Expert tips: Perth, Australia

Ryan, centre, came to Perth as a visitor and ended up staying.

Ryan Mossny from Two Feet & a Heartbeat shares his advice for getting the best out of Perth in Western Australia.

For the second instalment in the expert tips series, I’ve spoken to Ryan Mossny, one of the owners of Two Feet & a Heartbeat. I did a couple of their tours in Perth while I was out there in April 2012, and thought they were excellent – they offered really good insight into the city, and showed me places I would have never found myself. The interview is as follows…

What’s your background? How did you end up in Perth and how long have you been there for? 

“I don’t have any background in tourism other than being a well-travelled person. I travelled a lot as a kid with my parents and after finishing university in Canada I headed out on a year-long round-the-world adventure.  On that trip I really fell in love with Australia. I ended up migrating to Melbourne in 2004 and several business trips brought me to Perth. On one of those trips in July 2007 my business partner and I came up with the idea for Two Feet & A Heartbeat. Six months later I had quit my job and moved to Perth permanently.”

What, for you, makes Perth a good – or exciting – place to live? 

“The lifestyle here in Perth is pretty amazing. There is a really laid back feeling to the city, a great outdoor lifestyle and some of the most amazing weather anywhere in the world. With the amount of growth that the city is experiencing right now this is a great place to be. Lots of new people, new bars and restaurants to cater for them and great outlook driven by our economic success. All of this combines to give a really exciting feeling all over the city.”

What’s the classic mistake that visitors to Perth make, and what’s the best way to avoid it? 

“The classic mistake a visitor will make when coming to Perth is listening to a local who says that the city is boring or that there is nothing to do.  This is just not the case and far too many locals still think that it’s 1965 in Perth.  To avoid this, visitors should head straight for a visitor information centre where they can get all of the up-to-date details. Or, even better, come on a tour with me so I can show what there is to do…”

If you could suggest one good, affordable place for visitors to stay in Perth, what would be your tip? 

“My tip for visiting friends and family that come to the city is to stay at Hotel Northbridge.  For Perth the hotel is very reasonable, close to the city, entertainment precincts and public transport.  People should be aware that with the incredible economic growth here that there is pressure on the hotels midweek and that they should book as far in advance as practical.”

Are there any restaurants you’d recommend for doing really good food at a surprisingly reasonable price?

“One of my favourite places in the city is Taka.  This place does amazing Japanese food at very reasonable prices.  One of their large meals including a drink is under $10 and even if you have a huge appetite you should walk away satisfied.  They have 2 locations in the city and one down in Fremantle.”

Which attractions in Perth are really underrated and don’t get the number of visitors they deserve?

“The Bell Tower – Home of the Swan Bells gets a bit of a negative rap around town which I think is really undeserved. It is a very unique looking building set right on the Swan River. The tower contains the Bells of St. Martin’s in the Field which came from the church with the same name in Trafalgar Square in London. They are the only set of Royal bells that have ever left the UK and we are very lucky to have them here in Perth.

In the tower you can see the history of the bells and find out why the Bell Tower was our millennium project. It also offers great views of the city, river and the new waterfront development that is currently being constructed. You don’t neeed long to check it out but I feel that it is worth it.”

Tell us about what you do with Two Feet & a Heartbeat…

“I am one of the owners and operators of Two Feet & a Heartbeat. Being an owner means that I get to do all types of cool jobs for the business and some that aren’t so great. I am the financial controller for the business but I also still lead tours as much as I can. Taking people out and showing them the city reminds me of why I started the company in the first place so I try to get on tour at least 3 times per week. Come for a walk with me the next time you are in Perth and I will show you the history, heritage, culture, bars and tourist attractions of the incredible city.”

Two Feet & a Heartbeat also runs tours in Sydney. You can follow them on Twitter as @TwoFeetPerth.

More from the Expert Tips series: Rome

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