HSBC SVNS Perth 2024: How to make the most of your stay in Western Australia

Both the men’s and women’s HSBC SVNS 2024 standings are delicately poised as the series heads to Perth for the third event of the revamped competition.

Australia’s women will hope to give home fans something to cheer as they bid to maintain their 100 per cent start to the season when HBF Park plays host to HSBC SVNS Perth 2024 between 26-28 January.

Charlotte Caslick and Co. are sure to face stern competition from reigning overall champions New Zealand in Perth, while France pushed them all the way in the Cape Town Cup final last month.

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Australia’s men, meanwhile, will have been buoyed by their own journey to the showpiece match at DHL Stadium, where they were beaten by Argentina, and will want to go one better on home soil.

Following two tournaments, Los Pumas Sevens lead the men’s standings but a mere 12 points separate Argentina in first and 2022 series champions Australia in sixth.

It means that fans who arrive at HBF Park later this month are certain to be treated to three days of intense rugby sevens action. And, there is plenty on offer in Perth to keep those new to the city entertained away from the pitch as well.

Below, we give you the lowdown on a variety of activities in and around Perth that should be on any visitor’s itinerary.

Rottnest Island

Famous for its cute marsupial residents, quokkas, celebrities including Margot Robbie and Roger Federer have visited Rottnest Island for a selfie with the small, furry animals.

A mere 30-minute ferry ride from Perth, Rotto – as the island is known locally – is a holiday haven that numbers 63 beaches and 20 bays, including the standout Geordie Bay and The Basin.

You can explore the spectacular beaches and bays on foot or by hiring a bike as the island is a car-free zone, and although ideal for a day trip you can extend your stay by treating yourself to a night or two in an ocean-facing villa.

Swim with dolphins

What better way to round off, or prepare for, a weekend of watching some of the fastest rugby players on the planet than by going for a dip with a pod of dolphins.

More than 200 bottlenose dolphins live in the wild off the coast of Rockingham, around a 45-minute drive south of Perth.

The dolphins, although not fed or trained, do enjoy human company and operators – such as ecotourism business Perth Wildlife Encounters – offer excursions that whisk you out to the sheltered waters where the cetaceans play and can last from anywhere between three to six hours.

Enjoy a well-earned drink

Perth, Fremantle and the surrounding areas are home to a thriving bar culture in which new establishments open at what can feel like the speed of Perry Baker.

Visitors to the city are encouraged to check out the long-running hangouts that kicked everything off, like Ezra Pound and the Mechanics’ Institute, as well as the exciting new additions that keep the scene fresh.

Why not call in at Foxtrot Unicorn for a cocktail, or sample new-wave drinking and snacking on William Street before heading to Settlers Tavern to enjoy live music and peruse the pub’s impressive wine list?

Fremantle

Around a 25-minute drive south of HBF Park is the historic port city of Fremantle, a bohemian enclave in which an artsy atmosphere is encased by stunning architecture.

The city’s West End boasts 250 heritage-listed gems, including Fremantle Prison, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, which hosts tours that take you through the building’s bleak and gory past.

In recent years, the West End has exploded with delicious restaurants in repurposed spaces, such as Bread in Common and Moore & Moore. Meanwhile, the famous Cappuccino Strip buzzes on weekends and is the perfect stop en route to Freo.Social or the Fremantle Arts Centre.

Vineyards

For those who develop a thirst while they watch the best male and female sevens players compete at HSBC SVNS Perth, the city is close to not one but two wine regions.

The Swan Valley is around a 30-minute drive from HBF Park and is home to an easy loop road that passes more vineyards, cafes, breweries and cider houses than you could possibly hope to visit in one day.

Slightly further out, around a 40-minute drive south-east, Perth Hills is home to an array of boutique wineries and market gardens. On your way back to Perth, you can stop off in John Forrest National Park to visit the resident kangaroos.

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.