Doing Perth on two wheels

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Pelican landing at Bicton shore.

PERTH, Australia -- We pause along the bike path. In the distance, office buildings stretch up into the morning sunshine, adorned with cranes, proof that the skyline is not static.

The lake-like Swan River seems motionless while black swans and white herons float by. A red carpet draws us in to an anticipated celebration, possibly a wedding set up for later in the day.

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The sail-like Swan Bell Tower on the Perth esplanade.

I pinch myself, hardly believing my luck. This is my first day in Perth. Having joined my husband, who is working in Western Australia, I now have two months with little to do but explore this fabulous city.

The Swan River winds its way through Perth's urban centre, surrounded by endless parks, and the suburbs extend out south and north along several kilometres of white-sand beaches. It is a livable city, with subway trains reaching to the outer communities and free buses moving people within the congested centre.

Double-decker buses shuttle tourists about, and walking trails will take you to every corner of parkland.

The best way to explore this delightful city, whether you are here for a week or a year, is by bike.

In my view, the things that make a good cycling day include warm, sunny weather, great scenery, interesting sights, quaint outside cafés and eateries along the way, combined with flat terrain. Perth offers all this.

Its Mediterranean climate boasts more sunshine hours than any other capital city in Australia. With average daily temperatures of 30 C in summer and 18 C in winter, biking is a year-round activity.

Cycling paths are dotted with historical plaques and urban sculptures and it's easy to be distracted by the choices for coffee and lunch breaks. What makes biking in Perth absolutely perfect, even for those of us who haven't ventured out on two wheels for a while, is that bikes are welcome on the subway trains as long as you avoid peak hours.

This means you can go one way by bike and return home by train or simply find the nearest train station and hop on when you've had enough time in the saddle.

In Perth, you are immersed in a bike culture. More bikes are sold than cars and bike shops are easy to find. During our stay, we chose to purchase used bikes from Cycle Centre, a family business on Hay Street, across from the Perth Mint.

Ryan and his dad Graham throw in the helmet, lock and map with a purchase. Then they will buy the bike back with 40 per cent return, a better deal than renting one for more than a few days.

"We rent a lot of bikes," says Graham. "We provide bikes to lots of flight crews. They try to get layovers in Perth. It's known as a great place to cycle."

We imagine they might be more experienced and better dressed than us as Ryan adjusts our helmets and shows us how to use the locks. His dog Tex moves out of the way as we roll our gear out of the shop.

The official biking maps are very detailed, showing hundreds of kilometres of cycling trails, bike lanes and shared walking/bike paths. Using the Recommended Ride Guides pamphlets in and around Perth, we narrow down choices for our solo ride.

The next morning, well-lathered with sunscreen, with our sunnies (sunglasses) on and our water bottles full, we head out at 7:30 hoping to beat the forecast high of 34 C. We plan to bike south from our downtown apartment to Fremantle, about 25 kilometres. The air is cool as we pedal past the Swan Bell Tower, its distinctive sail-like design giving no clue to the origins of the bells inside -- St. Martin-in-the-Fields bells from London, cast in the 16th century. The ferry to South Perth slowly glides across the Swan River.

We are jolted to attention by some runners and the occasional bike rider on the shared pathway, and many Lycra-clad cyclists streak by us on Riverside Road. The pathway takes us over the Narrows Bridge as cars and trains whiz by beside us. Over the bridge is the windmill-topped Shenton's Mill, built in 1835 to grind grain for the early settlers' bread.

We cruise along the edge of Swan Estuary Marine Park, not disturbing the large white ibis and black-winged stilts feeding in the shallow water. Then we rumble over the Canning River Bridge, built in 1939 of sturdy jarrah timber, and admire the art-deco facade of the upscale Raffles Restaurant on the west bank. Originally a hotel, named after the more famous one in Singapore, it was the epicentre of the social scene in Perth until the late '50s.

We spy a bench at Coffee Point, so stop for a water break, looking back at the office towers of downtown Perth between the masts of hundreds of sailboats moored at the South of Perth Marina. Several plaques identify sites of old ferry jetties from the 1800s.

The shared path winds along the water in front of dozens of modern-day mansions, confirming the fact that Perth has more millionaires than any other Australian city. Passing through the natural grasses of Point Heathcote Reserve, we are unaware this was the alternative spot Capt. James Sinclair had chosen for his fledging colony in 1829.

A red-brick trail winds up the hill to the former Heathcote Reception Mental Home, whose fine buildings now house a gallery, museum and restaurant. Here, a memorial for actor Heath Ledger commands one of the best views of Perth.

We glide by the white-sand Melville Beach and around the boardwalk hugging Dundas Point where, in 1894, a governor's home was built but sat abandoned, as it was too far from distant Perth. It was transformed into the Majestic Hotel, which has been replaced by opulent homes.

A gaggle of birdwatchers clutters the trail along Alfred Cove. The tidal flats are alive with hundreds of birds.

"I've seen 43 different species this morning," one reports to us, "including a red-necked stint." We are now well past halfway on our bike trip, hardly an accomplishment compared with the 12,000 km this shore bird flies from Siberia every spring.

We continue on the shared path through Troy Parkland and the Attadale Bushland Reserve. Dogs, free of their leashes, are leaping in the water and chasing balls along the dog-friendly beach. Crossing Honour Road, we gear down as we pedal up into the natural bush of Black Reach Reserve.

The sun beats down on us through the trees, so we find a shaded bench and gulp warm water from our bottles. We watch pleasure boats chug along the azure river and sailboats bob at their moorings below the 20-metre limestone cliffs.

The pathway bursts out of the woods onto Blackwell Reach Parade meandering to the grassy slope of Bicton Quarantine Park. From 1917 to 1983, this was the location of the government quarantine station for animals entering Australia through the Port of Fremantle.

We coast down to Riverside Road, passing the Swan Yacht Club, Aquarama Marina and the cool spray of Bicentennial Falls, finally reaching the Left Bank Café, a renovated stone mansion built in 1889. It is nestled in the shaded coolness of limestone cliffs, below the Stirling Bridge.

It is now 9:45 a.m.. We have enjoyed a bike ride of just over two hours.

We guzzle a pitcher of ice water, then opt for a late breakfast as we watch the river traffic pass under the bridge toward the huge cranes and freighters downriver at the Port of Fremantle. We then ride the last kilometre over hot pavement to the train station in Fremantle.

The air-conditioned train ride back to Central Perth refreshes us. We bike home from the station, pleased with our first bike tour of Perth and knowing it will not be our last.

-- Postmedia News

IF YOU GO

-- Several airlines, including Air Canada, have connecting flights to Perth either through other Australian cities or through Asia. Goway Travel (goway.com) offers tours that include Hop Around Australia air passes with Qantas. Downunder Travel (downunder-travel.com) also offers Australian tours from Canada.

-- Perth has a Mediterranean climate. Summers (December to February) are hot and dry, with average high temperatures of 30 C. Cool ocean breezes occur most summer afternoons. Winters (June to August) are mild, with average high temperatures of 18 C. July historically is the wettest month. Annual rainfall is 880 millimetres.

-- Perth bike maps can be purchased at most bike shops and some bookstores and are posted on the Internet at dpi.dpi.wa.gov.au/cycling

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 24, 2010 E3