Monday 10 February 2020

Latest Travel and Lifestyle News from Western Australia

Aboriginal dancers at Yagan Square
Discover the latest travel and lifestyle news from across Western Australia, including a new weekly event celebrating Aboriginal dance and culture at Perth's Yagan Square, the announcement that Perth will once again host the Bledisloe Cup, the return of an iconic blue whale skeleton to WA's New Museum, swimming with humpbacks and whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef, and the opening of another new restaurant in Perth's CBD, Fleur at The Royal Hotel.

Nyumbi at Yagan Square
Visitors to Perth's Yagan Square – one of the city's most popular community, meeting and celebration spaces – will be able to enjoy free performances by Nyoongar dance groups every Friday night during the Yagan Square Nyumbi. Meaning 'celebration dance' in Nyoongar language, Nyumbi will offer a unique opportunity to experience WA's Nyoongar culture as Aboriginal dancers perform traditional song and dance, and share stories of the State's rich culture and history. The free events will take place every Friday evening until June 26, 2020 from 5.30 to 6.15pm at Yagan Square Amphitheatre.

Yagan Square is one of Australia's largest public spaces dedicated to celebrating Aboriginal culture, and Western Australia has some of the country's most immersive Aboriginal experiences. There are more than 120 Aboriginal tourism operators across WA sharing their stories, culture and traditional lands. Discover some of the tours and experiences available by reading the feature story below.

Perth to host rugby world champions and Bledisloe Cup
Two of rugby union's powerhouse nations will take on Australia's Wallabies at Perth's Optus Stadium over the next two years. On August 29, Australia will play against the 2019 World Cup champions, the South African Springboks, in their only match on Australian soil in 2020. And in 2021, Perth will host its second Bledisloe Cup match at Optus Stadium when the Wallabies take on the New Zealand All Blacks in rugby's ultimate rivalry.

Quokka at Rottnest Island
Holiday in WA This Year
Tourism Australia's Holiday Here This Year campaign is encouraging all Australians to plan, book and take a domestic holiday and share their experiences with friends and online, following Australia's bushfire crisis. In Western Australia, visitors will find plenty of options for a short break, a week or month-long getaway, or road trip. Swim with the biggest fish in the sea, take a selfie with the happiest animal on the planet, experience the magical Kimberley region, go on an Instagrammable road trip to see bubblegum pink lakes, walk on the whitest beaches and explore Australia's sunniest capital city. Check out the seasonal guide to WA here.

WA Museum blue whale
Iconic blue whale skeleton returns to WA's New Museum
Western Australia's New Museum, which is scheduled to open in November 2020, has welcomed the return of the iconic blue whale skeleton. The spectacular new display has the 24-metre skeleton suspended in a dynamic 'lunge-feeding' pose, which is the first time in the world a blue whale - the largest animals to have lived on Earth - has been displayed in such a dynamic pose. Located in the heart of the Perth Cultural Centre, the New Museum recently reached a major milestone, with the construction phase now complete. The heritage-listed landmark building will include eight major galleries; a 1,000 square metre special exhibition gallery; cafĂ©; food and beverage options; retail and function spaces; and learning studios for people of all ages. Developed with a 'people-first' approach, the voices of Western Australians, in particular Aboriginal voices, will be shared throughout the museum – showcasing the State's extraordinary people, places, culture and stories. To celebrate the opening, all visitors will receive free general entry for the first 18 months of operation.

Fleur Restaurant at The Royal
Fleur opens at The Royal
Following the opening of Perth's historic The Royal Hotel, the venue's restaurant – Fleur – has now opened its doors. The menu is inspired by Japanese cuisine and heroes West Australian seafood and produce – with dishes featuring Abrolhos Island octopus and scallops, through to Donnybrook marron, Wagin quail and Margaret River Wagyu beef. The wine list is predominantly Australian, with European and New Zealand influences, and sits alongside a small selection of sake from some of Japan's favourite distillers.

Swimming with humpback whales
Swimming with ocean giants at Ningaloo
The World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef in WA's Coral Coast is set to become home to the first licensed swimming with humpback whales industry in WA, following a successful four-year trial. During the trial period, more than 900 in-water interaction tours with humpback whales were conducted with about 9,500 in-water participants. The trial will continue in 2020, with the season commencing in Coral Bay in July and Exmouth in August, running until October 30. During this time a management program will be put in place, with licences to be allocated for commercial in-water humpback interaction tours starting from 2021. Ningaloo Reef is one of the only places in Australia where people can swim with these ocean giants.

Ningaloo Reef will also soon welcome the start of the 2020 whale shark season, when tours begin operating from Exmouth and Coral Bay in March. The typical WA whale shark season runs from March to August, with consistent sightings expected from mid-March. The tours allow visitors to have a face-to-fin encounter with the friendly marine giants, which generally grow between six and 11 metres in length.

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