Elizabeth Quay Opening Weekend!
This weekend visitors will see Perth as it has never been seen before! Perth has a new waterfront and it’s pretty great. This $440 million project has been years in the making. Perth’s newest precinct will open with a bang this Friday night, as the Western Australia government has planned a three week celebration for the opening. Not only will the opening involve laser shows and night markets but it will also include an outdoor roller-skating rink, bars and performances as part of the Perth International Arts Festival. So there is no need to worry about missing out on the opening weekend.
The opening will be marked by the turning on of the BHP Billiton Water Park at the Quay. Elements of this water park include lighting, sounds and choreographed water jets. It is the perfect place to take the best holiday snaps. Water shows will take place every half an hour between 8pm to 10pm until 21 February. Fringe is also involved as there will be a 1920’s fairground until 06 March. This fairground will provide entertainment with cabaret, rides and show bags. Parts of Elizabeth Quay will still be under development even though it will officially be open. As restaurants are yet to be opened, there will be pop up bars and food trucks. The Swan River Community markets will also be open every Saturday 8:30am to 1:30pm until 05 March. You can eat and shop at the markets as well as enjoy live music, be part of the petting zoo and have some fun with the kids as there are activities for them.
Permanent features at Elizabeth Quay include the waterpark, an island playground and public art. The island playground features ropes, a sand pit, a slide and a ships bell to ring. As for public art, there is the Spanda, Signature Ring and first contact. The Spanda is an eight storey sculpture that sits at the water edge. The sculpture is meant to represent ripples in water and the connection to the sky, land and river. The Signature Ring is a headphone-shaped artwork has more than 200,000 signatures collected from school students in 1999 etched into copper plates. First contact is a five-metre tall, cast aluminium artwork by an indigenous artist to depict the arrival of European settlers to Perth.
If you are visiting Perth you do not want to miss the new site that will apparently change the face of Perth “almost overnight”. Elizabeth Quay is easily accessible via train, bus and ferry. There is no excuse not to check it out!