Elizabeth Quay: Perth Travel Guide (4.6★)

An inlet dug back into the river

Perth once kept the Swan River at arm’s length. For decades the Esplanade Reserve was a flat lawn between the office towers and the water. Elizabeth Quay, which opened in 2016, cut an inlet into that ground and pulled the river right up to the foot of the CBD.

What you walk into now is a horseshoe of paved promenade wrapped around that basin. There are restaurant terraces along the edges, a ferry jetty, and a small island tucked into one corner. A pedestrian bridge arcs across the mouth of the inlet. It is one of the most-reviewed places in Western Australia, and consistently well rated, largely because it costs nothing to wander.

Walking the loop: bridge, island, Spanda

A full lap takes around 30 to 45 minutes if you stop to look. Here is the order that makes sense:

• Spanda, Christian de Vietri’s cluster of tall white arcs, rises above the eastern side of the promenade. It is the quay’s landmark, and it looks like ripples frozen mid-spread.
• Elizabeth Quay Bridge is a curved suspension footbridge across the inlet mouth. Its high point gives you the clearest view back over the basin to the city towers.
• The Island sits in the western corner. It holds the Florence Hummerston Kiosk, a 1920s riverside tearoom that was dismantled and rebuilt here.
• The public art is scattered along the edges, including Laurel Nannup’s First Contact. Read the plaques, since several works draw on Whadjuk Noongar history of this stretch of river.

The ground is flat and paved, and the bridge has gentle ramps. Prams and wheelchairs manage the whole loop.

The 7am quay on a weekend

The quay’s timing quirk is stark. On weekends it is busiest from 11am all the way to 11pm, a twelve-hour stretch with no real lull. Families arrive for lunch, the water park draws children through the afternoon, and the restaurants carry the crowd deep into the evening.

The escape is early. Between 7am and 9am on Saturdays and Sundays, the promenade belongs to joggers, cyclists heading along the riverside path, and the odd photographer. You can stand at the top of the bridge without anyone waiting behind you.

The low morning sun also lights the city towers from the east. The water in the basin tends to sit flat before the breeze picks up. If you want photos of Spanda without strangers in the frame, this is your window. We don’t have weekday crowd figures, so treat those as unmeasured.

Getting there by train, ferry or on foot

Elizabeth Quay sits at the foot of the CBD, and you never really need a car.

• Train: Elizabeth Quay station, on the Transperth line running south to Mandurah, lets you out a few minutes’ walk from the waterfront.
• Bus: Elizabeth Quay Bus Station is right beside the precinct on Mounts Bay Road. The free Blue CAT loop bus also passes close by.
• Ferry: Transperth ferries cross from Elizabeth Quay Jetty to Mends Street in South Perth, near Perth Zoo.
• On foot: walk south down William Street or Barrack Street from the Hay Street and Murray Street malls. It takes around 10 minutes.

Drivers will find paid parking in the surrounding CBD car parks. Check the signs at the entrance for current rates.

Eating, drinking and the water park

The restaurants and bars line the promenade and the ground floors around the basin. There is table service with river views, and grab-and-go counters too. The Ritz-Carlton Perth stands at the quay’s edge, so the polished end of the range is close at hand.

Menus and prices change with the tenants, so read what is posted outside before you sit down.

The BHP Water Park is a splash pad of ground-level jets, and on hot days it is the quay’s loudest corner. Children run through it in swimwear while parents watch from the steps. It generally runs in the warmer months, so check the City of Perth or quay website before you promise it to anyone. Pack a towel and a change of clothes.

At dusk, the basin reflects the lights of the towers and the bridge. That is part of why the evenings stay full.

Catching the ferry and paying your way

A few habits will make you look like you’ve done this before.

• Tap on and off. Transperth trains, buses and ferries use SmartRider cards, and card readers sit at the jetty. Check the Transperth website for the current payment options before you ride.
• Board in order. The South Perth ferry queue forms on the jetty. Riders step off first, then everyone boards. Bikes usually go at the stern.
• Tipping is optional. In Australia, restaurant staff are paid a full wage. Rounding up for good service is appreciated but never expected.
• Cards are the norm. Tap-to-pay works almost everywhere on the quay. Some venues add a small card surcharge, which is shown on the menu or at the till.
• Mind the cyclists. The riverside path through the quay is shared. Keep left and don’t stop dead in the middle to take photos.

Weekend lunch tables fill fast from 11am onwards. If you want a waterside seat, book ahead or eat before the rush.

Where to walk next

The quay makes a good hinge for a half-day on foot.

• Barrack Street Jetty and The Bell Tower: a few minutes east along the water. The copper-clad tower houses the Swan Bells, and Rottnest Island ferries leave from the jetty beside it.
• South Perth foreshore: take the ferry across to Mends Street for the classic view back at the skyline. Perth Zoo is a short walk from the jetty.
• Kings Park: head west along Mounts Bay Road and climb up to the botanic garden and lookouts over the river. Allow 20 to 30 minutes, most of it uphill.
• The CBD malls: walk back north up William Street for the Hay and Murray Street shopping strips and the laneways off them.

Spend an hour at the quay if you’re passing through. Stay longer if you’re adding a ferry ride, a meal or the water park.