Walk through Perth’s CBD on a Friday night when something’s on at RAC Arena and Wellington Street changes character: restaurants spilling light onto the footpath, foot traffic all moving one direction, and at the corner of Wellington and Hay a curved glass and steel bowl rising above the street. RAC Arena seats around 15,500 people, making it the biggest indoor entertainment venue in Western Australia, and it sits close enough to the middle of the CBD that you don’t need a car to get there.
The building has a more complicated history than most visitors realise. It opened as Perth Arena in November 2012 after a construction process that became a local scandal: the budget blew out from an original $150 million estimate to around $550 million by completion. It kept the Perth Arena name for six years before a naming-rights deal saw it rebranded RAC Arena in September 2018, which is the name it still carries. Whatever you think of how it got here, the venue itself does its job well: flexible enough for a full-capacity basketball crowd one night and an intimate comedy set the next.
What Actually Happens Here
Perth Wildcats basketball
The Wildcats are Perth’s National Basketball League (NBL) team and one of the league’s most successful franchises historically, with a loyal, knowledgeable local fanbase. The NBL regular season runs roughly October through February or March depending on the year’s schedule and finals structure, with each team typically playing somewhere in the mid-teens number of home games at their home arena; check the Wildcats’ published schedule for the current season, since exact game counts and season length shift year to year with league format changes.
A Wildcats night at RAC Arena is a accessible professional sports experience: fast-paced, high skill level (the roster regularly includes current or former NBA and international players alongside Australian internationals), family-friendly, and social rather than intense. Ticket prices vary significantly by seat and opponent and have trended upward in recent seasons, so check current pricing on wildcats.com.au or Ticketek before assuming a specific figure; don’t expect the cheapest tickets to still be in the $20s.
Touring concerts and comedy
RAC Arena is Perth’s primary venue for major touring artists, hosting dozens of concerts and comedy shows across a typical year, from headline international and Australian acts to comedy specials. The venue can be reconfigured, with floor seating reducing capacity for a more intimate comedy or theatre-style show compared with a full-capacity concert or basketball night.
Family entertainment
Expect ice shows, circus performances, and touring family theatre productions, generally clustered around WA school holiday periods (April, July, and September to October).
For the latest, see whats on at racarena.com.au/whats-on/
Inside the Venue
The arena has three seating tiers: lower bowl closest to the court or stage, middle bowl, and upper bowl, which is more distant but still has clear sightlines thanks to the building’s steep seating angles. The concourse is open and naturally lit through the glass facade, a deliberate design choice that makes it easy to step out for a break without losing track of the event.
Food and drink vendors are scattered throughout, ranging from casual (pizza, burgers) to premium options, priced at typical arena event rates rather than street prices; expect to pay noticeably more than you would outside. Food items at RAC Arena generally range from $13 to $25 for individual snacks and main bites, while alcoholic drinks and specialized packages cost more.
Example Menu Prices: Standard Beer / Drinks: Around $15.50; Chicken Wings (The Chicken Shop): $18; Oklahoma Burger (Burger Shack): $25; Pepperoni Pizza (Vinnie’s Pizza): $17. Important Tips: RAC Arena is a card-only venue; cash is not accepted at standard food outlets (though cash vouchers can be bought on-site if needed). What’s cool is that you can order via the click-and-collect QR code system from your seat. Regardless, queues build fast at half-time or intermission, so buy early or during the show if you want to avoid the crush.
Whats the best seat? It depends on the event as seating is changed to suit whether its a performance, concert, or sports event. For sports event, I generally choose the lower bowl, meaning the seats closest to the stage but with a slight elevation to get an even better view than the floor seats and not too far away that you lose detail. You can see what I mean by lower bowl in the images below.
Wheelchair spaces are available across all three tiers, with companion pass options, accessible toilets throughout, and hearing loops or audio description available for some events on request when booking.
Getting There
This is the venue’s strongest feature: it sits close enough to central Perth that public transport beats driving on every measure. Perth Underground Station is about a 10-minute walk down Wellington Street, and Elizabeth Quay Station is about 8 minutes; between them, every Transperth train line, Airport, Armadale, Ellenbrook, Fremantle, Mandurah, Midland, Thornlie–Cockburn and Yanchep, gets you within an easy walk.
The free CAT bus network also stops nearby. A useful perk: if there’s a Transperth logo on your event ticket, public transport is typically free for three hours before and after the event, so check your ticket for this before buying a separate fare.
On-site parking exists but is limited, comparatively expensive, and congested on event nights; unless you have accessibility needs, the train is the better option.
Combine With Elizabeth Quay
RAC Arena is a short walk from Elizabeth Quay, so a natural event-night plan is dinner or drinks at the waterfront before the show, then the 7 to 10 minute walk back to the arena with time to spare. It turns a single-event night into a proper evening out rather than a straight there-and-back trip.
What Locals Know
Regular Wildcats fans (the “Red Army”) know to book ahead for finals and marquee games, since prices and availability tighten noticeably as the season progresses and the team performs well; the club has periodically slashed playoff pricing to fill the arena, so it’s worth watching for promotions rather than assuming finals tickets are always the most expensive. Locals heading to concerts generally avoid driving altogether on big nights, both for the parking cost and because Wellington and Roe Streets get congested for 20 to 30 minutes either side of doors and final whistle. If you’re after a quieter, cheaper night at the Wildcats, regular season games against lower-profile opponents in the middle of the season are noticeably easier to get good seats for than season openers or games against Melbourne or Sydney’s bigger clubs.
Is It Worth It?
If there’s an event on that interests you, yes, without much hesitation. The location removes almost all the usual friction of a big-venue night out (parking, traffic, distance), and the venue itself, despite its expensive and controversial construction history, works well for both major concerts and Wildcats games. It’s not a destination in its own right; check the calendar first and build your visit around whatever’s actually on.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is RAC Arena?
Around 15,500 seats at full capacity, though the venue is reconfigured smaller for more intimate shows using floor seating.
Was this always called RAC Arena?
No. It opened as Perth Arena in November 2012 and was renamed RAC Arena in September 2018 under a naming-rights deal.
When do the Wildcats play?
The NBL regular season runs roughly October through February or March, with finals following. Check the Wildcats’ official schedule for exact current-season dates and home game counts, since format and length vary by season.
How early should I arrive?
30 minutes before a regular Wildcats game, 45 to 60 minutes before a major concert to allow for entry queues and finding your seat.
Is the venue wheelchair accessible?
Yes. Wheelchair seating is available across all three tiers with companion pass options, and there are accessible toilets throughout. Contact the venue ahead of time for specific accessibility needs.
How do I get there without a car?
Perth Underground Station (about 10 minutes’ walk) or Elizabeth Quay Station (about 8 minutes’ walk) cover every Transperth line. The free CAT bus also stops nearby, and public transport is often free for three hours either side of an event if your ticket carries the Transperth logo.
Should I drive and park?
Generally not recommended. On-site parking is limited, priced at event rates, and event-night traffic around the venue is congested. Public transport is faster and cheaper for most visitors.
The Close
RAC Arena’s real strength isn’t its architecture or its (troubled) construction history, it’s the location. Everything about a big night out here, from getting there to getting a drink at Elizabeth Quay beforehand, is built around the fact that it sits almost in the middle of the city. Check what’s on, catch the train in, and don’t bother with the car park.