Western Australian black cockatoos, receives A$20 from every ticket sold.

Go to

offthebeatentrackwa.com.au

; from A$60 an adult.

Where to stay

Novotel Perth Murray Street

Conveniently located in the CBD, the 431-room hotel is a short walk to Perth railway station and the RAC Arena events venue. Comfortable family-friendly options include deluxe rooms with two double beds and executive suites with a separate living area that come with amenities, such as a mini fridge and a microwave oven. The hotel also has a modern Asian diner.

Go to

novotelperthmurraystreet.com.au

; rates from around A$339 a night

QT Perth

This 184-room hotel, also along Murray Street in the CBD, has sleek marbled bathrooms, rich jewel-toned furnishings and artistic wallpaper. At sunset, enjoy chill beats, creative cocktails and tasty bar bites at the rooftop bar.

Go to

qthotels.com/perth

; from A$344 a night. Rates are for stays in late January, based on checks by The Straits Times.

What to eat

Karla

This modern Asian restaurant in multi-concept dining venue Stories serves flavourful dishes cooked over flames and coals, such as Korean Fried Chicken Wings (A$19) and Smoked Brisket Massaman (A$42). Not sure what to pick? Get the Feed Me menu (A$85 a person), which includes the restaurant’s most popular dishes. Go to

stories.au/karla

The Island at Elizabeth Quay

This venue houses a microbrewery, a restaurant and a pizzeria. Its Mediterranean and Middle Eastern-inspired menu includes Kangaroo Carpaccio (A$27) with Kalamata olive tapenade and Beer Battered Fish and Chips (A$35) marinated with the brewery’s own Little Island Pale Ale. Go to theislandeq.com.au

Ginza Nana Alley

Australia’s first yokocho (alleyway) experience is a 70-seat, five-concept space off Murray Street opposite QT Perth hotel. Counter seating and elbow-to-elbow proximity brings Japanese izakaya vibes to places like oden bar Ginza Midai (A$45 for five pieces of oden) and kissaten-style dessert cafe Monkey & Bird (from A$7.50 for a matcha pancake).

Go to

instagram.com/ginzananaalley

The Good Paddock

Nestled within 11 Acre Farm, a 30-minute drive south-east of Perth, farm-to-fork restaurant The Good Paddock uses ingredients grown on-site or from neighbouring farms. The menu ranges from harvest bowls (A$17) for breakfast to lunch mains of crispy goldband snapper (A$36) and duck confit (A$33). You can also sign up for a tour of the working farm to learn about its regenerative practices. Go to

thegoodpaddock.au