Walk down to the river at the base of the Perth CBD and you arrive at a curved inlet of calm water, a sweeping white footbridge, and a copper-and-glass bell tower catching the afternoon light. This is Elizabeth Quay, the city’s purpose-built waterfront precinct, opened in January 2016 on the north shore of the Swan River. Locals just call it EQ. It sits on Whadjuk Noongar Country, on land known as Goomup, and the inlet’s serpentine shape was drawn from the Wagyl, the Noongar rainbow serpent whose trails are said to have carved this river. Architects ARM Architecture reclaimed what was once flat parkland and gave the city back its connection to the water. The result is part public playground, part dining strip, part ferry terminal, and the verdict on whether it lives up to the hype depends a lot on when you turn up and what you came for.
| Known For | Waterfront promenade, Bell Tower, ferry departures to Rottnest and South Perth |
| Best For | Families, sunset walkers, ferry travellers, casual waterfront dining |
| Entry | Free to enter and explore (some attractions paid) |
| Time Needed | 1–3 hours, longer with the Bell Tower or a meal |
| Atmosphere | Open, modern, liveliest at sunset and on event evenings |
| Crowds | Quiet weekday mornings, very busy weekend afternoons and Summer Series nights |
| Walkability | Mostly flat and pram-friendly, some uneven cobblestone |
Who It Suits
Elizabeth Quay rewards a few kinds of visitor especially well. Families get the most out of it: the free water park and the island playground can fill a whole summer morning without spending a cent. Anyone catching a ferry to Rottnest Island or South Perth passes through here, so it doubles as a practical departure point. Photographers and evening walkers love the inlet at golden hour, when the bridge and city skyline reflect off the water. And if you want to understand the deeper history of this place, the Goomup Aboriginal walking tour is one of the better cultural experiences in central Perth.
Who might prefer somewhere else? If you are after a quiet, leafy riverside stroll, the precinct’s open, hard-surfaced design can feel exposed, and the nearby South Perth Foreshore across the water is softer and greener. Visitors who skip the Bell Tower, the tour and the dining may find the free public space alone runs thin after an hour.
What You’ll Find Here
The heart of the precinct is the artificial inlet, a calm pocket of the Swan River ringed by a promenade and crossed by a graceful pedestrian and cycling bridge. The bridge is the photo spot: stand at its arc and you get the inlet, the skyline, and the river in one frame. At the eastern edge, on Barrack Square, stands the Bell Tower, home to the Swan Bells. Twelve of its eighteen bells date from the 14th century and once hung at St Martin-in-the-Fields in London’s Trafalgar Square. You can climb to the Level 6 observation deck for panoramic views, and bell-ringing demonstrations run Monday to Saturday on the half hour through the middle of the day.
Public art anchors the open spaces. The 29-metre Spanda sculpture on the north shore Landing is a free-standing carbon-fibre structure with rippling arches you can walk through, and near the western end of the bridge sits First Contact, a five-metre bird-in-a-boat sculpture carrying Noongar cultural significance. On the island within the inlet there is a maritime-themed nature playground with a three-storey climbing tower, plus the 1927 Florence Hummerston Kiosk, dismantled brick by brick during construction and rebuilt here. A traditional carousel turns nearby, and in the north-west corner the BHP Water Park offers a free zero-depth splash area with shade decking that families gravitate to all summer.
For food and drink, the strip covers a lot of ground. The Island serves waterfront meals and brews its own beer, Little Creatures brought its Fremantle brewery into the city here, and Amberjacks does fresh fish and chips without the restaurant bill. At the premium end there is 6Head for steak, The Reveley for rooftop cocktails, and the Songbird Bar atop the Ritz-Carlton for a splurge with a view.
What Locals Know
Most regulars will tell you the same thing: come for sunset. The light on the inlet, the bridge, and the Bell Tower in late afternoon is when the precinct genuinely earns its reputation, and it carries through into the evening. From January to February, the free Summer Series runs Wednesday to Sunday evenings with live music, DJ sets, movie nights, and fitness classes on the floating stage, which is the best time to catch the place at its most alive.
Midweek mornings are the quiet sweet spot for families, especially November through March. Arrive early to beat the afternoon water-park crush. One underused move is the Transperth ferry from Elizabeth Quay Jetty across to Mends Street in South Perth: it is a short, scenic crossing on a standard SmartRider fare and a lovely way to reach Perth Zoo or the foreshore. This is also Perth’s main jetty for Rottnest Island, with Rottnest Express and SeaLink departing from Barrack Street Jetty, and boarding a ferry to the island straight from the city is a genuine pleasure. Our full Perth ferries guide covers the routes and fares.
Two practical truths. The inlet funnels wind, so an afternoon sea breeze can make the open promenade brisker than you expect, so pack a layer for evening visits. And parking is the thing that trips people up: if you are coming on a busy weekend, skip the car entirely and take the train or the free Blue CAT bus.
Trade-offs
Elizabeth Quay is genuinely good at some things and underwhelming at others, and it is worth being honest about both. On the plus side, the free attractions punch above their weight: the water park, playground, public art, and bridge cost nothing and easily justify a visit on their own. The ferry connections are a real asset, and the dining at the casual end is solid.
The downsides are real too. Parking is limited and frustrating, with on-site bays mostly restricted to short stays that fill fast. The precinct was still under construction in 2026, with the EQ West towers rising on the western lots, so expect some noise and visual disruption. Natural shade is patchy, and the open paving gets hot on a peak summer afternoon. The cobblestone internal roads look the part but are uneven, which can tire older visitors and make longer distances harder for wheelchairs and prams. Outside peak times and events, the wide-open spaces can feel a little hollow, more impressive in photos than in a quiet midweek hour.
Is It Worth Visiting?
Yes, with the right expectations. Go for late afternoon into evening, ideally during the Summer Series, and you will see it at its best. Families should aim for a weekday morning at the water park. For a first-time visitor it pairs naturally with a Bell Tower climb, a walk across the bridge, and a ferry out to Rottnest or across to South Perth, which makes it less a standalone destination and more a hub you build a half-day around. Treat it as a free, easy, riverfront stop with optional paid extras rather than a polished theme park, and it delivers. For the deepest version of a visit, book the Goomup walking tour, which changes how you read the whole precinct once you understand what this land meant to Noongar people long before any of it was built.
Getting There and Practical Info
Public transport is the easy option here. We caught the train in and walked over in about ten minutes, and on a busy weekend that beats hunting for a park every time. Elizabeth Quay Train Station and Busport sits roughly 400m from the precinct, and the free Blue CAT bus stops right at Barrack Street Jetty.
| Entry | Free (precinct); Bell Tower, carousel, tours and cruises are paid |
| Hours | Precinct open 24 hours; shops, venues and the Bell Tower (10am–4pm) vary |
| Parking | Very limited on-site (short-stay bays); nearby Wilson Parking and City of Perth carparks a short walk away, paid |
| Train | Elizabeth Quay Train Station and Busport, about 400m walk |
| CAT bus | Free Blue CAT, Barrack Street Jetty (Stop 18) |
| Ferry to South Perth | Transperth from Elizabeth Quay Jetty to Mends Street Jetty (SmartRider fare) |
| Ferry to Rottnest | Rottnest Express and SeaLink from Barrack Street Jetty (approx 1hr 15min) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Elizabeth Quay free to visit?
Yes. The precinct is free to enter and explore. The waterfront promenade, BHP Water Park, kids playground, all the public art, and the pedestrian bridge cost nothing. You only pay for specific experiences: Bell Tower admission, the carousel, the Goomup cultural walking tour, river cruises, and dining.
How do I get to Elizabeth Quay without a car?
Easily. Elizabeth Quay Train Station and Busport is about a 400m walk from the precinct, and the free Blue CAT bus stops right at Barrack Street Jetty (Stop 18). Public transport is the strong recommendation, since on-site parking is very limited. See our Perth public transport guide for routes and fares.
Can I catch a ferry to Rottnest Island from Elizabeth Quay?
Yes. Rottnest Express and SeaLink both depart from Barrack Street Jetty at Elizabeth Quay, and the trip takes about 1 hour 15 minutes. Book ahead in summer and school holidays. Our Rottnest Island day trip guide walks through the ferry options and itineraries.
What are the Bell Tower opening hours?
The Bell Tower opens 7 days, 10am to 4pm, with last entry at 3:45pm. It is closed Good Friday and Christmas Day, and opens from 12pm on ANZAC Day. Bell-ringing demonstrations run Monday to Saturday, every half hour from 10:30am to 2:30pm.
Is Elizabeth Quay good for families?
Very much so. The free BHP Water Park (zero-depth) and the nature playground on the island are the standout draws for young children, and there is shade to sit and watch with a coffee. The promenade is largely flat and pram-friendly, with three sets of public toilets and WA’s first Changing Places facility on-site. Summer Series evenings are family-friendly too.
Build it into a wider river day and Elizabeth Quay makes a lot of sense: a morning at the water park, a ferry across to Perth Zoo or out to the island, and a sunset walk back across the bridge. For the routes and timetables that make it all connect, start with our complete Perth ferries guide.