Perth has many faces. It is, for instance, the most isolated capital city in Australia- so distant from the others that it's closer to Indonesia than to Adelaide, or Darwin, or Sydney.

Perth has gone down in Aussie gold lore as the city which filled up with eager-beaver pioneers during the Gold Rush of the 19th century. It's a city which may lack the panache of Sydney, the exuberance of Brisbane and the elegance of Melbourne. But Perth has its own- if somewhat elusive- charm.

Nestling in a curve along the Swan River, Perth is the sunniest of Australia's cities- 300 hours of sunshine every year mean there's lots of time to sunbathe, sail, go fishing, and have the time of your life! Golden beaches lapped by the bluest waters imaginable; sprawling parks, quiet walkways and a plethora of museums, art galleries and shopping complexes make this an attractive destination for anybody who's willing to venture beyond the usual tourist circuit.

Almost forty years ago, in 1962, the astronaut John Glenn was circling the earth in a space craft when he was surprised to notice a sprawl of lights splashed across a corner of Australia. What he didn't know was that all the households in Perth had switched on their lights to welcome him back to Earth. Ever since, Perth has been called the `City of Lights'.

You may not get a city full of lights, but you can be sure to get as warm a welcome.