Climate
The City has a temperate Mediterranean type climate. Summers are hot and dry whilst winters are generally wet and mild. Summer temperatures average 30°C/86°F between November and April. Maximum temperatures during the height of summer can reach and sometimes exceed the 40°C/104°F mark. Very hot days tend to have very low humidity making conditions more bearable.
In the Perth metropolitan area the summertime temperature rises rapidly during the morning, relived in the afternoon when the "Fremantle Doctor" blows inland from the ocean to cool the city by up to 15°C. The doctor runs out of puff before reaching the areas further inland, leaving the hills and beyond to swelter till after sunset.
Winter Jun-Aug temperatures are usually around 15°C. Minimum temperatures sometimes drop below 0°C on clear nights. Though Perth goes through lengthy dry spells, when it does rain, it pours. Storms with strong winds occasionally hammer a winter night, but they generally cause no more destruction than a toppled tree or flattened fence.
When to visit
Spring Sep-Nov and Autumn Mar-May are ideal times in which to visit Perth. Spring particularly October / November periods is perhaps the very best to see the sights as after a decent winter's rainfall, the famous wildflowers around Kings Park and the Avon Valley bloom splendidly. The metropolitan areas as well as the bushlands have many flowering species which often flower en-masse, so it is wise to purchase over-the-counter hayfever or antihistamines from a local chemist before making a trip to see them with minimal discomfort. Beach-goers from colder climes might find the summer months too harsh, so it is perhaps best to visit during March-April or October-November as well as taking a hat, sun-screen lotion and sunglasses.
The local inhabitants tend to holiday during the height of summer or winter, either to escape the climate, or to celebrate it. In winter Perth inhabitants often travel north to Broome or Bali for the warmth, or oppositely staying in small chalets in the southern country during the winter to enjoy the cool wet climate and seasonal foods.
Although Western Australia has many public holidays they are unlikely to cause much inconvenience to your travels. Shops are still open, public transport still runs and the sky is still blue. The exception may be New Years' Day Jan 1, Australia Day 26 Jan, Good Friday 2 Apr, Easter Monday 5 Apr, Labour Day first Monday of March, Queen's Birthday 27 Sep and Foundation Day first Monday in June and Christmas Day 25 Dec. Most larger shops and shopping centers, pubs and restaurants are closed on these days but smaller convenience stores and some fast food chains keep their doors open. This said only some shops open, most shopping centres and large stores will close for public holidays and Sundays.
History
The Perth region has been home to the indigenous Nyoongar people for at least the past 40,000 years.
British settlers established a free settler colony in 1829 as part of the Swan River Colony. The settlement was given the name "Perth" after the city of Perth, Scotland, the hometown of Sir George Murray, the British Colonial Secretary at that time. From 1850, an influx of convicts boosted the size of the colony and their labour helped shape the early architecture of the city. The discovery of gold in the 1890s triggered a boom which, with subsequent mineral discoveries, has been key to the city's economy. As capital of the state Western Australia, Perth joined the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901.