Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

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CHAPTER 9 . PERTH & WESTERN AUSTRALIA
1902/29 1502 is a toll line for recorded events information). Three matches a year
take place at the WACA cricket ground (see below). The season runs from March
to August; most games play Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons.
CRICKET The Western Australian Cricket Association grounds, Nelson
Crescent, East Perth (& 08/9265 7222), whose acronym WACA is pronounced
“Whacker” by loving fans, is host to major matches over the November to March
season. Games range from an afternoon to 5 days, and are played mostly by day,
occasionally at night. Tickets cost as little as A$8 (US$5.20) for many lesser
matches and go up to about A$45 (US$29) for the big matches. Book seats to
international matches through Ticketmaster 7 (& 13 61 22; 1902/291 502 is a
toll line for recorded events information).
THE SHOPPING SCENE
Perth’s city center is a major retail precinct. Most shops are located on the parallel
Hay Street and Murray Street malls, located 1 block apart, and in the network
of arcades running off them such as the Plaza, City, and Carillon City
arcades. London Court off Hay Street Mall is a recreated Tudor street lined with
one-off fashion, gift, and jewelry shops. Off Murray Street Mall on Forrest Place
is the Forrest Chase shopping center housing the Myer department store and
boutiques on two gallery levels. Add to your collection of international designer
brands on posh King Street.
If you want to avoid the chains, skip the city center and spend half a day in
Subiaco or “Subi,” where Hay Street and Rokeby Road are lined with smart
boutiques, home accessories shops, art galleries, cafes, antiques shops, and markets.
The Colonnade shopping center at 388 Hay Street showcases groovy young
Aussie fashion designers in its Studio 388 section. Fremantle’s shopping is
mostly limited to a good selection of crafts, markets, and Aboriginal souvenirs.
Shops are open until 9pm on Friday in the city, and until 9pm on Thursday
in Subiaco and Fremantle.
ABORIGINAL ART & CRAFTS
Creative Native, 32 King St. (& 08/9322 3398), stocks Perth’s widest range of
Aboriginal arts and crafts. Upstairs is a gallery selling original works by some
renowned Aboriginal artists. There’s another branch at 65 High St., Fremantle
(& 08/9335 6995).
Indigenart, 115 Hay St., Subiaco (& 08/9388 2899), and 82 High St., Fremantle
(& 08/9335 2911), stocks works on canvas, paper, and bark, as well as
artifacts, textiles, pottery, didgeridoos, boomerangs, and sculpture, by worldfamous
and lesser-known Aboriginal artists from all over Australia.
JEWELRY
Western Australia is renowned for farming the world’s best South Sea pearls off
Broome, for Argyle diamonds mined in the Kimberley, and for being one of the
world’s biggest gold producers. Kailis Australian Pearls, corner of Marine Terrace
and Collie Street, Fremantle (& 08/9336 3633), is part of the world’s
biggest pearling operations and sells South Sea pearl strands and gold jewelry.
Some of Perth’s other leading jewelers, where you can buy opals, Argyle diamonds,
and Broome pearls, are family-owned sister stores, Costello’s, Shop 5–6,
London Court (& 08/9325 8588), and Swan Diamonds, Shop 4, London Court
(& 08/9325 8166); there is also Linneys, 37 Rokeby Rd., Subiaco (& 08/9382
4077).