13 Jun 2018
Tags: Perth, Broome, Shinju Matsuri festival, Celebrity Chefs, Qantas, Discount Fares
WHAT'S HOT
Fly from Perth to Broome for under $200
Discovering Broome and the Kimberley region of Western Australia - for a weekend or a week - is now cheaper following the addition of an extra Friday to Sunday service by Qantas between Perth and Broome.
The special discounted fare of $199 during high season (August 17 to October 16, 2018, and June 21 to August 17, 2019) and $179 during low season (October 17, 2018 to June 20, 2019) will be available when booked 60 days in advance. The special fares increase to $229 in the low season and $269 in the high season when booked 45 days ahead of travel.
The new service provides 500 discounted seats per week in the high season and 600 in the low season.
Celebrity chefs announced for Shinju Matsuri
Celebrity chefs Adam Liaw and Marion Grasby will headline this year's Shinju Matsuri (festival of the pearl) to be held August 25 – September 2 in Broome - the pearling capital of Australia in WA's North West.
Celebrating four diverse cultures that have come together in Broome for pearls - Japanese, Malaysian, Chinese and Indigenous Australian - Shinju Matsuri features a unique dining program in extraordinary locations.
This year Adam Liaw and Marion Grasby join forces at the popular Sunset Long Table Dinner, held on Broome's Cable Beach on September 1. The Willie Creek Pearl Meat Cook-Off is also returning and will see Broome's best chefs compete to create the best dish featuring pearl meat, a rare delicacy from the famous pearl-producing oysters native to the region. The event will feature beer, wine and pearl meat tastings, with Adam Liaw as guest judge.
Adam also headlines a new event, the Pearl Harvest Yum Cha – an open-air dining experience along Dampier Terrace in Broome's historic Chinatown on August 30. Tickets include all you can eat Chinese Yum Cha. Other event highlights include a Float Parade through the streets of Broome, Art Awards, Floating Lantern Matsuri and a Festival Finale concert.
Tickets for the events are now on sale, with travel packages available featuring accommodation and tickets to selected events.
AFL Holiday Deals at Optus Stadium
Perth's brand new state-of-the-art 60,000 seat Optus Stadium has played host to record-breaking crowds since the start of the 2018 Australia Football League (AFL) season. A number of AFL Holiday Deals are on sale, with packages offering flights, accommodation and tickets to a game – available for booking until July 24, 2018. Perth's purpose-built Optus Stadium has been designed with the fan experience first in mind, delivering greater access to players, coaches and views than any other Australian sporting arena. Recently heralded as 'the capital of cool' – now is the perfect time for AFL fans to plan a trip to Perth, with new attractions, accommodation, wining and dining offerings, cultural and entertainment precincts continuing to change the face of the city.
LIFESTYLE & CULTURE
Cabin Fever arrives at Margaret River
Visit the Margaret River region between July 13 and 22 for Cabin Fever - a winter celebration to show that the region's wineries and restaurants have plenty to offer visitors and locals during the colder months. The 10 day festival will feature more than 30 unique events at various venues throughout the region, with a focus on home-grown talent from the best local wineries and seasonal produce. The wintery activities will include chocolate, cheese and coffee appreciation, wine dinners, degustations, wine-fuelled crafts, bonfires, brews, live music and more.
Rooftop Movies now has a winter offering
The team behind FRINGE World Festival and Rooftop Movies are bringing a new boutique winter cinema experience to Perth with the Girls School Cinema. Housed in the historic Old Perth Girls School, the stunning castle-like building sits on the highest part of East Perth overlooking the WACA (cricket ground). Running from June 15 to September 29, a special program of events will feature blockbusters, classic and arthouse films, and family matinee singalongs. Toasted sandwiches from Toastface Grillah and gourmet soup from Suppa Club will be available, plus a candy bar and drinks from Madfish Wine and Gage Roads – with toasted marshmallows and mulled wine on selected nights. Program one tickets are now on sale with a special $10 tickets introductory offer.
Perth's Craft Beer Festival
Perth's Craft Beer Festival is returning in August from Friday 17 to Sunday 19 at the Ice Cream Factory pop up bar in Northbridge. The festival will host over 50 craft breweries and cideries, with more than 350 beers on offer, complimented by a selection of fresh food options. Local favourites include Nail Brewing, Feral Brewing and Gage Roads, plus limited edition festival beers from Cheeky Monkey Brewing and Rocky Ridge Brewing Co. Special attractions this year include the Alby Pub Songs Karaoke, a Silent Disco, Battle of the Cattle – featuring a set of twin bucking bulls – and the launch of the Perth Craft Beer Festival Awards. Held over four unique sessions, the festival caters to all tastes, with cozy fire pits and a dedicated wine and cocktail bar.
Winterworld is returning to the eclectic and historic port city of Fremantle, 30 minutes drive from Perth city, from June 23 to July 15. Featuring Australia's largest open-air ice skating rink with falling 'snow,' a real snow pit, a giant inflatable slide and arts activities. A new Market Square will showcase winter wares and food stalls from local producers and retailers, and a themed outdoor area will be scattered with blazing fire pits for roasting marshmallows. Winterworld Fremantle is a free event however ticket are required for various activities. For those wanting a winter stay-cation in Fremantle, the Hougoumont Hotel is offering one night stay with complimentary car parking and check-out at 12pm for $179 per night until September 15.
FOOD & WINE
Hot new venues at Hibernian Place
Perth's newest inner city public precinct Hibernian Place is fast becoming the hottest destination in the city's east end, with a number of new venues opening in the last month.
Hadiqa is the latest offering from Andy Freeman who is behind several of Perth's other venues including The Flour Factory, Varnish on King and Caballitos. Inspired by hadiqa, the Arabic word for garden, the rooftop bar and supper club is a Middle Eastern-inspired garden sanctuary in the heart of the Perth city. The menu features share-friendly style dining and is a fusion of Moroccan, Mediterranean and Greek flavours. The drinks list includes bespoke cocktails, such as the signature Turkish Delight Martini, craft beers and a wine list that heroes WA wineries.
The owners of Mary Street Bakery, Michael Forde and Paul Aron, are focusing their love for coffee in their newest venture, Offshoot Coffee - a specialty coffee shop, roaster and grab-and-go lunch spot is. Mary Street Bakery's Coffee Operations Manager and award-winning barista Rummy Keshet heads up the coffee roasting process, which will include Mary Street Bakery's house blend, as well as traditional single origins and more progressive roasts. Take-home coffee beans and coffee-making equipment will be available to buy, and the venue will offer coffee courses such as espresso making, latte art techniques and manual brewing. The grab-and-go lunch menu will offer salad bowls, gourmet sandwiches and quiches, as well as classic breakfast items and baked goods.
Huxtaburger is Melbourne's original cult burger brand and has now officially opened in Perth. The burger menu ranges from the classic beef and cheeseburgers, to brekkie burgers, fried chicken and veggie burgers, and their famous ice-cream burgers, with the drinks menu featuring Little Creatures beers and Margaret River wines.
New Additions to Truffle Kerfuffle offering
The three-day Truffle Kerfuffle festival - a celebration of one of the world's most luxurious ingredients fresh black truffles - will feature a program of over 20 dining, tasting, education, industry and entertaining events. Held in the Southern Forests region in WA's South West from June 22 to 24, tickets to the events have already started selling out, and some new additions have been made to the program. The Sunday Brunch with Sue Hutchins of Shadow Wine Bar (Perth) will treat diners to a truffle-laden feast overlooking Fonty's Pool. Other new events include a Fervor Dinner and Masterclass with chef Paul Iskov, Dinner of Dark Delights with George Cooper of Food by the Chef, Seasonal Truffle Dinner at Foragers with Sophie Zalokar and a four-wheel-drive day of adventure with a Southern Forests Discovery Tour. Cape Lodge consultant chef Tony Howell will MC the From the Earth stage, which is free to attend at the Festival Village. Also at the Festival Village will be intimate cooking demonstrations and tastings at Chef's Cabin Series with Mark Best, formerly of Sydney three-hatted restaurant Marque, Marianne Lumb from Marianne in London and Bordeaux born Bruno Loubet.
The Southern Forests region is a 3.5 hour drive from Perth, with accommodation options available in Manjimup and surrounding towns of Pemberton, Northcliffe, Bridgetown, Nannup and Margaret River. Visit the website for further details.
New direction for Pleased to Meet You
Small bar and restaurant Pleased to Meet You, another one of Clint Nolan's venues which includes Henry Summer, La Cholita, Joe's Juice Joint, Alabama Song and Sneaky Tony's, has announced an exciting new direction with the launch of a new menu inspired by modern-Australian and Asian cuisine. Located in the cultural hub of Northbridge, the new menu is designed to share 'family style', and range from small bites to more substantial, with dishes taking inspiration from Japan, Southern China and South-east Asia. The drinks menu includes an extensive bottled wine and sparkling list, local and international craft beers, Vasse Felix red and white on tap, and cocktails with an Asian twist.
Microbrewery-Pizzeria opening in Northbridge
Specialist craft beer and pizza venue Cyril Mason's has recently opened in one of Northbridge's historic buildings, located on the corner of William and Francis Streets. All of the beer is brewed in-house by veteran brewers Geoff and Dan Goddard, formerly of Fremantle's Blacksalt Brewery, and the beers are brewed only six kegs at a time. Accompanying the beers will be Roman-style pizza from award-winning pizza-chef Raffaele Brotzu of Delisio in Subiaco. The menu also includes antipasti and sharing-size pasta dishes. The venue has 16 taps, with four devoted to house-made cocktails, and all of the beer is unpasteurised and preservative free. The drinks menu also features a wine selection, with a number of natural and organic varieties.
Chow's Table opens in Margaret River region
Chow's Table is the newest addition to the Margaret River region's dining scene, opening at House of Cards Winery in Wilyabrup. A modern Asian restaurant specialising in Chinese and Malay cuisine, for chef Malcolm Chow – who has honed his skills in some of the best restaurants in Australia including Vue de Monde in Melbourne, Tetsuya's in Sydney and Studio Bistro in Yallingup – it's a return to his Malaysian/Chinese roots. The menu is designed for sharing, and the newly built restaurant looks out over the House of Cards vineyards.
TOURS, ATTRACTIONS & ACCOMMODATION
Rex operating Perth to Carnarvon/Monkey Mia Route
Experiencing the marine wonders of WA's Coral Coast will be easier come July 2 when Regional Express (Rex) takes over the Perth to Monkey Mia and Perth to Carnarvon routes. The new service will provide extra flights to the two towns, increasing capacity to Monkey Mia by 50 percent at 12 weekly flights, and by 20 percent to Carnarvon with 24 weekly flights now available.
Singapore to Broome flights
The first overseas passenger flight in almost 20 years – a direct flight from Singapore to Broome - touched down at Broome International airport on May 22. Visitors on flight MI892 from Singapore were greeted with a picturesque welcome as it approached the runway over the iconic Cable Beach. The four hour journey was the first of four trial flights. SilkAir – the regional wing of Singapore Airlines – will run the service as part of an overall push to expose the North West region of WA to the Asian market.
World's largest whale migration begins
Last month marked the beginning of the annual whale migration in Western Australia, which is one of the longest in the world. From now until December, humpback whales, southern right and blue whales make their way along the coast from the Southern Ocean in the South West to the warmer breeding grounds in the Kimberley, in the North West. Throughout the season, visitors can take whale watching tours from Albany, the Margaret River region (Augusta, Busselton, Dunsborough), Esperance, Perth, Broome, Kalbarri and Shark Bay, while in Exmouth and Coral Bay, visitors can swim with the humpback whales. The swim with humpbacks experience generally runs from August to October, just off the Ningaloo Reef.
Little Hill Farm accommodation in Bridgetown
Little Hill Farm, located beside the Blackwood River a few minutes from Bridgetown in WA's South West, has recently opened studio accommodation. Previously run as an orchard, the new owners have repurposed the property into an agriculture business and tourism destination. The farm now offers four accommodation studios, which are available for short-term holiday rental. Each studio is fully self-contained – with king size beds, reverse-cycle air-conditioning, a fully equipped kitchen and a veranda offering views of the Blackwood River. Guests can choose to enjoy fresh farm cooked meals using seasonal produce grown on the farm or sourced from local producers, with the menu changing seasonally. The owners also offer cooking classes and food appreciation activities. The farm is divided into a number of different garden areas, offering seasonal vegetables, berries and fruit and nut orchards. Guests are able to stroll through the garden at leisure – with the property also holding 'open garden days' for the general public.
Coral Coast offering Quobba Coastline Tours
Coral Coast 4x4 Tours, operating from Carnarvon in Australia's Coral Coast, has just launched its first tag along tour along the Quobba Coastline. Known as the gateway to the Ningaloo Reef, the Quobba coastline is where 'the desert meets the sea.' The guided 4WD tours will take in the famous Carnarvon Blowholes and Point Quobba 'Aquarium,' then onto the rugged Quobba Coastline, visiting the HMAS Sydney II Memorial, Cape Cuvier and the Korean Star wreck along the way. The tours run for nine hours and are priced at $189 per vehicle, with morning tea and lunch included.
Life's an Adventure walking tours
Life's an Adventure walking adventures has just released three new walking tours in WA. Aimed at the luxury walking market, the new tours cover the Cape to Cape and Bibbulmun tracks in WA's South West region. Tour options include a four day walk along the Cape to Cape, showcasing some of the best walking sections of the coastline and features a helicopter flight from the beach to Leeuwin Estate Winery for lunch. The five day Bibbulmun Walk includes some of the best walks along the 1000 km track, exploring the spectacular South West forests of the giant Karri and Tingle trees as well as the stunning coastline. The third tour option combines the Cape to Cape and Bibbulmun Walk into one eight day journey. The best time for these walking tours is September to May each year.
El Questro package showcases best of the Kimberley
El Questro resort in Australia's North West has created a five-day package designed to showcase the best of the Kimberley region. The 'Experience the Best of El Questro' package includes two nights at Emma Gorge and three at The Station, as well as a 30-minute scenic helicopter flight, a Buddy's Point 4WD tour, a Bush Culture and Nature Tour, two hours of horseriding and a picnic by a waterhole. The package is on sale to September 24 and is available for travel from August 6 to September 29, 2018.
EVENTS
JULY
May 15 - July 1 | Perth | Destination Perth
Showing at Crown Perth until 1 July, Mama Mia! the Musical is set on a Greek island paradise and inspired by the story-telling magic of ABBA's classic songs. Writer Catherine Johnson's heart-warming tale tells us of a young bride-to-be on the eve of her wedding, who wants to discover the identity of her father. She brings together three men from her mother's past, back to the island they last visited 20 years ago.
July 1 | Broome | Australia's North West
The Broome Marathon is an iconic running event held on the famous Cable Beach. It is Broome's largest mass participation annual sports event. Participants can take part in the full 42.2km Marathon, 21.1km ½ Marathon or the 10.5km Dash, making the event accessible to a wide range of ages and abilities. The event will also include a running workshop prior to the marathon.
Chelsea FC International Friendly
July 23 | Perth | Experience Perth
English Premier League Champions Chelsea FC will be heading to Perth to play an Australian-exclusive match against local heroes Perth Glory. The match will be played at Perth's new state-of-the-art 60,000 seat Optus Stadium, and will be the first international soccer club appearance at the venue.
AUGUST
August 4 - 5 | Northam to Bayswater | Experience Perth
Since 1973, participants and spectators have been thrilled by this iconic event and its picturesque but challenging 124 kilometre course. A unique blend of power dinghies and paddle-craft pass through some of WA's prettiest country – the historic farming regions of Northam and Toodyay, forested national parks, steep gorges, Swan Valley vineyards and the tidal waters of Perth's Swan River.
Act-Belong-Commit Dwellingup 100
August 18 | Dwellingup | Experience Perth
The Act-Belong-Commit Dwellingup 100 is WA's premier mountain bike event. The race includes four distances that cater for varying fitness levels and abilities, with plenty of activities throughout the day at the 'event village' for families and the riders to relax and unwind.
August 22 – 26 | Busselton | Australia's South West
CinefestOZ Film Festival showcases a line-up of new and exciting films over five days amongst the stunning backdrop of WA's South West region. Celebrating great film, the festival incorporates some of Australia's most beautiful locations, world-class Margaret River wines and gourmet fresh foods. With over 100 film and event options on offer, the festival attracts filmmakers, actors and visitors from around Australia.
SEPTEMBER
September 8 to October 7 | York | Destination Perth
Nestled in the beautiful Avon Valley, an easy one-hour drive east of Perth, the historic town of York is WA's first inland settlement and home to striking examples of colonial architecture and excellent museums. Its heritage and Wheatbelt location strongly influence the York Festival as the community comes together for a weekend of unique artisan-designed crafts, vintage cars, music, children's activities and country hospitality.
September 21-23 | Albany | Australia's South West
This action-packed festival will show why the southern city of Albany and its scenic surrounds are an irresistible destination for mountain bikers from all over the world. Southern MTB features a 50 kilometre and 30 kilometre point-to-point cross-country challenge through amazing scenery, one of Australia's only urban downhill races and a nail-biting jump contest in the town square.
Hidden Treasures Bloom Festival
September 22 – October 21 | Great Southern Region | Australia's South West/Australia's Golden Outback
The Hidden Treasures Bloom Festival introduces visitors to the wonders of the Great Southern region in WA's South West. The festival features more than 40 events including wildflower displays, guided tours, open gardens, workshops, long table lunches, train rides, art exhibitions, wine tasting and craft activities.
