HSBC SVNS Perth 2024: The Best of Perth

Despite playing his ‘footy’ in England for the past decade, first with London Irish and then Saracens, Hoskins grew up in the city, attending the prestigious Scotch College and representing Western Force, so he knows Australia’s ‘City of Light’ intimately.

Here, he tempts us with talk about sundowners, quokkas and meat-pies…

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Best place to watch a sunset

As clichéd as it sounds, Cottesloe Beach is the place to go. I spent my formative years playing for Cottesloe Rugby Club, which overlooks the beach and it’s a hugely social space. 

It’s a great place for families: you have the public BBQs out with meat sizzling away, people are playing beach cricket or catching some waves bodysurfing. I spent many a training sessions just watching the sun setting into the sea and it is a stunning location. 

The entire Western Australia coastline is Instagram-ready. Anywhere from Scarborough to City Beach; Cottesloe to Fremantle. It is blessed with some of the best beaches in the world.

Best beachfront bites

There are so many choices to pick up a bite to eat. Honestly, you’re spoilt for choice: I used to head up the coast with friends to a haunt that is now, sadly, closed. 

There’s still plenty to choose from, though, such as Hillary’s Beach Club, which has breath-taking ocean views to go with the delicious seafood, or Bib & Tucker for some self-described ‘refined rascality’. Island Market and Odyssea City Beach are also worth a visit – as you can enjoy some quality craft beers at the Froth and Spinifex breweries. 

As for a ‘local delicacy’, it has to be our iconic meat pies. Us Perthians would eat them morning, noon and night if we could. As a paid-up member of the front row union, I can vouch for their quality!

Best place for an evening meal

Perth has hundreds of eateries, serving every different palate and cuisine. Fremantle is a quaint part of town with Victorian buildings, charming eateries and craft ale houses. 

If you fancy going more upscale, Elizabeth Quay has been overhauled and has an incredibly diverse food offering, including Japanese restaurant Argyle, Chinese restaurant Lantern and steak house 6 Heads which opened in 2023. 

A personal favourite is the Shorehouse in Swanbourne, a great place for a sit-down meal and cocktails. My wife’s go-to is Clancy’s Fish Bar where you can share a fish platter, have a sundowner beer and let the sand run through your toes. It’s heaven.

Other places worth a visit include Bib & Tucker, Bathers Beach House, or Mister D’Arcy.

Best place to let your hair down

Back in the day, we’d head to the cooler suburbs of Subiaco or Leederville. Perth is very transient for nightlife, a word-of-mouth kind of place, but my brother, who still lives there, says the Sandbar, on Scarborough beach, is heaving on the weekend with bright young things. 

Perfect for a few killer cocktails, like the Copper Popper or Mango Fandango. Another classic Perth destination is the Cottesloe Beach Hotel, which is where the sunkissed great and the good hang out on a summer’s evening.  

Best walk

If you’re staying in town you can’t look past King’s Park. You get an incredible vista of the city, and these days, it’s the perfect spot to unwind. It’s a relaxed vibe and when I was in school, I remember someone said there were 80 species of bird in the botanic gardens. 

Mainly, you can mosey in amongst the lemon scented gum trees, take in the sea air and catch some rays. Right near King’s Park,  there’s the Swan River, or Matilda Bay – both are very laid-back. 

If you want to promenade as the sun sets, take in the waterfront around Elizabeth Quay – I’d recommend a sunset cocktail at the rooftop bar at the Ritz Carlton Perth – Songbird; or check out 18 Knots with 360 degree views of the Swan River and the city. 

One thing you have to do in Perth

You have to head to Rottnest Island – or, as us locals say, ‘Rotto’. It’s a protected nature reserve, where you can see the quokkas (a small marsupial the size of a domestic cat), take a bike ride around the island, visit picture postcard bays, snorkel or dive into the crystal-clear waters. 

If you have time, hire a car and head down to Western Australia’s oldest wine region – the Swan Valley, located half an hour out of the city.  

I’d recommend Sittella, Sandalford and Mandoon Estate, but there’s also a host of breweries and distilleries including Old Youngs which has an incredible Pavlova Vodka that’s a must-try! Alternatively, head three hours south of the city to the renowned Margaret River Region to Vasse Felix, Voyager or Leeuwin Estate. 

A local institution is the Dunsborough Bakery, which serves croissants, sausage pies, all using local ingredients. Take it from me, it’s delicious.

With so much going on in and around Perth, why not make a stay of it and sample some of the best that Western Australia has to offer? Discover more here.