Perth can be pricey for just about everyone outside of Western Australia. Flights are expensive, so once you arrive you'll need some tips on how to save money. Here are some great ideas on how to see Perth for less than $50 a day.
Accommodation usually takes a chunk out of the budget, so organise it first. The recently refurbished Underground Backpackers, just five minutes from Perth's CBD, is a great place to stay. The dormitory style rooms, which have anywhere from 6-10 beds, cost $19 a night. Single, double and triple rooms are also available.
Less than a hundred metres from the backpackers, there's a bus stop where you can catch the CAT, otherwise known as the Central Area Transit System. These buses are your ticket to free travel, seven days a week. You can find two of these services running in Perth, with the Blue CAT travelling north and south, and the red CAT travelling east and west.
Another great money-saver is the Art Gallery of Western Australia. It's open seven days a week and entry is free. The gallery displays historical and contemporary work, including an excellent indigenous art collection. This tourist attraction not only provides a couple of hours of free entertainment, it will give you an insight into the world of visual arts and its connection to culture and history.
If you've worked up an appetite, there are plenty of options. But remember, you're on the cheap so instead of that gourmet seafood lunch, head to your nearest hotdog stand, where you'll be able to buy lunch for around $4.
When the sun sets in the west Perth lights up, and with just over half of your daily budget left the best place to head is the Aberdeen pub. The pub is so popular that during the winter months when they are only open three nights a week, they still get about 12,000 people through their doors each week.
If you're on a tight budget head to the Deen on a Monday night. There's no cover charge and the venue hosts a load of free activities. You can play free pool, participate in free games like twister and hermit crab racing, enjoy a free BBQ dinner and listen to a live band and DJ. On top of that, there's a complimentary coach to drop you back to the Underground Backpacker when the night's finished.
The facts
Qantas flies to Perth from all capital cities and prices from Sydney start at $461 and $568 from Brisbane.
Qantas
Tel: 13 13 13
A bed in a dormitory-style room at the Underground Backpackers in Northbridge costs $19, and a double room is $58. This price includes breakfast.
The Underground Backpackers
Tel: 1800 033 089
For an alternative to the backpackers, try the Holiday Inn.
Holiday Inn City Centre Perth
Tel: 1300 666 747
The Art Gallery of Western Australia is open seven days a week from 10am to 5pm and entry is free.
Art Gallery of Western Australia
Tel: 08 9492 6600
The Deen
Tel: 08 9227 9361
Western Australian Visitor Centre
Tel: 08 9483 1111
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