Guide to Northbridge Western Australia Australia

Northbridge is Perth’s after-dark heart, a compact grid of streets just north of the city centre across the railway line. By day it’s a place of museums, galleries and noodle shops; by night its small bars, pubs, live music venues and restaurants draw crowds from across the city, especially around James and Lake streets.

Only about 1,400 people live in Northbridge, but it has a long history as Perth’s migrant quarter, with Chinese, Greek, Italian and Macedonian communities shaping its food and culture. It’s a five to ten-minute walk from Perth Station, on Whadjuk Noongar country, in the City of Perth.

Known For

• Perth’s main nightlife district
• Chinatown and migrant food culture
• WA Museum Boola Bardip and the Art Gallery of WA
• Fringe World each summer

Things To Do in Northbridge

Perth Cultural Centre

On Northbridge’s southern edge, the Perth Cultural Centre brings together the WA Museum Boola Bardip, which opened in 2020 and incorporates the old Perth Gaol of 1856, the Art Gallery of Western Australia, the State Library, PICA and the State Theatre Centre. General entry to the Art Gallery is free, and its rooftop has been turned into a bar and arts space with a sculpture walk and views over the city. The centre is being rejuvenated, so some paths may be diverted.

Yagan Square and Russell Square

Yagan Square, opened in 2018 above the sunken railway, links the CBD and Northbridge with a marketplace and a digital tower. Russell Square is a leafy park in the heart of the district, and the Northbridge Piazza has a big screen for free films and sport.

Heritage

Look for the Brass Monkey, built in 1896 as the Great Western Hotel, the Rechabite building, St Brigid’s Church and the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saints Constantine and Helene, reminders of the area’s gold-rush and migrant past.

Events

Fringe World turns Northbridge into a festival hub from late January to mid-February, overlapping with the Perth Festival from February into early March. Lunar New Year is celebrated in Chinatown, and the PrideFEST parade marches through the streets in late November.

Where To Stay

Northbridge and the edge of the CBD have hotels and backpacker hostels within walking distance of the bars and museums. The nearest caravan park is in Ascot, about 7 km east.

Eat & Drink

Eating out is what Northbridge does best, from Chinese barbecue and Hainanese chicken rice around Roe Street to Italian, Greek, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese restaurants. Laneway bars, rooftop bars, pubs under fig trees and late-night diners keep the district busy well past midnight, especially from Thursday to Saturday.

History

Northbridge was once a freshwater swamp on Whadjuk Noongar country, drained by convict labour from the 1860s. The 1890s gold boom brought hotels and businesses, and from around World War I Greek and Macedonian migrants arrived, followed after World War II by Italians and other Europeans who built the area’s café culture. Chinese families settled around Roe Street. Northbridge was separated from Perth and gazetted as its own suburb in 1982, and the Perth City Link project later sank the railway and created Yagan Square in 2018.

Getting to Northbridge

Northbridge is a short walk from Perth Station and the Perth Busport, and the free Blue CAT bus runs along Fitzgerald and Aberdeen streets. Parking is limited at night, so public transport, taxis or rideshare are the easiest options.

Summer is festival season, with Fringe World and the Perth Festival, while winter is quieter and good for exploring the museums.