The Essential Guide to Living in Western Australia (WA)

Thinking of moving to Western Australia?

We’ve pulled together a few hints and tips to help you get into the West Australian groove... 

• Did you know that WA is three times bigger than NSW, 11 times bigger than Victoria and 36 times bigger than Tassie? The WA Tourism Commission is a great resource with inspirational weekend and short breaks to get you acquainted with our massive state.

• Fantastic West Australian produce and a booming restaurant scene mean there are plenty of dining options to choose from.  

• Transperth provides the public transport service for the Perth metro area, including buses, trains and the ferry. You can use cash to purchase your ticket, however SmartRider is Transperth’s electronic ticketing system and it ensures that you pay the appropriate and lowest fare.  SmartRider cards have an initial purchase fee of $10 ($5 for concession) and can be purchased at any Transperth InfoCentre or SmartRider Retail Sales Outlet. Their website also has up to date journey information.  

• For a cultural fix you can’t go past the Art Gallery of Western Australia, which houses the State Art Collection and one of the world’s finest collections of Indigenous art. They offer a range of free talks and guided walks.  

• On your way, why not stop off for an early lunch in one of the renowned Northbridge Dim Sum restaurants.  

• Find out if the sea breeze has come in along the 12,000 kms of WA coastline. 

• The Beauty of Brunch – kick off a lazy Sunday with breakfast at one of the many fantastic coastal and suburban cafes. 

• Our sunny climate and beautiful scenery make bike riding a popular activity. The Perth Bicycle Network has a wide range of on and off road bike rides. 

• The lifestyle, fashion, food and culture website SixThousand provides an up to the minute summary of the best that Perth has to offer.   

• We take our coffee very seriously, here’s an introduction to some of the more popular Perth coffee spots.  

• In WA we watch footy, we play footy, we talk footy and we have two footy teams that you will now need to choose between - these are The Eagles or The Dockers. 

A few other things to note, specific to WA... 

• If you are bringing a vehicle over from interstate or overseas, you will need to register it with the WA Transport Authority and transfer your driver’s license.  Need car insurance too? Check out our range of competitive cover options.

• The main utility companies are Western Power for electricity and Alinta for gas. 

• Our Public Holidays can differ from the rest of Australia, view them here. 

• Find everything you need to know about the WA Education System here  

• Need accommodation? Rent.com.au and Realestate.com.au are some of the easiest ways to search for property to rent and buy in Western Australia. If you're looking for home insurance too, we offer a great range of options including home and contents cover, personal valuables cover, and renter's insurance. Find out more.
  

Ready to take out private health insurance? 

At HBF, we believe your health is all that matters. Our members get to be a part of a not-for-profit organisation that only exists to help take care of West Australians, and joining HBF will mean that you:  

• Avoid long public hospital waiting lists;
• Have access to more branches and more participating dental and optical providers in WA than you would with any other health fund;
• Get a higher percentage of hospital related expenses covered in WA; and
• Can save money at tax time by avoiding the Medicare Levy Surcharge with any level of hospital cover.

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