• Print

Details

Published: Wednesday, 08 February 2012 10:19

Written by Melissa Luyke

It may not seem likely from the outside, but stepping inside the ground floor of 20 Kalinda Drive, the site of the former City Beach High School, visitors are immediately whisked away to a little piece of Japan.  With tatami mats, shoji screens, Japanese dolls, and sake barrels on view, it is easy to believe that the Hyogo Prefectural Government Cultural Centre office is actually located somewhere in downtown Kobe rather than coastal Perth.

Established in 1992 to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the thriving Sister-State relationship between Hyogo Prefecture and Western Australia, the Cultural Centre is fully funded by Hyogo Prefectural Government in an aim to promote awareness of the Sister State relationship, act as a bridge of communication between Hyogo and WA, and support Japanese language and culture education in WA. 

Read more ...

• Print

Details

Published: Friday, 03 February 2012 12:09

Written by Nita Teoh

The Perth Walkabout Monthly Wrap is published at the start of each month to provide a snapshot of articles that hit the headlines in the last 4 weeks.

Here is Perth Walkabout's Monthly Wrap for the month of January:

Kununurra – The Last Frontier in WA

Closer to Darwin than its own capital Perth 3000km away, Kununurra is often described as the last frontier.

Situated at the heart of the East Kimberley in northern West Australia, Kununurra is a green oasis in the red dirt that in the local Aboriginal language means “the meeting of the big waters.”

My family and I were lucky enough to live there for three months in the mild season before the wet a few years ago. It is hot all year round with two distinct seasons; the wet (November – January) and the dry.  Many roads are closed during the wet season so it is best to travel in the dry and plan ahead.

Read more ...

• Print

Details

Published: Wednesday, 01 February 2012 10:37

Written by John Durey

Public Outdoor Ping Pong is POPP. We make outdoor ping pong tables from 700kg of steel and we get local artists to do their artwork.

Each table is a non-porous steel canvas and we encourage the artist to do whatever they feel would be most daring. There are no briefs or limitations. Sean Morris illustrated a beast with a severed head and severed limbs and Jae Criddle trapped a man with wings, or a pheasant on his back - depending on the angle.

The tables then end up in public - parks, open spaces, town squares. People kind of look at them at first, ponder the artwork and sometimes they work out that they can play ping pong on them, too.

Read more ...

• Print

Details

Published: Friday, 27 January 2012 09:28

Written by Kat Tate

When the cafés close and the sun sets, the harbour hub of Fremantle comes alive with a smorgasbord of restaurants, bars, pubs and clubs serving up a feast of fun. Whether you’re seeking a subdued evening or are planning to party, you’ll find it in ‘Freo’.

Enjoy an afternoon brew

Hugging the harbour, microbrewery Little Creatures is the prime spot for a late-afternoon ale. The eatery is set in an industrial tin shed, with great glass panels overlooking the working brewery. This raucous place gets busy, so arrive early to bag a spot at a communal table and settle in to sample the scrumptious pub fare.

Read more ...

• Print

Details

Published: Wednesday, 25 January 2012 12:34

Written by Nita Teoh

Happy Chinese New Year to everyone in Perth!

In Perth, we are lucky enough to be exposed to a range of people from a diverse set of cultures and backgrounds, including those who are of Chinese and Vietnamese ethnicity.

According to the Lunar calendar, 2012 is the Year of the Dragon and is celebrated from the 23rd January for 15 days.

ABC Interview with Ken Lee on Celebrating the Lunar New Year Dragon Style

For the best low down on what Chinese New Year is all about, hear from Ken Lee at the ABC site. Ken is one of my long time friends, and I really enjoyed his interview on the ABC with Brooke Bannister.

Read more ...

• Print

Details

Published: Friday, 20 January 2012 09:42

Written by Vicki Sly

The suburb of Claremont is located about 9 km west of the centre of Perth and at its heart lies “the Quarter” – an area where people can shop, eat, work, socialise and live without having to get into a car and go anywhere. It’s like a village within a town within a city!

Its official address is 9 Bayview Terrace but the large block is bordered by the Terrace, St Quentin Avenue, Gugeri Street and Bovell Lane.

The idea behind the Claremont Quarter began 15 years ago but it was only in February last year that the final stage was officially opened.

If you can shop till you drop or just love to browse through the windows, with over 450 Australian and international brands on show, there is definitely something for you to look at!

Read more ...