The Latest News from Western Australia

Gibney

WA's most anticipated restaurant of the year has officially opened

Described as 'luxurious Californian country club meets Parisian hotel lobby', Perth (Boorloo) has welcomed the opening of Gibney – a sophisticated seaside brasserie and grill located in Cottesloe and overlooking the Indian Ocean. With a capacity of approximately 160, , this brasserie and grill will be formal in its approach with tablecloths, jacketed wait staff, all soft furnishings, marble, brass and high-end tableware. The menu draws inspiration from traditionally classic steakhouses and brasseries throughout Europe, London and New York. Gibney joins the Kailis Hospitality Group portfolio, alongside coastal venues The Shorehouse in Swanbourne, Island Market and Canteen in Trigg, Kailis Fish Market Café in Fremantle and the recently announced Magic Apple Wholefoods, also due to open in 2024.

Pair'd to highlight the best of Western Australia's culinary delights

WA's newest homegrown culinary event will take place on Wadandi Country in the Margaret River Region from November 14 to 17. Pair'd showcases the uniqueness of the world-renowned wine region and will tantilise tastebuds with a dreamlike blend of incredible local produce paired with wines harvested from local vines, accompanied by live music on nature's stage. The recent launch of the Sydney to Busselton (Undalup) direct flights with Jetstar is another great incentive for interstate food and music lovers to travel to WA.

Stories development in Yagan Square

A new chapter for Yagan Square in Perth (Boorloo) is starting to open with several outlets in the Stories complex launching this month. Alba is a modern Italian restaurant with an open plan kitchen. Ground is a hole in the wall coffee window with scrumptious pastries and toasties. When it's completed, Stories will feature a multi-storey rooftop pub, beer hall, secret bar, three restaurants plus the CBD's biggest beer garden to date. All are opening between now and mid-May. It's an initiative of Nokturnl which has been reimagining precincts across Perth, including The Old Synagogue in Fremantle, The Beaufort in Highgate and The Station in South Perth.

Rebirth, reflect, repurpose and replay at new Perth arts festival

RE//Perth

A July winter arts and cultural festival has been announced for Perth (Boorloo). RE//Perth will activate multiple Northbridge spaces in a celebration of creativity and urban exploration. Produced by ARTRAGE, the team behind FRINGE WORLD, RE//Perth boasts a 10-day program from July 4 to 14. Each of the different event components focuses on a different theme, encompassing food and drink (RE//Birth); performance (RE//Flect), sustainable fashion (RE//Purpose), and kids (RE//Play). Each series will have a range of free and ticketed events varying from a high-end degustation culinary experience, dance and acrobatics shows, recycle fashion workshops, live ice carving and more.

Camp alongside Traditional Owners at Lombadina

The seventh Camping with Custodians campground officially opened at Lombadina on May 2. Located just over a two-hour drive north of Broome on the Dampier Peninsula, it offers up to 35 campsites, plus amenities such as a camp kitchen and ablution facilities. The first of its kind to be based within a remote Aboriginal community, Lombadina gives visitors the chance to immerse themselves in Aboriginal culture through experiences such including mud crabbing tours, ancient footprint tours uncovering the history of the Lombadina Mission, kayaking adventures, and four-wheel-drive tours to Cygnet Bay, Swan Point, and One Arm Point. Camping with Custodians in WA is an Australia-first initiative, establishing public campgrounds on Aboriginal lands, all owned and operated by the Aboriginal community.

Discounted airfares within Western Australia to continue in 2024

The affordability of regional airfares throughout WA will continue to be improved with the State's Affordable Airfare Program to be rolled on in 2024. It means discounted airfares will be available between Perth and Broome (Rubibi), Kununurra (Goonoonoorrang) and Exmouth, including: 

• Virgin Australia discounted airfares for $219 one-way between Perth and Broome and $259 one-way between Perth and Kununurra.
• Qantas discounted airfares for $199 and $209, dependent on date of travel, between Perth and Exmouth
• Airnorth and Nexus Airlines discounted airfares for $199 one-way between Broome and Kununurra.

It follows a huge uptake in previous years, with nearly 29,000 tickets purchased in 2023 for services from Perth into Broome, Kununurra and Exmouth, potentially saving travellers hundreds of dollars.
*Website: https://www.westernaustralia.com