Perth.. my capital city!

The gorgeous city skyline (and yes, that is the extent of the high-rise buildings in WA!)

The following info is what I know, and also some facts taken from various websites.

Perth, Western Australia, population 1.4 million, main population is Australian (80%) followed by British, Kiwi, Italian, Malaysian, Indian, Dutch and South African

Climate Perth has an average of eight hours sunshine a day, and is the sunniest capital in Australia. It is basically a mixture of Californian and Mediterranean climates. Summer is hot with an average temperature of 29 degrees Celsius during the day, and 17 degrees Celsius at night. Winter starts from June to August and is mild, with an average temperature of 18 degrees during the day, and 9 degrees at night. The wettest month of the year is July with an average yearly rainfall of around 880mm. The sun is very intense, and you can get burnt even on cloudy days.

People
The population is easy-going and friendly, but can be parochial, especially towards the "Eastern States" which are often viewed with deep, but usually jocular, suspicion. This attitude is fuelled by the Eastern States' view of Perth as a "backward" civilization, but can be mainly attributed to Perth's isolation reflected in the widely-held belief that Perth is "the world's most isolated capital city". (There is some truth in this: for example, traveling to the closest major capital to Perth -The state capital of South Australia, Adelaide, represents a travel time of three hours by commercial flight. )
Because Fremantle was the first landfall in Australia for migrant ships coming from Europe in the 1950s and '60s, Perth experienced an influx of British, Italian and Greek migrants.
More recently, large-scale immigration to Perth by air from the UK has continued, giving Perth the highest-proportion of British-born residents of any Australian city.
Some suburbs in southern Perth are up to 20% British by birthplace.
There has also been a substantial settlement from South Africa, mainly of European-descended South Africans. Perth also has substantial immigrant communities from South East Asia such as Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, China and India. The Indian community includes a substantial number of Parsees who emigrated from Bombay. There is also a large community of immigrants in Perth from New Zealand due to the geographical proximity and common heritage as commonwealth countries.

Sport
The most popular spectator sport in Perth is Australian Rules Football. Two teams in the AFL are based in Perth: the West Coast Eagles and the Fremantle Football Club (or "The Dockers").Every summer the Australian Cricket Team plays a test match and a one day international match at the WACA ground, which is also home to the state cricket team, the most successfull state team in Australia for the last decade, known as the Western Warriors.
Perth is also home to popular soccer team Perth Glory, which has recently been added to the potentially lucrative Aleaguee after the re-formation of Australian Soccer structure.

Education
Education in Western Australia begins at Pre-school (5 years old). There is no kindergarten level which operates on the east coast. Then every children began primary school from Year 1 to Year 7. High School starts from Year 8 to Year 12. Year 11 and year 12 are regarded as post compulsory education where a number of students opt for TAFE or full-time work. The students that stay on to year 12 usually sit for the Tertiary Entrance Exam to secure a place at one of the four public universities.


Perth is known as the "City of Lights" after the first Mercury spacecraft passed over the city in 1962. Perth's residents switched on their street, porch, house and office lights to greet American astronaut John Glenn on his flight. In 2002 Perth was also voted the worlds friendliest city, beating fellow Australian city Syndey, into second place.




Quick Facts
Perth Is the sunniest capital city in the world, with an average 8 hours per day sunshine 365 days per year.

Perth is also the capital city in the world with the most consistent wind with the welcome breeze of the 'Fremantle Doctor' arriving to cool down beach goers between 12pm & 3 pm virtually every day of the year.

Perth has the largest inner city park in the world, Kings Park, "yes" bigger than even New Yorks Central Park it was also the first park to be designated for public use in Australia in 1872 and host to Australia's largest wild flower show and exhibition.

Perth is the only city in the world where aircraft can land in the central business district.

Perth has the highest population per capita of self made millionaires in the world.

Perth was nominated by the original American astronauts as the 'City of Lights' --- standing out as the bright spot on planet Earth!

Western Australia has the highest standard of housing in the world--- five bedroom, two bathroom homes with swimming pools are very commonplace.

Western Australia has more cars and road space per capita than any place on earth.

Western Australia, with 12.5 thousand kilometres of coastline,is the largest state in the largest island in the world, which is also the smallest, flattest, lowest & driest (excluding Antarctica) continent.

Perth is closer to Singapore and Jakarta than it is to Canberra.

Perth is the 'prettiest city in the world' Come & prove us wrong!