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Perth is the most isolated City on the planet, yet it has a mix of everything. Its population is relatively small, in fact, the whole of Western Australia has a pretty small population for its size. With Perth being the only city in an area similar to that of central europe, it is best to travel here only if you have a car, or dont mind staying in the one place.

I am currently living in Northbridge, which is basically the backpacker area. It is full of pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants, and with a 10 minute walk, you're slap bang in the centre of the city.

The city itself boasts a brilliant public transport system, with free buses within the city limits. Anything outside will set you back a "whopping" 2 dollars. If you need to travel outside the city limits, the buses are great, as are the trains. Very clean.

If you are looking for something to do in Perth, there is not much. You can go for a walk in Kings Park, which is amazing, and continue on through to the Botanical Gardens. Kings Park is just an open park so theres no entrance fee. Theres not even a gate around it!! It has a lotof old war memorial stuff which is pretty cool, including a clock in the ground that has the clock hands made from old helicopter blades! There is a wall containing the names of all the fallen soldiers, a few cannons, various statues...all pretty straight forward, but the view is second to none. Kings Park overlooks the Swan River and you can see all of Perth in that direction. The skyscrapers block the view to the north.

There is also a small zoo in Perth. Its nothing compared to Austrlia Zoo but if you're into that sort of thing, it is definately worth the day trip. I think it cost me about $20 entrance fee.

Theres also the sport. Perth has a few big stadiums so depending onwhether you like cricket, Aussie Rules, or Rugby, theres a stadium within half an hour. Beside the Cricket ground (the WACA) you can find Burswood casino. This boasts hotels, nightclubs and the casino floor itself. Well worth a visit. It also has a top class golf course on its grounds, adjacent to the Swan River.

There are also at least 3 beaches in Perth. City Beach, Scarborough, nd my favourite, Cottesloe Beach, all about 20 mins from the city. There has been a few sharks spotted recently there so be careful!

Rottnest island is another option. It is located off the coast and is good for an overnight stay. There are no cars allowed so the common thing is to rent a bicycle and cycle around for the day. The views are amazing.

For most of the backpacker type sights, you will need to travel. You can go south to Margaret River and see the vineyards, or go North to Broome or Monkey Mia by and swim with the dolphins and whales. It should be noted that if theres no sign of dophins, then chances are its because there are sharks in the vicinity....so they say! But the Monkey Mia resort feeds the dolphins daily in the same spot so you're pretty much guaranteed to see them as they come for the free food. You can literally walk into the water beside loads of them!!

Perth is a good place but its pretty sprawled out. Unless you live in Northbridge or the city, you will need transport. Australia is so huge that everyone needs a car, so be mindful of that if you venture over here.