Christmas and NY in WA

Hi all

My partner and I are looking for some Christmas and NYE ideas. We are currently living in Geraldton and due to only having a few days off work can't venture too far so Perth seems like the obvious choice. Any suggestions of any events or things going on? Don't really want to be spending NYE in a club we find that so over rated and can do that anywhere and any weekend.

We are both 25 from England and this is our 3rd Aussie Christmas. Previous 2 years spent in Sydney whilst on our WHVs which was fun as we were with loads of other backpackers. Since moving to Geraldton we don't really know anybody that doesn't have family to spend the holidays with etc plus I imagine gero will be pretty quite, especially compared to Xmas day on Bondi and fireworks at the harbour!!

Thanks in advance

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Perth is pretty dead Christmas. People will go to the beach, but that's about it.

NY will be just people hitting clubs and things. The city doesn't do fireworks or anything. It is very low key.

As far as I am concerned 'Christmas' is a Northern Hemisphere affair.

It don't do down South.

Now, NYE is another matter.

B

Northbridge has a good atmosphere and has a family atmosphere earlier in the evening (before club times). River Cruise, races, I think there's fireworks at rotto.

http://www.nye.com.au/perth/

http://www.visitperthcity.com/tags/new-year%E2%80%99s-eve

Best new years eve I did in Perth was at the races, Gloucester park I think, many years ago.

You could go to Rottnest for something different. Or maybe go bush, dwellingup in a tent.

You might find a river cruise up the swan.

Best a planned event probably. Northbridge does offer free entertainment but hardly worth the long journey for. Casino offers special Christmas and New Year events. Scarborough Beach seems to be the nearest equivalent to Bondi's Back packers on the beach. Far lower key obviously.

You could always book into a Backpackers and team up with a crowd there to celebrate in typical traveller style.

I know it is an old thread....

My partner and I are living in Sydney after 10 years spent in Perth. We'd never imagined that Perth Christmas was such a quiet one this year.

We flew back to Perth for Christmas and new year (My partner is born in Perth, so we went to see family), then we realized how quiet Perth was. Northbridge was dead, Elizabeth Quay was dead .... where people were gone? Weather wasn't help much, so not many people went to beaches I guess.

When we lived in Perth, people were busy for shopping (We were living near a big shopping centre) every pre and post Christmas days, but not this year.

We actually worry about Perth. Perth is seemed to be a small township in NSW!

I'm really sorry to see all the negative comments on here about Christmas and New Year in Perth - yes, Perth is at the end of the world, that is an accepted fact - and yes, it is slow and small-townshipish compared with over East, but that is part of the charm of the place, and quite frankly, those who don't like it need to go elsewhere. There actually was plenty to do in Perth over the period - first time many of the wineries in the Swan Valley opened their doors for Christmas lunch for example - and an absolutely magnificent job they did of it too. We went to Sitella, sat down at 11:45 and eventually staggered out at 4:00 - not much of Christmas Day left by then - and for $165 we were treated to five generous courses of the finest food WA can offer, coffee or tea and mince pies and an unrestricted flow of the winerys own wines - plus we were given 2 bottles of white, two bottles of sparkling and a bottle of red to take home. Many other venues were hosting similar events. Yes - a lot of people go to the beach, but that is a WA tradition - that is a WA Christmas - it is not over-commercialised as it is in the rest of Australia or, indeed, the rest of the world - and frankly it is better for that. As to Perth not being busy - we tried to visit Garden City on the Tuesday at 10 in the morning and the car parks were so full we had to go home again, and on Friday the city centre was absolutely heaving. Perth may not do New Year fireworks as every other city in the world (including Pyongyang as I was fascinated to hear this year) does - but the fireworks at Riverton on the evening of New Years day are certainly a feature as witness the crowds and the gridlocked roads - apart from which Perth itself probably stages the best fireworks and celebrations on Australia Day anywhere in Oz. Plus we have possibly the best concert hall in the world and one of the best symphony orchestras, world class opera and ballet companies both of whom stage free performances in the park for anyone to attend, world class acts at the Perth Arena and Perth Convention Centre, a magnificent fringe festival about to commence in January through February, world class theatre, and some of the finest eating anywhere in the world. Yes Perth is laid back, but that is how it should be in this modern world - there needs to be somewhere where we can get some peace, quiet and time to breathe, and if that doesn't suit, then go elsewhere that does - don't try to impose the hustle, bustle and commercialism of the rest of the world on us here - just chill out and enjoy some peace, quiet and a slower pace of life.